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.
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
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Online Presentations to potential students and parents
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Student panel for University Teaching Course (Alternative Learning Environments)
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Lead initiatives that strengthen wellbeing and belonging (Writing/Delivering Pos Ed Lessons)
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Leading Town Hall Assemblies
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Leading NAIDOC day events
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Mentoring new students
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Peer Support Leadership
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Leading Programs with the University of Newcastle Purai Global Indigenous Centre (ie. Bird Opera)
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Editing and writing for school Newsletter TGIF
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Engagement with Youth Mock Council
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Leading Social Change in the community (ie. Bayira Yotu Conference, motions to parliament)
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Campus tours and orientation events
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Visiting School and Community groups
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Social Action Project groups (ie. environmental and sustainability initiatives, intergenerational projects)
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Climate Fresk workshops and youth leadership
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Meeting with UoN students about Big Picture
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BP Conference
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Workshops with Headspace
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MSN Scholarships
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Zara’s House- working with refugee
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Soul Cafe volunteering
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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
Intellectual
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Regional art, writing, and STEM competitions
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Senior Study Workshops (Academic Writing, Referencing and Profile Building)
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Academic Mentorship
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Explicit Mathematics and Science Lessons (Stage 5)
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Shakespeare Workshops
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STEM Social Action group
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Insta Poetry Workshops
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Futurepreneurs
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Guest Speakers - Master Classes
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Creative Writing Group
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Japanese Group
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Open Foundations Courses University of Newcastle
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Ma Morley Scholarship (Academic)
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School Based Apprenticeship
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TAFE Youth Engagement Strategy - YES (Courses)
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Debating Club
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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