Enrichment P–4
Our enrichment program for gifted and high-potential students is known as the Thomas Aquinas Scholars Program. We identify students who will benefit from involvement in the program which provides opportunities, resources and guidance to help them excel.
Inspired by the greatest Dominican scholar, St Thomas Aquinas, the program fosters academic achievement, creative thinking and personal growth in an inclusive and supportive setting. The diverse nature of giftedness shapes the identification of high potential at Santa Sabina as a multi-faceted and ongoing process, employing multiple criteria to ensure gifts across many domains are recognised.
We enrich students’ minds through innovative ideas and through critical thinking and reasoning. Giftedness encompasses creativity and can be seen on the stage, on the sporting fields, perceived through artistic expression, seen in expert experimental design and heard through musical performances and composition. Many opportunities are offered to our gifted and high potential students to facilitate talent development, resulting in a range of pathways by which gifted learners can achieve excellence.
High potential and gifted students make the most of several opportunities before school, during lunch breaks and in class which extend their learning in fun ways:
- Each week, Writers’ Club meets to develop storytelling skills and a love of writing. Students are encouraged to enter competitions such as ABC News in My Neighbourhood, WriteOn (won in 2025 by a Year 2 student) and the CBCA Shadow Judging program.
- Our Story Explorer group focuses on exploring, analysing and writing poetry, supporting students to deepen their creative and expressive skills.
- In the classroom, students are grouped by ability for word study, allowing teaching and learning to be targeted and responsive to individual needs.
- Each week, our enthusiastic Maths Quest group (Years 1 and 2) comes together to tackle problem-solving challenges in a collaborative and supportive environment. Through hands-on activities, students build mathematical vocabulary while bringing logic and creativity together.
- Maths Explorer is designed for high potential students in Years 3 and 4, extending their thinking through enriched and challenging mathematical experiences.
- Students across the College also participate in Australian Mathematics Trust competitions, providing opportunities to apply their skills in a broader, nationally recognised context.
- Through the Young Scientist Competition, students undertake detailed scientific investigations, combining curiosity and research to solve everyday problems relevant to their world.
- Robotics and coding programs develop problem solving and computational thinking skills, encouraging students to design, build and program solutions through hands-on learning.
- Our Philosophy Club, held at lunchtime, encourages students to explore big ideas, ask thoughtful questions and engage in respectful discussion.
- Students working within the compacted curriculum have the opportunity to pursue Passion Projects, such as investigating the fascinating world of bees, allowing them to explore areas of personal interest in greater depth.
Through enrichment, students are challenged to extend their thinking, develop their talents and discover new pathways for growth and achievement.