| Gifted and Talented Program |
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For over 18 years St Ives High School has implemented an innovative and exciting initiative in response to the Department of Education & Training’s priority policies on Gifted and Talented Children and Accelerated Progression. This program will serve a readily identified community need - that of challenging talented students in a local coeducational setting. In addition, it provides an extra dimension to our general aim of providing each student with an excellent academic, cultural, social and physical education. Choosing a high school is often a difficult decision for students and parents. For those students performing well above average there are even more choices … should they attend their local high school, selective school or a private school? St Ives High School offers students a great opportunity to receive an enriched and challenging education while allowing students to further develop important social skills within a local coeducational environment. Students in the Gifted & Talented class (named the “T” class) stay together in all core subjects, but in some practical and sporting groups they will be integrated into the mainstream. This avoids an environment of elitism and helps in the development of well-rounded children. St Ives High School was the first government school to establish a program of this type in 1993. Each year students from our T class have excelled in their HSC results gaining UAIs in the high 90s. Students who have accelerated, and completed some subjects a year ahead of their cohort, are able to study Distinction courses offered by the universities, which is a great start to their tertiary education. At the end of each year, GATs students present their cross curriculum project and attend a camp to celebrate their hard work and achievements.                 
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