High potential and gifted education

Melonba High school creates a supportive and stimulating environment where high potential and gifted students can thrive and develop into confident, capable individuals. Our program offers students the opportunity to work toward and achieve their potential in every class.

• Our school uses explicit teaching where we foster critical thinking and problem-solving skills providing opportunities for abstraction, inquiry, and curriculum depth​.
• Our classes have opportunities for peer collaboration and reflection where strengths-based feedback and goal setting are part of learning process.
• We provide supportive learning environments that enable exploration and self-assessment creating safe learning environments that encourage confidence, risk-taking, and resilience​.
• Classes have differentiated tasks that adjust pace, complexity and higher-order thinking​ followed by formative assessment to monitor growth and adapt learning​.

Our school recognises that every student is individual, and we provide flexible and diverse opportunities for students to explore and grow their strengths outside the classroom.

All our students, including high potential and gifted students:

• are encouraged to take on leadership roles through our Student Ambassador, mentoring programs and peer coaching and leadership of major events including ANZAC, Remembrance Day and NAIDOC assemblies.
• are given opportunities and access to sporting pathways to compete at high levels (Representative, State, etc) and are supported through participation in high level physical activity with leadership pathways and collaborative learning.
• have opportunities to extend their skills in the creative fields through extra-curricular opportunities and workshops to participate in new and varied experiences, performances and exhibitions.

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

• Melonba High School continues to prioritise sporting participation in a multitude of competitions including gala days, combined high schools knock out competitions and selection through to zone, regional and state carnivals.
• Our students participate in ICAS English, Mathematics and Science, NSW Geography and History Competitions.
• Strong links with Macquarie University.
• The Premier’s Sporting Challenge promotes whole-school participation in physical activity with leadership pathways and collaborative learning. Students reflect and share their learning, so experiences build knowledge and character, contributing to the identity of themselves and their school.
• The Premier's Reading Challenge inspires students to develop a lifelong love of reading — engaging them with a diverse range of books and authors who will foster curiosity, creativity, and confidence through shared stories and ideas.