High potential and gifted education

At Finigan School of Distance Education, we recognise that high-potential learners flourish when challenge, flexibility and strong relationships are woven together. Our HPGE approach celebrates students’ diverse talents and offers purposeful pathways across all four domains of potential. As we operate statewide, our program is uniquely placed to connect students with specialist teachers, enrichment communities and personalised learning options that honour their strengths.

Through our HPGE program, students engage with:

A tailored learning environment that balances the flexibility of distance education with structured enrichment and academic rigour
An inclusive culture centred on excellence, innovation and wellbeing
Access to specialist teachers, targeted mentoring and enrichment programs
Opportunities across the intellectual, creative, social-emotional and physical domains
A statewide learning community that motivates, challenges and connects students to real pathways beyond school

“I really wanted to do dance because it’s one of my passions - it’s my creative outlet. When I discovered Distance Education, I thought: yes, this is exactly what I want to do.”

– Savannah Taylor, 2× Callback for HSC Dance

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What is high potential and gifted education?

HPGE identifies and supports students who demonstrate the capacity for high performance across a wide range of domains. At FSDE, we create learning pathways that enable students to pursue curiosity, deepen expertise and develop a strong sense of personal and academic agency.

Our work aligns with the NSW HPGE Policy and focuses on:

Broad and ongoing identification processes that recognise potential in diverse forms
Differentiation, enrichment and inquiry-based learning across all stages
Extension and acceleration opportunities for students who are ready for increased challenge
Tailored support for diverse learners, including students who are twice-exceptional or neurodivergent
Collaboration with schools and networks across NSW to broaden opportunity and ensure continuity of support

HPGE empowers students to:

Engage deeply with their interests and passions
Strengthen creative, critical and analytical thinking
Build leadership skills, resilience and wellbeing
Prepare for future study, training and professional pathways

The four domains of talent development

Intellectual Domain

We support intellectual potential through structured challenge, academic depth and targeted extension. Opportunities include:

Differentiated, extended and inquiry-based learning tasks in all stages
Participation in academic competitions across STEM, writing, mathematics and robotics
Senior Extension courses (English, Mathematics, Music)
Single-subject acceleration and program acceleration where appropriate
Broad Stage 5 electives such as Computing Technology, Visual Design and other specialised courses
Targeted support for twice-exceptional learners, including personalised adjustments and monitoring
Individualised learning plans informed by ongoing assessment and student voice
Virtual enrichment programs and advanced academic seminars delivered across NSW

Creative Domain

We cultivate creative talent by providing diverse avenues for artistic expression, design thinking and innovation. Opportunities include:

Finigan’s Got Talent showcasing drama, film and music
Participation in the District Art Festival
Electives in Visual Design, Animation, and Digital Media
Student selection and nomination pathways for OnStage and Callback
Q-PAF annual performance opportunities
Writing competitions, poetry slams and creative arts challenges
Virtual ensembles, digital art workshops and masterclasses with industry professionals
Film and art showcases celebrating student creativity across the state

Social-Emotional Domain

We develop leadership, collaboration and personal capability through programs that build confidence, communication and wellbeing. Opportunities include:

Roles within the FSDE Student Leadership Team
Peer mentoring initiatives and wellbeing programs
Careers Days and Study Skills Days
Support structures for neurodivergent and twice-exceptional students
Participation in leadership conferences and virtual forums
Community service and work experience opportunities
Collaboration with peers in virtual classrooms that foster connection and shared purpose

Physical Domain

We support physical talent by designing learning pathways that respect training demands, competition schedules and student wellbeing. Opportunities include:

Flexible scheduling to support elite athletes and high-performance training commitments
Access to zone, regional and state sporting pathways across a wide range of sports (equestrian, athletics and more)
Engagement in sporting challenges and wellbeing initiatives across the year
Online fitness programs and school-wide activity events
Support for specialist and high-performance training pathways
School-wide virtual competitions and skills challenges
Cross-domain initiatives linking sport, leadership and digital technologies

Intellectual Domain

Our Advanced and Extension English students' curiosity and command of language has culminated in our students taking home a variety of awards including Eric winning the Braidwood Young Writer's Competition. His work showcased discursive flair and intellectual depth, demonstrating that with our HPGE focus he found the challenge and mentorship he needed to soar.

Physical Domain

Many of our students are provided the freedom to explore vocational talents including Dante who, in 2025, raced in the Italian Formula 4 Championship with Van Amersfoort Racing and seeks to step up in the near future. Dante’s commitment to education sits alongside his international trajectory; born in Australia and now competing overseas, his path mirrors our HPGE philosophy by blending rigorous academic options with physical-talent pathways and showing how flexible enrolment at FSDE can be a genuine advantage.

Creative / Social-Emotional Domains

District Arts Festival Performance. Our students from FSDE took the stage in a moving piece about life’s journeys and the connections we sustain across distance and time. Through this performance they demonstrated creativity, resilience, peer collaboration and a readiness to engage with big ideas. They reminded us that talent flourishes when voice, story and context converge.

Help for your high potential child

If your child shows signs of high potential, contact us. We can share how our HPGE support can guide their learning journey.

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Supporting our students

All NSW public school students have a right to an inclusive learning environment and to feel happy and safe at school.

Learning

Find out about our approach to learning and supporting students to progress