Newman Selective Gifted Education Program

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?

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

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 enrolled 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 enrolled 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;

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 enrolled 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 enrolled 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