High potential and gifted education - Ignite program
At Riverside we recognise that all students learn differently and at different paces. We also recognise that all students may shine in one or more of the four domains of potential: creative, intellectual, physical, socio-emotional. At Riverside our expert teachers work with all students to identify their potential and talents and strive to drive success for all, across all domains, through our differentiated teaching and learning, extra-curricula and leadership programs.
Ignite program – Year 7-10
Riverside Girls High School provides a rich, diverse learning environment for all girls to have their skills and capabilities identified, nurtured and developed. We have a 92-year history of providing quality learning opportunities that cater to the individual needs of all young women in our care, where all students may build on their academic, sporting, cultural, social and leadership potential. We offer a challenging, innovative curriculum, enhanced by a dynamic, student-centred extra-curricula program that builds confident, independent, creative young women.
The Riverside Girls High School Ignite Program (HPGE) provides rigorous opportunities to extend all students through learning programs that promote individual and cross-curriculum learning, providing extension and multi-modal learning opportunities to fulfil curriculum learning outcomes through real world and high impact enrichment activities; including accelerated programs in Mathematics, Dance and Information Processes Technology; a Year 7 Entrepreneurship Program; Genius 75 – a Year 7 passion-project course inspiring innovative thinking and creativity; project-based learning activities; an annual school production; a wonderful music program; inter-school sporting competitions; links with universities and industry to create authentic career and goal planning activities; a bespoke STEM program to provide for multidisciplinary critical thinking and problem solving and to foster creative thinking and collaboration.
Leadership talent is enriched by creating links with female leaders in industry to provide exposure to diverse role models and embed a culture of active citizenship and student voice, driven by the principles of social conscience and “giving back”. The Ignite program provides enhanced opportunities for students to practise these skills in their learning and broader school involvement.
Our high potential and gifted education opportunities
Our Ignite students engage with HPGE education in the classroom, in our school, and across NSW.
Learning in the Ignite classroom includes
- Differentiated tasks that adjust pace, complexity and higher-order thinking.
- Formative assessment to monitor growth and adapt learning.
- Explicit teaching of critical thinking and problem-solving strategies.
- Opportunities for abstraction, inquiry, and curriculum depth.
- Tasks that promote choice, authenticity, and critical and creative thinking including cross-curricular projects.
- Flexible grouping for collaborative ideation and presentation.
- Differentiated movement tasks and skill refinement in PDHPE.
- Targeted learning goals for coordination, agility, and control.
- Supportive learning environments that enable exploration and self-assessment.
- Strengths-based feedback and goal setting.
- Opportunities for leadership within the classroom.
- Structured peer collaboration and reflection.
- Safe learning environments that encourage confidence, risk-taking, and perseverance.
HPGE opportunities across our school include
- Debating
- Music ensembles
- Visual arts and drama showcases
- Creative writing groups
- Sport squads (Inter-school sports)
- House competitions
- Peer mentoring
- Student leadership (SRC)
- Wellbeing programs
- Participation in whole-school inclusion and wellbeing initiatives.
HPGE opportunities across NSW include
- Participation in national elite dance competitions
- The Premier’s Debating Challenge helps our students to build logical arguments and confidence in public speaking.
- Our STEM Enrichment Partnerships with industry and universities deepen our students’ intellectual curiosity while developing innovation and collaboration.
- Involvement in the Game Changer Challenge empowers our students to solve future-focused problems using design thinking.
- The Schools Spectacular is an iconic performing arts event that celebrates the talents, diversity and creativity of students from across NSW public schools.
- Participation in (state/regional) drama ensembles promotes character exploration, storytelling and expressive freedom for our Stage 5 high potential and gifted drama students.
- Participation in music ensembles (e.g. State Wind Orchestra, State Choirs) hones our students’ musical skills, discipline and ensemble awareness.
- The Premier’s Sporting Challenge (PSC) promotes whole-school participation in physical activity with leadership pathways and professional learning.
- The Representative School Sport Pathway and CHSSA events enable our students to trial and compete in sports at regional, state and national levels, fostering discipline, commitment and collaboration.
- Participation in state-wide dance ensembles develops our high potential and gifted Stage 5 dance students’ technical skills, performance presence and physical expressiveness.
- Our mentoring programs connect our students with trusted adults including school alumni to build confidence, motivation, and interpersonal skills
Why choose us for your high potential or gifted child?
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 needs.
We do this through:
- effective teaching strategies like enrichment, extension and acceleration
- tailored support during lessons that stretch, challenge and inspire
- access to a wide range of opportunities both within and beyond our school.
Help for your high potential child
If your child shows signs of high potential, contact us. We can share how our HPGE support can guide their learning journey.
Student opportunities and activities
Discover the opportunities our students have at our school.
Learning
Find out about our approach to learning and supporting students to progress