TLI and High Ability @ HEPS

What is High-Ability?

‘High ability’ is defined as having advanced learning capability and potential compared to same-age peers in one or more domains of learning.

As part of the Student Excellence Program, all funded schools must appoint a HAPL (High Ability Practice Leader) and facilitate access to the:

• Victorian High Ability Program (VHAP)
• Victorian Challenge and Enrichment Series

Here at HEPS, we have 2 High Ability Practice Leaders (HAPL's), both Mrs Holmes and myself. We are lucky to have the opportunity to have two dedicated staff members work in this space. Within the approach to supporting high-ability students, schools are encouraged to:

• access guidance and professional learning for school leaders and classroom teachers in supporting high-ability students. 
• have a structured approach to identifying high-ability students.
• facilitate high-ability students’ access to enrichment and extension programs and supports, either within or external to the school. 

The school has been very proactive and state leaders in this field, which was recognised last year with the High-Ability Excellence Award. 

A couple of our external enrichment and/or extensions programs that we participate in are ICAS and Maths Olympiad. 

ICAS

ICAS is a historic academic competition that has been sat by over 10 million school students from 16,000 schools across 41 countries since 1981. It recognises academic performance in a way similar to sports or the arts, with engaging, fun questions designed by psychometricians, education measurement experts and experienced teachers to test students’ higher-order thinking skills.

We now have dates for this year's ICAS assessments. Similar to last year, we will provide details around how to sign up your child/ren to the assessments. Sign up will be through the portal offered to us via ICAS. Once again, we will be offering English, Maths and Digital Technologies. Dates are - 

Specific individual dates for HEPS will be organised in the coming weeks. 

Maths Olympiad

This year, we will be entering a team of students into the Junior Division Olympiad (Division J). It is an inter-school competition that has been specifically designed to stimulate and challenge high potential and high achieving students in Years 5 and 6.

Maths Olympiad is a prestigious inter-school competition that presents high achieving students with a wide variety of problems, designed to challenge and extend them individually.  The program focuses on teaching specific problem solving strategies. The aim is to provide a level playing field for all students, while encouraging them to think independently in solving  the problems presented.

• The Olympiad comprises four separate contests held approximately six weeks apart, starting in early Term 2.
• Students are required to complete all four contests.
• Each contest paper contains 5 questions, worth 1 mark each, and the paper must be completed in a specified time-frame of 30 minutes.
• Contest papers are completed individually by each student with no collaboration during contests.
• Each contest is held under exam conditions in the classroom and marked by the teacher in charge who then submits the results to APSMO via a Members' Portal.

Students chosen for Maths Olympiad are our high-ability mathematicians. Places are restricted to 30 students. 

If you would like any information about any of the above, please feel free in contacting Mrs Holmes or Jason Mulder.