Excellence at Tudor House

“Our academic staff understand the issues relating to the educational and related needs of high ability students.

Most importantly, we understand the wide range of skills necessary to best support our gifted Tudorians.”

ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE

The inquiry nature of the International Baccalaureate (IB) Primary Years Programme means that gifted students at The King’s School, Tudor House have the opportunity to further develop and extend their knowledge through units of inquiry, as well as pursuing areas of interest.

The King’s School, Tudor House supports Gagné’s Differentiated Model of Giftedness and Talent (2008). The Australian Curriculum explains, “although a number of different definitions have been proposed over the years, there is no universally accepted definition of students who would be identified as having particular gifts or talents. However, a shared understanding of giftedness is important in order to address their needs”. In Australia today, Gagné’s model provides the most generally accepted definition of both giftedness and talent.

Gagné’s Differentiated Model of Giftedness and Talent (2008) provides research-based definitions of giftedness and talent that are directly and logically connected to teaching and learning. According to Gagné, gifted students are those whose potential is distinctly above average in one or more of the following domains of human ability: intellectual, creative, social and / or physical. Talented students are those whose skills are distinctly above average in one or more areas of human performance. Talent emerges from giftedness through a complex developmental process and a number of influences, including the teaching and learning opportunities. Gagné’s model recognises that giftedness is a broad concept that encompasses a range of abilities; it also recognises that giftedness is only potential and that it must go through a transformative process in order to become a talent. As such, Gagné makes it clear that adequate school support is necessary if students are to develop their gifts or high abilities into talents or high achievements.

At The King’s School, Tudor House, we support subject and grade acceleration with appropriate supporting documentation. We work closely with the student and family when considering this option and draw on evidence from various sources to support decision-making on a case-by-case basis.

The Model at a Whole School Level • PYP framework • Identification process – Whole-school assessment program • Development of the whole child –

The Learner Profile Attributes • In-class extension & enrichment • Withdrawn group tasks with likeminded students • Problem solving projects –

Global issues • Universal Design for Learning (UDL) • Inquiry Learning • Curriculum delivered through a conceptual lens • Whole school STEM focus with a specialist teacher mentor • Specialist French, Art, Music,

Physical Education, Biblical Studies and Woodwork

Working alongside the Head of Academic Enrichment and Extension at the North Parramatta campus, our Gifted Education teacher liaises with families, students, class teachers and single subject teachers, to ensure exceptionality is catered for across all areas of school life. Our academic staff participate in professional learning with GERRIC, UNSW – one of the main centres in the Asia Pacific region and the southern hemisphere, which is devoted to gifted education research, professional development of educators, programs for gifted students, courses for parents, gifted education resources/information and much more.

Our academic staff understand the issues relating to the educational and related needs of high ability students. Most importantly, we understand the wide range of skills necessary to best support our gifted Tudorians. various co-curricular enrichment and extension opportunities, each and every student is encouraged to step outside of their comfort zone and try their hand at something new. There could be underlying talents just waiting to be discovered. Some of these opportunities offered are favourite events in the Tudor House calendar, while others are clubs and academic based activities, such as public speaking, poetry recitation, spelling bees, debating, chess, Maths Olympiad, Write a Book in a Day, Lego Technics-First Lego League, Creative Problem-Solving and GATEway 8 Competition, Music Tuition, Talent Quest and advancement in sporting pursuits in IPSHA and CIS.

Caitlin Haymen Director of Academics, Tudor House & PYP Coordinator