[Female narrator]

The NSW Department of Education is committed to supporting all students to achieve their educational potential.

We recognise that all students require support to optimise their growth and achievement, including high potential and gifted students. One offering that the Department provides for these students is opportunity classes and selective high schools.

So, what are opportunity classes and selective high schools?

Opportunity classes, often called OC classes, are located in government primary schools and cater for high potential and intellectually gifted Year 5 and Year 6 students. There are:

• 77 opportunity classes across NSW, and
• Aurora College, a virtual opportunity class for students living in rural and remote areas and are enrolled in authorised host schools.

Selective high schools are government schools for high potential and gifted students. There are:

• 17 fully selective high schools - where all students attending the school are high potential or gifted
• 26 partially selective high schools - where a school has a specialist class or classes for high potential or gifted students within a regular comprehensive high school
• 4 agricultural selective high schools, some with boarding facilities for students from regional and remote areas, and
• Aurora College, a virtual selective high school for high potential and gifted students who live in regional, rural or remote NSW and don’t have access to a selective high school in their local area.

Opportunity classes and selective high schools help students to learn by grouping them with students of similar ability and using specialised evidence-based teaching methods. These settings aim to meet the intellectual needs of the students by moving through curricula at a faster pace, and allowing students to explore concepts in more depth and with greater complexity.

Research demonstrates that grouping high potential and gifted students together has academic benefits and is also good for emotional wellbeing. The majority of students in opportunity classes or selective high schools report higher levels of satisfaction from learning with, and being friends with, like-minded students.

For further information please visit our website.

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[Female narrator]

The NSW Department of Education is committed to supporting all students to achieve their educational potential. We recognise that high potential and gifted students require support to optimise their growth and achievement. The department’s diverse settings include academically-selective classes in primary and secondary schools known as opportunity classes and selective high schools.

So what do we mean by high potential and gifted?

Professor Françoys Gagné suggests that potential exists along a continuum, where given the right conditions, high potential can lead to high performance and achievement.

Gagné outlines that students may show potential in one or more areas including intellectual, creative, social-emotional, and physical.

Selective high schools and opportunity classes are specialist settings that cater for students with high potential and gifts in the intellectual domain, as well as meeting the needs of those who have potential across multiple domains.

High potential and gifted students are found across diverse family, socio-economic, language, cultural backgrounds, and different geographic locations. Gifted students may also present with disability.

So what's the difference between high potential and gifted, or even highly gifted students?

High potential students are those whose potential exceeds that of students of the same age. They may benefit from an enriched or extended curriculum and learning opportunities beyond the typical level of their age peers.

Gifted students are those whose potential significantly exceeds that of students of the same age. They typically develop talent and achieve mastery much faster than their age peers.

Highly gifted students are those whose potential vastly exceeds that of their age peers. Highly gifted students may require specific and significant curriculum adjustments to meet their learning and wellbeing needs.

Opportunity classes and selective high schools are specifically designed to provide optimal learning conditions to support talent development of high potential and gifted students.

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[Female narrator]

Selective education creates a unique opportunity for high potential and gifted students and has the potential to have a positive impact on their educational outcomes and to open new pathways for their future.

Deciding whether to apply for a place in an opportunity class or selective high school is an important choice for your child's education.

Here are some questions to help you decide:

What is selective education and what are the benefits?

Opportunity classes and selective high schools deliver the New South Wales curriculum using specialised evidence-based teaching methods that are proven to support the learning and wellbeing needs of high potential and gifted students. Students will learn at a faster pace and explore concepts of increasing difficulty in greater depth.

Students will learn alongside peers who have similar ability and interests because research shows that grouping high potential and gifted students together is good for their wellbeing.

Like all New South Wales public schools, academically selective education schools provide access to a wide range of extra curricular groups and activities.

What are some of the challenges your child may face?

Some students may feel anxious about going to a school where they might not know anyone. Don't worry, the schools know this and they plan activities to help students get to know each other.

Some students and parents are worried that the school will be overly competitive. Like all New South Wales public schools, our academically selective schools and classes encourage students to focus on learning and wellbeing, not competing.

Students are provided with a supportive environment where everyone is encouraged to challenge and expand their understanding of concepts and develop their skills.

If you feel that an academically selective school would be a good fit for your child, we encourage you to apply.

The introduction of the equity placement model has made these settings more accessible for students from a broad range of backgrounds. To learn more about selective education and how to apply for placement, visit the NSW Department of Education selective education web section.

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[Female narrator]

It's important to consider:

Your child's characteristics:

• Does your child enjoy learning?
• Are they curious and creative?
• Do they ask complex questions?
• Or do they have a well developed memory and deep focus on their areas of interest or passion?

Your child's personality and temperament:

• Are they more motivated when challenged?

Students who worry too much about not being the 'best' or are regularly comparing themselves to other students and their achievements, may not find an opportunity class or selective high school is the right choice for them.

Your child's preference:

Does your child want to attend an opportunity class or academically selective high school? If you feel that an academically selective school would be a good fit for your child, we encourage you to apply.

The introduction of the Equity Placement Model has made these settings more accessible for students from a broad range of backgrounds.

Remember, opportunity classes and selective high schools are not the only option for high potential and gifted students.

High potential and gifted education is part of every school, and there are many specialist New South Wales public schools, in the areas of sport, music and performing arts, that may also be good options for your child, and your local school may also offer enrichment programs.

No matter which New South Wales Public School your child attends, their learning and well-being needs will be met.

To learn more about selective education and how to apply for placement, visit the NSW Department of Education selective education web section.

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