Support for gifted students

We have increased the range of opportunities for gifted learners to experience success and wellbeing.

The Gifted Education Package builds on their strengths and aspirations, and enables them to get better support, in and out of the classroom.

Gifted learners and notions of giftedness are diverse, both within and across cultures. Gifted children can be found in any family and in almost any classroom. Gifted children may need additional support to reach their full potential

How do I know if my child is gifted?

'Gifted' is a term used to describe a wide range of exceptional abilities that children may display from any age. Giftedness means different things to different communities and cultures in New Zealand, and children with special gifts can be found in any family, culture, ethnicity, or socioeconomic group.

Your child may also show some of these signs:

  • exceptional (amazing) use of language
  • an ability to concentrate on complex tasks for a long time
  • asking lots of questions
  • being exceptionally coordinated.

What’s the difference between gifted and talented?

The term 'gifted' is used to describe a wide range of exceptional abilities that children may display from any age.

If your child is talented they will have a high level of performance in areas such as music, art, craft, dance or sport. Gifts or talents can be different within the context of ethnicity or culture. For example, Māori ideas of giftedness include personal qualities as well as abilities, and are grounded in Māori kaupapa.

How can I support my gifted child?

If your child is gifted, they'll need support to identify and develop their special abilities, and to achieve their full potential.

Schools and kura can also help you to identify whether your child is showing signs of giftedness or a special talent. Talk to your child's teachers or Special Education Needs Coordinator (SENCO) if your school has one.

Enrolling your child at Te Kura (the Correspondence School)

You may decide to enrol your child at Te Kura as well as their usual school. This is called a dual enrolment. Te Kura can provide specialist programmes or curriculum adaptations to extend your child's learning. It offers distance learning through a mix of media.

Te Kura website(external link)

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