Announcement: The 100th MindQuest Enrichment Program

I am delighted to invite our high-potential and gifted primary students to participate in a landmark event: the 100th MindQuest Program. This special anniversary session will be hosted at St George Girls High School this coming March.

MindQuest offers a sophisticated, fast-paced, two-day curriculum designed to challenge students beyond the standard classroom experience. These workshops provide a unique environment where students can explore diverse fields-including chemistry, earth sciences, LEGO robotics, drama, art, and creative writing, alongside like-minded peers.

For our older students, many courses provide an introduction to advanced high school concepts, offering a valuable bridge to future academic pursuits and fostering critical and creative thinking skills.

Program Schedule & Logistics:

Dates: Saturday, 28 March and Sunday, 29 March 2026
Hours: 9:30 am to 3:30 pm daily
Target Audience: Gifted and high-potential students in Years 1–6
Venue: St George Girls High School, Kogarah

Enrolment Details:

Fee: $250 (including GST) for the full two-day program.
Financial Support: Part scholarships may be available for families experiencing economic hardship. Please contact MindQuest directly to discuss eligibility.
Registration Deadline: Applications must be submitted by Thursday, 5 March 2026.

How to Apply: Detailed information and the registration portal can be found on the official MindQuest website:

https://mindquest.net.au/

This 100th session promises to be an exceptional opportunity for your child to deepen their interests and develop their talents. I highly recommend exploring what this program has to offer.

If you do decide to enrol your child into this program, please inform me by sending an email to myself via the school office.

Newman Selective Gifted Education Program -Frequently Asked Questions

What is a Newman Selective Gifted Education Program School?

A Newman Selective Gifted Education Program school seeks to provide a whole-school gifted education program embedded across the curriculum within a nurturing Catholic environment.

The program addresses the academic, social and emotional needs of gifted students, noting that these are best catered for when students are working with like-minded peers.

Within Newman Selective Gifted Education Program schools, teachers trained in gifted education deliver an appropriately differentiated curriculum to ensure the diverse learning needs of gifted students are met in and beyond the classroom.

There are over 80 Newman Selective Gifted Education Primary and Secondary schools across the Sydney Archdiocese. Pathways between our Primary and Secondary Newman Selective Gifted Education Program schools are under active development.

Newman Selective Gifted Education Program schools are comprehensively reviewed via a rigorous accreditation process. This process ensures the sustainability and continuous improvement of this high quality, research based gifted education program.

View our Newman Selective Gifted Education Program page on the SCS public website here for further details.

Which schools are involved in the Newman Selective Gifted Education Program?

All Catholic feeder primary schools to:
OLMC, Burraneer De La Salle, Caringbah All Saints, Liverpool St John Bosco, Engadine St Patrick’s, Sutherland Clancy, West Hoxton Good Samaritan, Hinchinbrook De La Salle, Revesby MSJ, Milperra LaSalle, Bankstown	St Ursula’s, Kingsgrove Bethany, Hurstville Marcellin, Randwick Marist NS, North Sydney OLSH, Kensington Corpus Christi, Maroubra St Clare’s, Waverley Mary MacKillop, Wakeley Marist College, Eastwood	Trinity, Auburn Holy Spirit, Lakemba St Vincent’s Ashfield Domremy, Five Dock Marist Sisters’, Woolwich Casimir, Marrickville Aquinas, Menai

What is the timeline in relation to enrolment and student placement processes within Secondary Newman Selective Gifted Education Program schools?

TIME	ACTION
Current Year (Year 5) March - May	Sydney Catholic Schools Year 5 enrolment period opens
June August	Secondary Newman Selective Gifted Education Program school sends enrolment offers to Year 5 parents
August - September	If the enrolment offer is accepted, parents can nominate their child to be placed in the Newman Selective class/es Parents include documents to support their child’s nomination
October - December	Catholic feeder Primary schools will provide Secondary schools with relevant assessment data from the Sydney Catholic Schools K-12 database Parents whose children are from state schools may wish to collect information from their child’s Primary school teacher to support their nomination
Next Year (Year 6) March - April	Nominated students, now in Year 6, sit the Newman Selective Higher Ability Assessment at the Secondary school
May - July	Newman Selection Panels review evidence using relevant documentation from parent nominations, Primary school assessment data and the Newman Selective Higher Ability Assessment
July - November	Applicants informed by Secondary Newman Selective Gifted Education Program school of their placement in the Newman Selective cohort

How do I apply for a Secondary Newman Selective Gifted Education Program school?

All applications for enrolment to Sydney Catholic Schools are processed in accordance with the SCS Enrolment Policy. In order to apply for placement within a Newman Selective Gifted Education Program Secondary class/cohort, students must first be enroled in the school.

Parents are encouraged to visit prospective feeder Secondary schools during Open Days or view school websites online for information relating to enrolment. If the Secondary school is a Newman Selective Gifted Education Program school, information about their program may also be available.

What documents will need to be provided in the application for enrolment to a Newman Selective Gifted Education Program Secondary school?

All Sydney Catholic schools conduct generic enrolment processes and require standard documentation as outlined in the application for enrolment. This also applies to all Newman Selective Gifted Education Program schools. Evidence of any assessment documentation pertaining to specific diverse learning needs should be submitted as part of the general enrolment for students in any Sydney Catholic school. If your child has educational assessments that specifically demonstrate exceptional abilities such as a WISC psychometric assessment or any other credible diagnostic assessment that identifies giftedness, these should be included as part of their initial application for enrolment.

Who is able to be nominated for a placement in a Secondary Newman Selective class/es?

Once your child has been enroled in a Secondary Newman Selective Gifted Education Program school, you will be informed of an opportunity to nominate your child to apply for a placement in the Newman Selective class/es. This involves the submission of a Parent Nomination form and includes your child’s participation in the Newman Selective Higher Ability Assessment.

How are the students chosen for entry into the Newman Selective class/cohort?

Students will be considered on the basis of the evidence gathered from the nomination process. This includes;

Evidence (if any) submitted by parents with the nomination form
Diagnostic assessment data from Primary schools eg: Progressive Achievement Tests (PAT)
Results from the Newman Selective Higher Ability Assessment
Principal’s recommendation
Other relevant documentation gathered during the enrolment process, eg: Psychometric assessment report

A Newman Selection Panel will be convened to determine successful applications.

It is important to note that it is not guaranteed the student will automatically be selected for a Newman class if they have come from a Primary Newman Selective Gifted Education Program school, as places may be limited in Secondary school settings.

Who is on the Newman Selection Panel?

Secondary School Principal
Secondary School Newman Facilitator
Critical friends with Gifted Education qualifications
Moderator (member of Sydney Catholic Schools - Diverse Learning: Gifted Education Team)

What do I need to know about the Newman Selective Higher Ability Assessment (HAST)?

The Newman Selective Higher Ability Assessment consists of four components;

ACTIVITY	TEST TYPE	DURATION (approx)
Verbal Reasoning	Multiple Choice	40 min
Quantitative Reasoning	Multiple Choice	40 min
Abstract Reasoning	Multiple Choice	40 min
Written Expression	Extended response	30 min

How do I find out the outcome of the selection process?

The Newman Selection Panel facilitates the selection process by;

viewing evidence submitted via the nomination process (from parents, primary schools and the HAST)
determining placement of students into a Newman Selective class/es
informing parents by letter, the outcome of the selection process

Is my child advantaged because they are in a Primary Newman Selective Gifted Education Program school?

As stated on the application form, it is not guaranteed your child will be placed in a Newman Selective class, even if they attend a Primary Newman Selective Gifted Education Program school. Nominations will come from a number of feeder Primary schools and limited places in a Newman Selective class exist in Secondary school settings.

Are there any provisions for students who apply from Catholic Primary schools that are not in the Newman program?

All SCS schools conduct generic enrolment processes and require standard documentation as outlined in the application for enrolment, including Secondary Newman Selective Gifted Education Program schools. Students must be enroled in a Secondary Newman school before they can be nominated for placement in a Newman Selective class. Each nomination for a placement in a Newman Selective Secondary class will be carefully considered by the Newman Selection Panel.

How can I help my child prepare for the Newman Selective Higher Ability Assessment?

The assessments are designed to measure ability rather than classroom performance. This assessment is designed to not only show what your child knows, but also what your child can do and is capable of doing.

There is nothing your child should study. It is most important they think clearly and use their ability to deal with new problems and situations to choose an answer. Sample questions can be found on the HAST Candidate Information Bulletin (2013); https://www.acer.org/files/HAST_CIB_2014_4_Test_R_W_M_A.pdf

What happens if my child is not successful in gaining a placement in a Newman Selective Secondary class?

Your child will still be enroled in a Secondary Newman Selective Gifted Education Program school, which means they will have access to participate in a quality differentiated program across the curriculum. Teachers in Secondary Newman schools have participated in extensive professional learning in gifted education. This means they can use their differentiation expertise across a variety of classes. The nature of the program allows for students to flexibly move across classes as updated evidence is made available.

Where can I get further information?

Please contact your local Secondary Newman Selective Gifted Education Program school for further details.

Miss Natalie Burland

Newman Leader of Learning

Our Lady Star of the Sea Catholic Primary School Newsletter

We Belong. Through Faith and Learning we grow.

OLSS School Newsletter 2026 - Term 1 Week 4 · 20 Feb 2026

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