High potential and gifted education (HPGE)

Some students learn faster and more easily than others. These students may show natural abilities in creative, intellectual, physical, and/or social-emotional domains.

At our school, we recognise and nurture these strengths early. We support high potential students with quality teaching and evidence-based practices to encompass creativity, inclusivity, opportunity, and passion so that all students can reach their personal and communal best.

Why choose us for your high potential or gifted child?

Consistent Academic Success

Henry Kendall High has an established tradition of high academic achievement and a culture of success. Our NAPLAN results are consistently above state and similar schools’ averages in all domains, and for the past decade our HSC results ensured that Henry Kendall is highly regarded for academic excellence. In 2024 our HSC results were the best attained in the schools 55 year history, placing us into the top 200 schools in the state rankings – the only comprehensive school on the central coast to attain this. These achievements have been sustained for over a decade. We are characterised by a culture of high expectations in getting the best for each student in all learning environments and experiences, culminating in academic excellence for those students seeking tertiary study, and ensuring entry into relevant pathways for those students seeking alternate directions.

Stage 4 Y-Stream Program

Henry Kendall High School’s Year 7 and 8 Academic Class is an invitation-only program designed to extend and enrich high-potential learners in alignment with the NSW Department of Education’s High Potential and Gifted Education Policy. The program embodies our school values of Perseverance and Curiosity by fostering intellectual challenge, collaboration, and a love of learning. Through differentiated teaching and tailored enrichment experiences, students are supported to achieve their personal best within a stimulating and inclusive environment. Across the curriculum, learners engage with sophisticated texts and advanced analytical skills in English, explore topics in greater depth and complexity in History and Geography, and are extended to study more advanced mathematical and scientific concepts. Students are also encouraged to participate in a range of extracurricular academic opportunities, including public speaking, debating, and a range of writing competitions.

Student Leadership

At Henry Kendall High School, our Student Representative Council (SRC) plays a vital role in nurturing leadership skills and social-emotional development among gifted and high-potential students from Years 7 to 12. Serving from Term 4 through to Term 3 the following year, SRC members are provided with sustained, meaningful opportunities to grow as confident leaders and empathetic individuals.

Through their involvement, SRC students engage deeply with our school community by organising volunteering initiatives, leading philanthropic projects, and coordinating events that strengthen school spirit and connection. These activities support students in developing essential social-emotional competencies such as collaboration, communication, resilience, and empathy—qualities that are foundational for gifted learners to thrive both personally and academically.

Beyond the school, our SRC members broaden their leadership experience by participating in wider community forums, including the Central Coast Principals’ Association Panel and leadership or mentoring programs with other schools locally and across the state. These experiences encourage them to navigate diverse social settings, build meaningful relationships, and apply creative problem-solving to real-world challenges.

Our SRC is committed to ensuring that every student has the chance to explore their leadership potential, embrace challenges, and contribute innovative ideas that positively impact our school and local community. This holistic approach supports the development of emotionally intelligent, socially responsible young leaders who are well-prepared to meet the demands of the future.

Dance Program

At Henry Kendall High School, we proudly offer a comprehensive Dance program designed to extend and challenge students with high potential in the physical domain and the performing arts. This program nurtures creativity, technical skill, and performance excellence through opportunities to develop solo, small-group, and ensemble compositions which are showcased at prestigious events, festivals, and competitions.

Students refine their artistry through guidance, collaboration, and performance experiences that build confidence and open pathways to further study and careers in dance and the creative industries.

In addition to audition-based dance ensembles, students can select Dance as a 100-hour Stage 5 elective, providing a structured avenue to deepen their passion, extend their abilities, and achieve personal and artistic excellence

Music Industry Program

At Henry Kendall High School, our Creative & Performing Arts (CAPA) Faculty offers a vibrant music program from Year 7 to Year 12, designed to develop students' skills and passion. Starting in Years 7 and 8, students build strong foundations through ensemble playing, music technology, and recording in dedicated classrooms. In Years 9 and 10, they can choose electives in Music and Music Technology, participate in our school ensembles like Jazz and Concert Bands, and join the Sound & Light Team to gain practical experience in performance and live production.

In Years 11 and 12, students can study advanced music courses and vocational programs such as Music Industry and Entertainment, preparing them for university or careers in the music field. Extra-curricular groups provide ongoing opportunities to enhance performance and technical skills in a supportive environment.

Our music industry program reflects the school's commitment to the High Potential and Gifted Education (HPGE) framework, ensuring all students receive challenging and tailored learning experiences. Graduates are well-equipped to pursue creative careers in areas like composition, production, live sound, recording, and entertainment management, with pathways leading to industry connections and further study.

At Henry Kendall High, we inspire and nurture students to explore music as a rewarding career, helping them grow into confident creative professionals.

Recognising potential and developing talent

Our teachers find potential and nurture our students to be the best they can be.

Tailored lessons

Each student has different abilities. Teachers respond to each student’s ability by providing extra challenges and extension activities to keep learning exciting and engaging.

Rich opportunities and activities

Students can take part in opportunities to develop their talent in the arts, sport, leadership and more.

Opening doors to wider experiences

Our students can participate in a wide range of state-wide opportunities that aim to extend and enrich student potential.

What is high potential and gifted education?

High Potential and Gifted Education (HPGE) is how our school supports students with advanced learning abilities. These abilities fall into four domains of potential, which describe the four broad categories of natural abilities. These definitions apply to all students, including high potential and gifted students.

The domains of potential may not be mutually exclusive and are highly influenced by one another.

Creative domain – refers to natural abilities in imagination, invention and originality.
Intellectual domain – refers to natural abilities in processing, understanding, reasoning, and the transfer of learning.
Physical domain – refers to natural abilities in muscular movement and motor control.
Social-emotional – refers to natural abilities in self-management and relating to and interacting with others.

Potential exists along a continuum, where differing degrees of potential require differing approaches and levels of adjustment and intervention.

High potential students are those whose potential exceeds that of students of the same age in one or more domains.

Gifted students potential significantly exceeds that of students of the same age in one or more domains.

Our high potential and gifted education opportunities

Our students engage with HPGE in the classroom, in our school and across NSW.

Creative Domain

At Henry Kendall High School, creativity is at the heart of a range of learning experiences, and epitomised in the Creative & Performing Arts Faculty. Through Music and Visual Arts, students from Year 7 to the HSC are inspired to take risks, think differently, and explore their own artistic voice. They develop ideas through performance, production, and design—building the confidence to experiment and create original work. Opportunities include ensembles, the Sound & Light Team, and VET Entertainment and Music Industry pathways, connecting students to Australia’s dynamic music scene and organisations like APRA AMCOS. In Visual Arts, students exhibit and learn through workshops at the Art Gallery of NSW and Gosford Regional Gallery, and showcase their talent through A Central Vision, Next Gen, and HSC Art Exhibitions. The Promotions Team supports school events with photography and social media storytelling, turning creative learning into real-world experience. These experiences reflect the NSW HPGE Policy’s focus on originality, innovation, and creative growth—preparing students for diverse and exciting futures in the arts and cultural industries.

Intellectual Domain

At Henry Kendall High School, we nurture the intellectual potential of every student by fostering curiosity, challenge, and a love of learning. Guided by the Department of Education’s High Potential and Gifted Education (HPGE) policy, we believe that all students should have access to enrichment and extension opportunities that engage deep thinking and promote excellence.

In every classroom, students are encouraged to think critically, explore creatively, and persevere through complex and meaningful learning experiences. Differentiated teaching and flexible grouping ensure that enrichment and extension are embedded across all subjects, while acceleration options are available for students demonstrating advanced academic readiness. Our Y Stream program in Stage 4 provides a supportive and stimulating environment for high-achieving learners to thrive alongside like-minded peers.

Beyond the classroom, students are invited to further develop their intellectual talents through extracurricular opportunities such as public speaking and debating, the Illuminate Challenge, and contributions to The Bellbird literary magazine, where they may also serve on the student editorial team. These experiences encourage belonging, build confidence, and empower students to use their voice to make a positive impact.

Through this rich blend of challenge, support, and opportunity, Henry Kendall High School cultivates a community of learners who approach the world with curiosity, act with perseverance, and find belonging through shared intellectual growth.

Physical Domain

At Henry Kendall High School, we are committed to supporting students with exceptional physical potential through highly individualised and performance-driven pathways. We recognise that high physical aptitude can be expressed across a diverse range of disciplines, and therefore cater not only for students excelling in traditional sporting pursuits but also in areas such as Dance, where physicality and creative expression intersect.

Our targeted before-school gym program provides tailored strength and conditioning training for identified students, supporting them to enhance performance, reduce injury risk, and achieve high-level success within their individual sporting pathways. We further extend our support by connecting students with high-performance coaches, integrating current sports science research, and guiding them in the design, implementation and evaluation of elite training programs.

In addition, our audition-based Dance opportunities and elective courses provide a specialised pathway for students demonstrating exceptional physical and performance capabilities, allowing them to refine their skills and showcase their talents at high-profile events and competitions.

Through these tailored, research-informed opportunities, Henry Kendall High School ensures that students with high potential in the physical domain are challenged, supported and empowered to pursue excellence in their chosen physical domains.

At Henry Kendall High School, we offer a wide range of experiences to support the social and emotional development of our students. We understand that every student enters high school with different social and emotional strengths, just as they do in literacy and numeracy. Offering a range of pathways allows HPGE students to align their leadership experiences with their personal strengths, interests, and character. Applied Learning and Wellbeing are two Stage 4 courses unique to Henry Kendall High School that focus specifically on the social and emotional domain. In Applied Learning, all Year 7 and 8 students develop collaboration, communication, feedback, and time management skills, extending their capacity to work effectively with others. In Wellbeing, Stage 4 students explore emotional intelligence, resilience, and goal setting, building the confidence and self-awareness needed to thrive in their senior years. Across Years 7–12, students are encouraged to take on authentic leadership roles in various capacities. Some of these include: the Student Representative Council, Library Monitors and Ambassadors, Cooinda Cultural Leaders, Year 10 Peer Support mentors, and PDHPE sporting leadership programs. These roles give students regular opportunities to practise and extend their social and emotional skills while making meaningful contributions to our school community.

In our classroom

At Henry Kendall High School, we are committed to recognising and nurturing high potential and gifted students, ensuring every student has the opportunity to thrive at our school.

Our supportive classroom environments promote a sense of belonging and encourage risk-taking, creativity and collaboration.
Groups are flexible for collaboration and presentation, students take lead roles, and feedback is strengths-based with clear goals and self-assessment.
Students learn from tasks that promote choice, authenticity, and critical and creative thinking including cross-curricular projects.
When evidence shows a need for more, students are extended and have the opportunity to access advanced pathways.
We measure impact, not anecdotes, through student work, reflections and progress checks.
Explicit teaching practices in all classrooms provides a foundation for excellence and gives each student the opportunity to attain their personal best, as seen in our HSC results and high levels of university entry.
Our Stage 4 curriculum supports the social and emotional development of all students through the provision of wellbeing as a subject.

Across our school

Our purpose is to foster a positive school culture which celebrates personal success and communal recognition. The students in our school are given the opportunity to develop, learn and belong as individuals and as members of our community. We are committed to the delivery of high-quality education, embracing informed perspectives on diversity, respect and kindness.