At Hastings Public School, high potential and gifted education is embedded in everyday practice. We are committed to recognising and nurturing the strengths, interests and potential of every student, ensuring all learners have the opportunity to thrive.

• We offer explicit teaching of critical thinking and problem solving strategies.
• Safe learning environments that encourage confidence and perseverance.
• High expectations for every student with opportunities to extend learning and achieve personal bests.
• Opportunities across the intellectual, creative, physical and social emotional domains.

Our classrooms are inclusive, supportive environments where students feel a strong sense of belonging and are encouraged to take risks, think deeply and collaborate with others. Teaching and learning experiences are intentionally designed to provide choice, challenge and opportunities for creativity and critical thinking.

Flexible grouping, student voice, leadership roles and strengths-based feedback support students to set goals, reflect on their learning and extend themselves.

Our teachers engage in ongoing professional learning to support high potential and gifted students across all domains, ensuring adjustments and extensions are informed by data, student work samples, observations and reflection.

Hastings Public School recognises that every student is an individual, and we provide a wide range of flexible and diverse opportunities for students to explore, develop and showcase their strengths beyond the classroom.

High potential and gifted students are supported and extended through quality extra-curricular and co-curricular programs that begin at the school level and connect with opportunities across our local community and beyond.

These include:

• Debating workshops
• Robotics
• Band program
• Public Speaking
• Dance program
• Operation Art
• Choir
• Recorder Group
• Student leadership training
• Hastings Leadership Team
• Junior AECG
• Peer mentoring
• Glasshouse Showcase (biannually)
• Lower North Coast Dance Festival
• Tournament of Minds (TOM)
• Maths Olympiad, Maths Games and Maths Explorer Competitions
• Optional participation in ICAS assessments
• Chess Club
• Mathematics enrichment groups supported by Hastings Secondary College
• Wauchope Show competitions

Student talent, effort and growth are celebrated, and leadership is fostered through authentic roles that allow students to contribute meaningfully to school life.

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

These include:

• Premier’s Debating Challenge
• Premier’s Spelling Bee
• Premier’s Sporting Challenge
• Premier’s Reading Challenge
• STEM Enrichment - Robotics and First Lego League
• Multicultural Perspectives Public Speaking Competition
• PSSA Representative Sport Pathways
• PSSA Knockout competitions and gala days
• NSW Junior Chess League