A great deal of research exists on the topic of gifted children and learning, and much of it is contradictory. ‘Gifted’ children should be identified—or they shouldn’t be. They should be grade accelerated—or they shouldn’t be.

In the US, a child with an IQ score of over 130 is considered ‘gifted’. In Australia, children with particular, innate abilities are provided with opportunities to make these gifts transfer into talents.

Whatever the research does or doesn’t say, however, two things are clear. First: every child is an individual when it comes to how they learn and their particular abilities. Second: all children benefit from having their abilities identified and nurtured.

At NAC our ‘umbrella of diverse learning’ means we cater for the individual needs of every student. Our EDGE (Enrichment Differentiated Gifted Education) allows us to pursue excellence for all learners, including students who might be labelled ‘gifted’. We look at these students who are achieving or have the potential to achieve at levels higher than grade expectations. We offer them opportunities to work with like-minded peers, or to be stretched to achieve their capabilities in order to thrive.

This can be done in several ways. A student may be ‘grade-accelerated’ or ‘subject-accelerated’ with the right testing, consultation and support, and with ongoing monitoring. Or, students learning may be enhanced, perhaps in a separate, smaller class, or with individual mentoring. Always, we take the needs of the whole child – social, emotional, physical and spiritual – into consideration.

Whatever the research says or doesn’t say on gifted children, you can be assured that your child, as an individual learner with individual strengths and needs, will be recognised and nurtured, at NAC.