High Performance & Gifted Education

Cooks Hill Campus is a Big Picture Learning school. This means that we design learning around each student’s interests, strengths, and aspirations, not around a one-size-fits-all timetable. HPGE is embedded in how we do school every day, not an add-on program.

Through personalised Learning Plans, Leaving to Learn experiences, Learning in Advisory Groups, Exhibitions of Learning with authentic accountability, and the IBPLC pathway to university and beyond, we identify and enhance high potential by recognising where students show advanced capability or deep engagement. Advisors, families, and mentors work collaboratively to challenge each learner at their point of readiness, using The Big Picture Learning Goals, mentorships, and differentiated pathways to extend thinking and performance.

This personalised approach ensures that high potential students are not only identified through academic data, but also through creativity, problem-solving, leadership, and curiosity — allowing their talents to grow through authentic, real-world learning.  In addition to this personalised approach Cooks Hill Campus offers a variety of programs that students can opt to join to help both identify and extend their learning potential through each frame.

The Four HPGE Learning Domains

Social / Emotional

  • Online Presentations to potential students and parents

  • Student panel for University Teaching Course (Alternative Learning Environments)

  • Lead initiatives that strengthen wellbeing and belonging (Writing/Delivering Pos Ed Lessons)

  • Leading Town Hall Assemblies

  • Leading NAIDOC day events

  • Mentoring new students

  • Peer Support Leadership

  • Leading Programs with the University of Newcastle Purai Global Indigenous Centre (ie. Bird Opera)

  • Editing and writing for school Newsletter TGIF

  • Engagement with Youth Mock Council

  • Leading Social Change in the community (ie. Bayira Yotu Conference, motions to parliament)

  • Campus tours and orientation events

  • Visiting School and Community groups

  • Social Action Project groups (ie. environmental and sustainability initiatives, intergenerational projects)

  • Climate Fresk workshops and youth leadership

  • Meeting with UoN students about Big Picture

  • BP Conference

  • Workshops with Headspace

  • MSN Scholarships

  • Zara’s House- working with refugee

  • Soul Cafe volunteering

  • Fundraising for charities

Creative
  • CHC School Choir
  • Drama for Social Action Group
  • Visual and Creative Arts exhibitions
  • Christmas stalls & pop up shop
  • Video Profiles
  • Art For Action Group
  • Drama and Musical collaborations with the Purai Global Indigenous Centre (University of Newcastle)
  • Maitland Future Creatives Forum (Collaboration with Maitland Art Gallery)
  • NAIDOC celebration activities (weaving, art and music)
  • Zines wellbeing group
  • Art for Wellbeing group
  • Sewing SAP group
  • Shakespeare Workshops
  • Murals (The Wall Station)
  • Up and Up workshops
  • Curious Legends LTI groups
  • One off creative workshops: e.g. Traditional Rice Paper Chinese Painting Workshop
  • Dungeons and Dragons Group
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Intellectual

  • Regional art, writing, and STEM competitions

  • Senior Study Workshops (Academic Writing, Referencing and Profile Building)

  • Academic Mentorship

  • Explicit Mathematics and Science Lessons (Stage 5)

  • Shakespeare Workshops

  • STEM Social Action group

  • Insta Poetry Workshops

  • Futurepreneurs

  • Guest Speakers - Master Classes

  • Creative Writing Group

  • Japanese Group

  • Open Foundations Courses University of Newcastle

  • Ma Morley Scholarship (Academic)

  • School Based Apprenticeship

  • TAFE Youth Engagement Strategy - YES (Courses)

  • Debating Club

  • Business Tours (LTI Tuesday)

Physical
  • Sport and Physical Education program
  • Pos Ed groups (planning physical activities and games)
  • Yoga for wellbeing
  • Fitness for wellbeing
  • Shakespeare Stage Fighting
  • Inter-Advisory challenges and Team activities
  • Swimming and outdoor excursions
  • Rock and Water
  • Big Picture Games
  • Move for Mone
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Enrolment

Find out how to enrol at Cooks Hill Campus.

Learning

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