Senior School Gifted and Talented Program
At Oxley Christian College, teachers are committed to meeting the needs of each individual student. This includes students who have been identified as gifted and talented, or who are of high ability. We work to identify these students and assist them in developing their unique capabilities from Year 7 through to the VCE. Our SPARK program (Students Pursuing Academic Rigorous Knowledge) aims to challenge gifted and high ability students by enriching their learning experience and maximising their potential to succeed. SPARK connects naturally to Oxley’s vision statement – To delight in God’s love through inspired learning. ACARA, the governing body of the National Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting in Australia, also directs schools to provide for the learning needs of those students identified as gifted and talented.
What does it mean to be gifted or of high ability?
The language and definitions used to describe those as gifted or of high ability are not fixed. Educational research in this area continues to inform and improve teachers and their practices. Additionally, students can be gifted in a variety of domains, including intellectual, physical, creative and advanced social abilities. Students are often blessed with being gifted in several domains. At Oxley, we use the following definition to describe a gifted and high ability student for the purposes of our SPARK program:
A student of advanced intellectual ability with high potential and/or performance in a broad range of academic-focused subjects, demonstrating speed of learning and complex thinking patterns.
Oxley staff use a range of strategies to identify gifted students, including academic performance data, nationally recognised testing, and classroom teacher observations.
What is SPARK?
Our SPARK program aims to support, enrich, extend and challenge gifted and talented students through a range of experiences and opportunities, including:
- Participation in state and national academic competitions in subjects such as Science, Mathematics and the Humanities.
- Special interest classes and groups e.g. Debating Club.
- Excursions which aim to inspire a love of learning and foster the development of learning skills.
- Project-based learning focused on tacking global issues and real-world problem solving;
- Acceleration in classroom learning which may include advanced streaming, fast-tracking subjects, and individual differentiation.
Our Staff
At Oxley we continue to develop our own understanding and expertise in all areas of education to ensure that all students are afforded every opportunity to discover and develop their unique talents and capacities within a supportive Christian environment. In terms of gifted and talented students, this means our teachers:
- Know how gifted students learn.
- Develop differentiated lessons and learning activities to challenge, enrich and extend gifted students.
- Participate in ongoing professional development and program evaluation.
- Accept that it is every teacher’s responsibility to help develop all learners.
Aspire and Achieve program
Motivated students who aim high and set specific learning goals find their perfect fit in this program. Students in this stream may or may not be considered gifted according to strict definitions, but we recognise their potential in specific subjects. These students are invited to participate in enrichment streams within classes and offered subject-specific opportunities to further extend and develop their learning.
Contacts
If you would like to know more about our gifted and talented program, SPARK, or our Aspire & Achieve stream, you are welcome to contact any of the following staff:
Mr Stephen White – GATE Coordinator
Mrs Sharon Sandison – Head of Learning Enhancement
Mr Michael Mancev – Head of Curriculum and Professional Learning
Stephen White
GATE Coordinator