High Potential and Gifted Education (HPGE) opportunities are offered at Normanhurst to develop student talent across the four domains of potential. We support our HPG students through enrichment, extension and extra-curricular programs, inter-school programs and competitions and representative sport pathways. These opportunities include:
Intellectual Domain
Maths Mastermind
Maths Mastermind is a weekly small group enrichment program for selected HPG students in Years 1-6 to engage with challenging mathematical tasks. The program aims to develop critical thinking skills and strengthen mathematical reasoning through problem-solving techniques and strategies. The program is run by an expert teacher with a PHD in Mathematics.
Australasian Problem Solving Mathematical Olympiads
Once a week, all our Year 3-6 students participate in one of the following APSMO programs and competitions; Maths Olympiad, Maths Games or Maths Explorer. From 2025, Stage one will also complete the Maths Quest Program. Through these programs and competitions, HPG students have the opportunity to be accelerated, showcase their skills and be recognised for their achievements.
Maths Olympiad
Maths Olympiad is an inter-school competition that has been specifically designed to stimulate and challenge HPG students. It develops increased creativity and flexibility in problem solving and mathematical reasoning. The program is designed for High Potential and Gifted students in Year 5 and 6; however, students in Stage 2 who show exceptional problem solving abilities can be selected to participate in this program.
Maths Games
This program is designed for mainstream Year 5 and 6 students but pupils in stage 2 who show advanced skills in Mathematics can be selected to participate in this program. Unlike the Maths Olympiads, participating students do not compete against teams from other schools. The primary focus of the program is to build student’s confidence and encourage them to develop their problem solving skills in a non-competitive environment.
Maths Explorer
This program is for Stage 2 students. In between the four competitions, this program uses fun and relatable themes to showcase how problem solving strategies can be applied to a variety of problems. It encourages students to work collaboratively to expand their knowledge and understanding.
Maths Quest
The Maths Quest Program is for all Year 1 and 2 students. It contains in-built differentiation and adjustment tools to ensure that the program challenges all students, including those who are identified as High Potential and Gifted. Maths Quest addresses Mathematics proficiencies of understanding, fluency, problem-solving and reasoning.
Robotics
Robotics enrichment involves students who have been selected to participate as they have a particular talent or interest in STEM. During the program they use Lego Spike and/or Mindstorm robotic kits and block based coding to create solutions to a series of problems. They use the processes of designing, testing and refining, working collaboratively and imaginatively to explore a scientific theme such as energy.
Coding Club
Coding Club is open to students from Year 2 to Year 6 who have an interest in block based coding. They use online programs such as Scratch and Code.org to create various projects such as games, animations and stories. They follow tutorials and receive teacher and peer help, working in a collaborative environment to develop new skills.
Chess
Students in Years 1-6 can participate in chess lessons that are run once a week at lunchtime. The lessons are conducted by experienced, external teaching staff.
Write a Book in A Day Competition
A selected small group of Stage 3 students are challenged to write and illustrate an entire book in 12 hours. The team is given unique parameters for their story on the day. Every book submitted is made available for free to kids in hospitals around Australia and the money raised by the event supports The Kids Cancer Project.
Writing Club
Writing Club is open to all K-6 students at lunchtime. The club provides a creative space for students to compose texts in a range of genres and mix with like-minded peers who share a passion for writing. Students are supported to follow their interests and are given opportunities to give and receive feedback and share their work. Students are encouraged to enter the ‘Dorothy McKellar Poetry’ and the ‘Write On’ competitions.
Writing Enrichment
Our Writing Enrichment Program offers Stage 3 students the chance to further develop their creative writing skills. Through weekly sessions, selected students explore their creativity and enhance their narrative techniques. They engage in the process of drafting, revising, and refining their work, culminating in the publication of a major written piece. This program encourages students to build confidence in their writing abilities while developing a strong understanding of narrative structure and storytelling.
The Premier’s Spelling Bee
The Premier’s Spelling Bee starts at the school level. Students in Year 3-6 compete in class and the top achieving students move on to perform at our school final. The winners of Normanhurst’s junior (Year 3 and 4) and senior (Year 5 and 6) categories progress to the regional finals where they compete for a place in the State Championships.
Debating
Debating develops essential skills such as critical thinking, public speaking, research, teamwork and active listening. This extra-curricular activity is run at lunchtimes and is open to students in Stage 3 with students preparing to represent their schools in the NSW Premier’s Debating Challenge.
Public Speaking
Students in Years 3-6 compete in the annual Multicultural Perspectives Speaking Competition. There are two components; a prepared speech and an impromptu one. The winners of our school competition progress to the regional final where they compete for a place in the state finals.
Creative Domain
Dance
In Term 1, students have the opportunity to audition for the Junior Dance Group (Years 3 & 4) or the Senior Dance Group (Years 5 & 6). These groups rehearse weekly at school in preparation for auditions for The Sydney North Festival and to compete at The Hills Dance Spectacular Eisteddfod. From these groups, ten students are selected through auditions to participate in the prestigious Schools Spectacular. In addition, the ‘Buzz and Bop’ dance group is open to Stage 1 students and develops their skills in preparation for our competitive 3-6 dance groups.
Choir
In Term 1, students have the opportunity to join the Junior Choir (Years 3 & 4) or the Senior Choir (Years 5 & 6). The choirs rehearse weekly at school in preparation for auditions for the Primary Proms concert (Junior), the Festival of Choral Music concert at the Sydney Opera House (Senior) and the Festival of Children’s Music performance (combined choir).
Band
Starting in Year 3, students can join the Training Band, where they will develop their skills and confidence on their chosen instrument. This program also provides an opportunity to learn essential music theory.
Once students have advanced beyond a beginner's level, they may audition for the Concert Band. This ensemble includes students in their 2nd, 3rd, or 4th year of playing an instrument, typically in Years 4, 5, and 6. Members are presented with a diverse repertoire of more challenging concert pieces.
All bands participate in various school events, including Education Week and school assemblies. Additionally, they perform at music eisteddfods, competitions, and festivals, such as The Sydney Eisteddfod and The Australian School Band and Orchestra Festival. In addition, both bands have the opportunity to attend band camp.
Physical Domain
There are two main representative sporting opportunities for students in public education that are organised by the NSW School Sport Unit. They are school representation and representative team selection
School Representation
Knockout Teams
The state primary school knockout competitions for NSW public schools are run and managed by the NSW Primary Schools Sports Association (NSWPSSA). In this competition, schools are able to enter a school team in a variety of sports. Selection and running of these teams are organised by each individual school at school level. If schools win their rounds, they will keep progressing through the knockout competition. Normanhurst PS will enter teams in the NSW PSSA Knockout competitions where multiple students show high potential in a specific sport.
Major Carnivals
Students from Years 2-6 have the opportunity to participate in the three major carnivals: swimming, cross country and athletics held each year. The Normanhurst PS carnival is used to select representatives that will compete against students from other schools at the Beecroft PSSA zone carnival. Students that meet the criteria at the Beecroft Zone level, then progress to the next level in the representative pathway (see below).
School Carnival (Normanhurst PS) > Zone Championship (Beecroft Zone PSSA) > Association Championship (Sydney North PSSA) > NSW State Championship (NSW PSSA) > Australian Championships School Sport Australia (10yrs + only)
Zone Representative Teams (Stage 3 Students)
Students from Normanhurst PS who demonstrate exceptional ability in a particular sport are put forward to trial for selection in the Beecroft Ryde Zone PSSA representative teams that will play against other zone representative teams throughout the Sydney North Association. The Beecroft Ryde PSSA teams consist of the most talented students made up from the schools that are part of the Beecroft and Ryde Zones. Students selected in these teams may then trial, and be selected for the Sydney North and New South Wales representative teams if successful at each level.
The representative teams include: AFL, Basketball, Cricket, Football, Golf, Hockey, Netball, Rugby League, Rugby Union, Softball, Tennis & Touch Football. Each team has a convenor that is selected at the zone level.
Sports Development Program
Beyond these competitive pathways, Normanhurst offers a structured sporting development program in Terms 2 and 3, delivered by expert external coaches. Students can choose from soccer, netball, or multisport, with the program focusing on skill development, teamwork, coordination, and motor skills, while catering to individual interests.
Social-Emotional Domain
Year 6 Leadership Opportunities
In term 4 of Year 5, students can apply to become part of the school leadership team. The School Captains, Vice Captains and Prefects run our weekly assemblies, attend leadership camp, lead the SRC and represent the school at public events. The House Captains run house meetings, motivate students at carnivals and assist with the setup of equipment. Students elected as Library Monitors support students to borrow books by working on the circulation desk, they help organise books on the shelves and they run activities for students at lunchtime. In addition, Year 6 students may also apply to become Canteen Monitors to support the operations of the canteen at recess and lunch.
Student Representative Council (SRC)
The SRC is a valuable forum for student voice. Each semester two students from Years 2-6 are elected to represent their class as active member of the SRC. Our School Captains and Prefects lead the SRC at their fortnightly meetings to discuss topics that are raised by their class members. These issues are shared with staff and other groups within the school community. Throughout the year, the SRC hold school events to raise money for Stewart House and a variety of other charities. Building social awareness and developing student leadership capacity to create change is a core value within the school.