Alfred Deakin High has long supported gifted and talented students within the ACT. There are a number of ways students may access programs to support them to develop those gifts in the academic, creative and sporting fields. Only students enrolled at ADHS may seek entry into the program.
Academic | Creative | Physical | Leadership
The Unicorn Program
The Unicorn Program is for identified gifted and talented students. Research has indicated that gifted students may benefit from being grouped together in the same class for a number of years. This can lead to improved academic, leadership and social benefits. Alfred Deakin High school is proud to offer classes in the Unicorn Program that cater to the needs of those students.
Unicorn classes are offered in:
Key Elements of the Unicorn Program | G&T Identification |
The program aims to challenge students through:
| A range of evidence is used to select students for Unicorn:
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You can find out more by reading our | ADHS Gifted and Talented Identification Chart 2019 |
ADHS tests newly enrolled students to determine the best class placement at regular intervals throughout the year. Incoming Year 7s are tested while in Year 6 in September as part of normal transitions processes. ADHS only tests enrolled students.
Not all gifted and talented students find themselves suited to the Unicorn Program. Entry to and exit is determined by student wellbeing, academic interests and always in partnership with the family.
Other Advanced Academic Opportunities
All students at Alfred Deakin High School are invited to challenge themselves academically by participating in one of the following competitions:
Logic, Maths & Science | |
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Language and the Social Sciences | |
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Individual Faculties coordinate these competitions and students should speak with their classroom teach to find out more.
Josh DeBruyn | Kellie Williams |
Gifted and Talented Liaison Officer | Executive Teacher Gifted and Talented |
The creative areas of the school value and foster teamwork, leadership and responsibility as well as demanding excellence in design, performance and production. They can achieve this excellence through:
Identification and selection for these programs take place across the school year.
Please contact Rechelle Turner, SLC for Arts/Technology, on rechelle.turner@ed.act.edu.au if you have any questions.
Physically talented students are identified through individual teacher observation, fitness tests and/or parental and coach involvement in Physical Education and Health. The following programs are offered:
PE staff nominate students at the end of Year 7 to be part of Year 8 Unicorn PE. Senior students may pursue their physical gifts through one of the many Year 9 and 10 PE Electives.
ADHS offers multiple opportunities to join sports teams to represent the school and ACT. You can find out more here.
Please contact Sam Gaskin, SLC LEAN, on sam.gaskin@ed.act.edu.au if you have any questions.
The Student Executive Group (SEG) enables students to pursue their gifts in leadership and social interests. Nominations take place through Tutor Groups at various intervals during the school year to take part in the Student Forum. You can find out more here.
PANTHERS and ELEMENTS give students the opportunity to seek leadership on the sporting field and in their English classroom. You can find out more here.
The Youth Leadership Program, Disability Awareness Program and ADVANCE program give students further opportunities to pursue their gifts in leadership. You can find out more here.
EXTERNAL LINKS
Gifted and Talented Education (with multiple parent fact sheets)
Gifted and Talented Identification
Acceleration (subject) (whole year)
Gifted and Talented Policy (pdf) (word)
Gifted and Talented @ ADHSGiftedness refers to a student’s outstanding natural abilities or aptitudes, located in one or more domains: intellectual, creative, social, perceptual or physical, placing that student in the top 10% of age peers. Talent is the outstanding performance or competency in one or more fields of human activity that places a student in the top 10% of age peers in that field. Alfred Deakin High School offers multiple pathways for students to explore their gifts:
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