Gifted & Talented

Classroom teachers differentiate the curriculum to provide opportunities for highly able students to extend their learning within the class. Open-ended tasks and extension activities are provided to challenge students who have demonstrated knowledge, skills and understandings at a higher than expected level when compared to the Western Australian Curriculum.

For highly gifted and talented students, the Department of Education coordinates special programs for identified Year 5 and 6 students in the Primary Extension and Challenge program (PEAC).

PEAC provides opportunities for talented students in Years 5 and 6 to:

• socially interact with other gifted and talented children
• enjoy an intellectually rigorous and challenging program
• interact with practising experts
• develop higher order process skills and in-depth investigation skills
• work on open-ended activities which encourage choice and negotiation
• undergo self/peer evaluation and reflection of performance.

Selection is completed in Year 4 and is based on results from assessment tests administered in Year 4.

Students learn alongside their intellectual peers at PEAC centres on a part-time basis (usually one morning or afternoon each week) during the school term.

Many PEAC students go on to apply for entry into Gifted and Talented Secondary Selective Entrance Programs and attend one of 17 select secondary schools to study with gifted peers.