Type: Policy
Classification: Operational
Policy Number: SCS2022008
Released: 14 March 2022
Review Date: 14 March 2025
Rescinds/Replaces: TL201401-1.1
Sydney Catholic Schools (SCS) is committed to supporting all students to achieve their educational potential. This policy recognises that gifted students have advanced learning capacity compared to their age peers and as a result, require talent development opportunities, differentiated teaching and learning practices to ensure their specific learning needs are met.
The purpose of this policy is to provide direction on implementing effective learning and teaching practices to meet the needs of gifted students.
The policy applies to all SCS staff. SCS staff means all employees, members of religious orders engaged in schools, volunteers, trainees, interns and labour hire employees.
Failure to comply with the responsibilities and obligations outlined in the policy may result in disciplinary action being taken, including termination of employment.
3.1 Giftedness is present in every culture, socio- economic context and a variety of domains.
3.2 All students have the right to receive an education that is responsive to their needs.
3.3 Effective school environments based upon quality teaching, learning and leadership are essential for helping all students achieve their potential.
3.4 The making of educational decisions regarding services and provisions for gifted students is the responsibility of schools and families.
Gagné’s definitions of giftedness and talent are established in the Differentiated Model of Giftedness and Talent DMGT (2020)
4.1 Giftedness designates the possession and use of untrained and spontaneously expressed outstanding natural abilities or aptitudes (called gifts), in at least one ability domain, to a degree that places an individual at least among the top 10% of age peers.
4.2 Talent designates the outstanding mastery of systematically developed competencies (knowledge and skills) in at least one field of human activity to a degree that places an individual at least among the top 10% of learning peers.
Giftedness from an Aboriginal Perspective
4.3 What is valued as giftedness in Aboriginal culture incorporates intellectual strength that is innate in their world views. “From an Aboriginal perspective, giftedness is a measure of your knowledge of your ancestry, your land, your kin, and your respect for your community and elders”. (Vialle, 2010, Giftedness from an Indigenous Perspective).
5.1 Gifted students have diverse learning needs and require adjustments to their learning, both curriculum and pastoral care, to develop their potential and may have different needs to their age peers.
5.2 Early identification enables timely and appropriate provisions to support optimal development.
5.3 Gifted students may be twice or multi-exceptional i.e. their giftedness may mask their disability or their disability may mask their giftedness.
5.4 Gifted students’ development may not occur at the same time as other abilities and require understanding and support in circumstances where social and/or emotional development does not parallel cognitive abilities.
5.5 The distinction between giftedness as outstanding potential and talent as outstanding performance is important. A student can be gifted without being talented and requires educational provisions and services responsive to their needs to catalyse gifts into talents.
5.6 Gifted students are best placed academically, socially and emotionally when they are with like-minded peers for a significant proportion of their time at school.
5.7 Student giftedness may be concealed by underachievement. These students require the same environment, intrapersonal and developmental processes as gifted achievers so that their talent may be realised.
5.8 Assessment and reporting practices for gifted students must follow the principles of good assessment practices for all students. Tools such as off-level, (also known as above-level) testing/assessment, differentiated pre and post performance-based assessments, product-based assessment and standardised assessments should be included in assessment practices.
6.1 Principals and School Leadership Team responsibilities
6.1.1 Adopt the underlying principles of giftedness and talent based on Gagné’s (2020) DMGT.
6.1.2 Identify gifted and talented students in their school using a range of valid and reliable, objective and subjective measures (more information on subjective measures on the Gifted Education intranet page)
6.1.3 Develop a Gifted Education implementation plan, procedures and programs for gifted students across intellectual, creative, social-emotional and physical domains, including acceleration options in accordance with the Gifted Education Standards Framework (2020) (more information on the Framework on the Gifted Education intranet page).
6.1.4 Plan, implement, evaluate and make provisions for acceleration appropriate to student needs, interests and abilities in accordance with the Acceleration Guidelines (more information on acceleration guidelines can be found on the Gifted Education intranet page).
6.1.5 Document the goals and strategies for Gifted Education in the school’s Annual Improvement Plan that are informed by data analytics.
6.1.6 Engage appropriately qualified teachers to teach gifted students/classes and to be involved in determining the identification of gifted students.
6.1.7 Work in partnership with parents/carers to support the development of giftedness in all domains. Channels of communication between parents/carers, the school and student(s) are to be clear and transparent with written information available in an accessible format.
6.1.8 Assist with transitions at different stages of schooling, developing partnerships between pre-schools, primary schools and secondary schools that support the successful transition of gifted and talented students.
6.2 Gifted Education Team responsibilities
6.2.1 Provide opportunities for professional learning, including in-situ coaching, to enhance the ability of school staff to effectively support gifted students.
6.2.2 Continually review and refine the provision of online professional learning such as Gifted Education Naturally Embedded (GENE); GEO 1 and GEO 2 (Gifted Education online).
6.2.3 Coordinate the implementation of the SCS Newman Selective Gifted Education Program.
6.2.4 Collaborate with schools on understanding and implementing the Gifted Education Standards Framework (2020).
6.3 Parent and Carers responsibilities
6.3.1 Parents/carers can identify their children as gifted on the enrolment form and where available, may also nominate their children for the Newman Gifted Education Program.
If you have any questions about this document or would like further information, please contact the Gifted Education Team, Education and Research at giftededucation@syd.catholic.edu.au or Phone (02) 9568 8415.
• Policy Number: SCS2022008
• Document Rescinds/Replaces: TL201401-1.1
• Policy Released: 14 March 2022
• Review Date: 14 March 2025
• Policy Type: Operational
• Audience: Public
• Approved by: Executive Director
• Document Owner: Director, Education and Research