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Gifted Education

Academic excellence, inspiring opportunities for growth, and supporting students to realise their potential through a well-differentiated curriculum and appropriate provisions – these are the objectives of Gifted Education at Santa Sabina College. Giftedness at Santa Sabina is viewed through the lens of Françoys Gagné’s Differentiated Model of Giftedness and Talent; the potential of each student – their giftedness – is nurtured and challenged to find its expression in talent, characterised by outstanding student achievement and performance.

The diverse nature of giftedness shapes the identification of gifted students at Santa Sabina as a multi-faceted and ongoing process, employing multiple criteria to ensure gifted students across all domains are recognised. We witness giftedness 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, and heard through musical performances and composition. Many opportunities are offered to our gifted students to facilitate talent development, resulting in a range of pathways by which gifted learners can achieve excellence.

Santa Sabina Gifted students won four sections – Bridge Building, Helter Skelter, Stringways and Grasping at Straws – of the Science and Engineering Challenge State Super Challenge

How do we do this at Santa Sabina?

Our teaching staff are committed to enabling this process of talent development for gifted learners by providing specialised learning programs incorporating extension and enrichment, flexible grouping and learning environments, accelerative strategies such as curriculum compacting, and personalising learning and challenges to define success in terms relevant to each student. We offer mentoring programs featuring teachers, industry specialists, university scholars, community leaders and families – all supporting students to make connections between areas of knowledge and subjects and to transfer their understanding into the community and the wider world. We attend to the social and emotional needs of our gifted and talented learners through our pastoral program, facilitating a holistic approach to learning.

Read more from our Gifted Education Coordinator on the Secondary Campus, Rachele Rugiero.

Our Gifted Education program begins in the Primary Years where our gifted and high potential learners are provided with exceptional enrichment educational opportunities to excel and to boldly shake the world. Hear from the students themselves in the video below.