The Department of School Education expressed its delight at the school s initiative and to show its support, arranged for the project to be launched by the then Minister of Youth Affairs, the Honourable Virginia Chadwick. The central aim was to provide identified Year 3 to Year 6 students with a full time program. We select gifted students to work together in full time classes. This means the program extends over a four year span and the students will experience a curriculum that will not suit the mainstream classroom. It will contain greater challenges and rigour and the students will be with like minds for most of the day.
All students applying for admission attend the testing day.
A range of objective and subjective procedures are used to identify students. Parents complete Application Forms, a research based checklist of cognitive and affective characteristics, and include supporting evidence. The day begins with a test in General Ability, verbal and non-verbal tests of reasoning and reading comprehension, all administered by qualified psychologists. Placement in the Unit is offered to gifted and talented students who gain the uppermost scores in a range of academic performances. We believe that the systematic planning and selection procedures have been an essential factor in the success of the program.