At Kariong Mountains High School we have a strong commitment to catering for the individual needs of all students, aiming to provide a wide range of experiences for each child. We recognise that students learn at different rates and in different ways. Differentiation is a feature of teachers' programs to enhance student learning within each curriculum area.
Teachers at Kariong Mountains High School undertake professional learning to continually refine their skills in connecting with their students, respecting their needs and providing unique and varied learning opportunities.
All students have the opportunity to extend themselves through classroom and co- curricular activities. At different times and in different subject areas gifted and talented students may benefit from any of the following enrichment strategies:
- Differentiation within the mixed-ability classroom, allowing for more abstract, complex, varied, open- ended or problematic tasks to be undertaken.
- Participation in one-off events such as the Gifted and Talented Enrichment Days, and a range of external competitions and inter-school sporting competitions.
- Ongoing co-curricular activities such as debating, drama, music and dance groups.
- Use of computer rooms and the library for special research projects to encourage the development of independent learning skills.
Gifted and Talented (GAT) students are identified using assessment grades, teacher professional judgement and applying accepted identification criteria to behaviours and referred to the Learning Support Team to ensure that their individual needs are met. Because students can develop at different rates, access to enrichment activities and other programs is always open, to allow students to move in and out of GAT programs at different times in their schooling, according to their needs, interests and other commitments.