High potential and gifted education

APSMO

At Bletchington Public School, the Australasian Problem-Solving Mathematical Olympiads (APSMO) program gives students from Kindergarten to Year 6 the chance to think deeply, tackle rich challenges, and build powerful mathematical reasoning. These engaging weekly problems enrich our curriculum and help all learners grow their confidence and creativity in maths.

Our dedicated teaching staff – including trained APSMO facilitators and experienced mathematics specialists – guide students through rich problem-solving routines that nurture curiosity, resilience, and strategic thinking. Their expertise ensures that every child is supported at their point of challenge.

For students seeking even greater extension, we proudly offer the APSMO Maths Olympiad, an exciting opportunity for high-potential and gifted mathematicians to stretch their abilities, compete at a high level, and celebrate their love of complex, non-routine problem-solving.

Building Excellence in PSSA Sports

We offer a strong and inclusive PSSA Sport program that provides students with opportunities to develop teamwork, resilience, and sporting skills under the guidance of talented and passionate staff. Rather than weekly competitions, our focus is on regular, high-quality training sessions where students strengthen their skills, deepen their understanding of game strategies, and build confidence in a supportive team environment. Where students excel in sports not available in-house, our team works to facilitate opportunities for them to further develop within our network schools, ensuring every student can pursue their sporting potential. Participation fosters collaboration, communication, and sportsmanship, cultivating a positive team culture and school pride. Whether students are experienced athletes or exploring a new sport, PSSA Sport offers meaningful opportunities to grow, persist, and contribute to our vibrant sporting community.

Beginner, Transition & Concert Band

From the first joyful notes of a novice musician to the polished sound of a full ensemble, music at Bletchington Public School is a journey of growth and excellence.

Our exceptional Band Program offers students a clear and inspiring pathway into music. Young musicians begin in our Beginner Band, build confidence and skill in the Transition Band, and ultimately flourish in our phenomenal Concert Band. Students advance when they are ready, rewarding dedication, practice, and musical perseverance.

Led by our highly experienced musicians and band masters, the program provides expert, high-quality instruction that nurtures talent and sparks a lifelong love of music. Our commitment to excellence reaches beyond our own school, with Bletchington proudly hosting interschool band days to share our expertise with neighbouring public schools.

The result is a vibrant musical community where high potential and gifted learners are extended, supported, and celebrated as they progress through each stage of their musical journey.

Drumming

Our outstanding Djembe Drumming Group is led by two talented and energetic local musicians, Thomise and Javier. Open to all 3-6 students, the group provides a fun, hands-on way to explore rhythm, beat, and musical creativity.

High potential and gifted students are encouraged to join, extending their musical skills and developing confidence, coordination, and ensemble performance. Those lucky enough to experience their energy at our Grandparents Day or Presentation Day events know exactly what we mean!

Cultural Dance

Our Cultural Dance Group provides a vibrant and inclusive space for students to connect with culture, community, and creative expression. Led by passionate staff and supported by local cultural knowledge holders where possible, the group offers students the opportunity to learn traditional and contemporary dances that celebrate identity and heritage. Students develop confidence, teamwork, rhythm, and performance skills while strengthening their sense of belonging and pride. The Cultural Dance Group performs at significant school and community events, showcasing student talent and honouring the cultural stories that shape our community. This program fosters respect, connection, and cultural understanding, enriching our school’s commitment to inclusivity and diversity.

Extending Sporting Talent through our Interschool Development Squads

Bletchington Public School is proud to extend sporting talent through our Interschool Development Squads. Beginning in 2026, we are joining forces with network schools and local sporting groups to offer specialised sessions for our talented athletes. These collaborative and supportive programs are designed to challenge students, build connections with peers, and ignite the next level of skill development, helping high potential and gifted sporting students reach their full potential, both within our school gates and into our community.

Debating and Public Speaking

Finding your voice, thinking on your feet, and learning to persuade, this is what Public Speaking and Debating offer at Bletchington Public School.

Students from all year levels are encouraged to participate, developing confidence, clarity, and effective communication skills. Through debating and speech competitions, they learn to research, structure arguments, present ideas persuasively, and respond thoughtfully to others.

High potential and gifted students are extended with challenging topics and competitive opportunities, building critical thinking, collaboration, and leadership skills. These experiences empower students to express themselves with confidence, creativity, and impact, skills that serve them well inside and beyond the classroom.

Da Vinci Decathlon

Cartography, code-breaking, creative thinking and more - Bletchington Public School proudly enters Year 5 and Year 6 teams in the prestigious Da Vinci Decathlon, a competition that celebrates brilliance across ten demanding academic disciplines.

This event offers an ideal platform for our high potential and gifted learners, who thrive when challenged with complex tasks that reward ingenuity, resilience, and teamwork. Our experienced staff support students through purposeful preparation that extends their reasoning, problem-solving, and collaborative skills.

The impact is powerful: students grow as confident leaders and deep thinkers, discovering the excitement and satisfaction that comes from tackling high-level challenges together.

Ignite Curriculum Days

Ignite Maths Day at Bletchington Public School brings our high-potential learners together for a day of challenge, creativity, and deep mathematical thinking. Students explore rich, hands-on tasks, collaborate with peers across stages, and engage in complex problem-solving that stretches their abilities and sparks curiosity. Designed to extend our High Potential and Gifted Education (HPGE) students, Ignite Maths Day builds confidence, nurtures critical-thinking skills, and inspires a genuine love of learning.

And we’re only just beginning. In 2026, Bletchington Public School will expand the Ignite program with exciting new Ignite Days in Public Speaking, Videography & Storytelling, and Science; opening opportunities for students across all year groups to challenge themselves, discover their talents, and shine. Families can feel proud knowing their children are supported to think boldly, work collaboratively, and reach their full potential in mathematics and beyond.

Didgeridoo Group

Our Didgeridoo Group offers students a unique opportunity to learn and honour one of the oldest continuing musical traditions in the world. Guided by knowledgeable staff and supported by community mentors when possible, students explore correct cultural protocols, breathing techniques, rhythm patterns, and performance skills. The program emphasises respect, cultural understanding, and the significance of the instrument within Aboriginal culture, particularly within Wiradjuri Country. Students build confidence as they rehearse and perform at school and community events, sharing their learning with pride and deepening connections to culture, identity, and place. This powerful program not only nurtures musical talent but also strengthens cultural awareness across our school community.

Grand Projects

Big ideas, bold creativity, and real-world impact—this is what our Grand Projects are all about at Bletchington Public School.

Programs such as Kidpreneur, Museum of Significance, and Slam Poetry Open Day give students the opportunity to explore their interests, take initiative, and showcase their talents in exciting, meaningful ways.

Kidpreneur develops entrepreneurial skills, financial literacy, creative and critical thinking, and, of course, the thrill of sales, students learn to spruik and sell their own products. With the full support of our Parents and Community Association, this program offers something for everyone, at all levels.

Museum of Significance and Slam Poetry Open Day allow students to use their own interests, community connections, and family stories to present their work in original ways; through videos, audio, written biographies, or artifacts. The highlight of these projects is when personal heritage, stories, and real-world ambitions form the basis of students’ learning and creative output.

High potential and gifted students can also pursue self-directed initiatives, such as the Sleek Geek project, where Year 6 students designed and led their own enterprise with guidance and mentorship from teachers. These opportunities foster creativity, leadership, and problem-solving, empowering students to bring their innovative ideas to life – and we absolutely love that!

Dynamic Dance Opportunities

Dance Troupes (Years 1–6)
Our Dance Troupes are open, inclusive groups that invite all interested students from Years 1–6 to participate, grow their skills, and discover new ways to express themselves through movement. Each stage-based troupe builds on the foundations of the previous, providing a clear pathway for students to develop technique, creativity, confidence and performance literacy.

Years 1–2 Dance Troupe
Students in Years 1 and 2 explore the foundations of dance by engaging with beat, pace, directional movement, levels, and simple formations. This early introduction focuses on enjoyment, creativity, and building essential movement vocabulary in a supportive environment.

Stage 2 Dance Troupe
The Stage 2 troupe deepens students’ understanding of dance as a structured artform. Students explore theme, genre, body alignment, control of movement at varying levels, rhythm changes, tempo, and dynamics. They begin working with canons and two-part choreography, developing their ability to perform in synchronised and complementary groups.

Stage 3 Dance Troupe
Stage 3 dancers extend their technique and artistic sophistication. They learn to communicate intent through refined movement, using alignment, balance, control, and transfer of weight to create formations and shapes that respond to changes in rhythm and tempo. Students explore how space enhances dance design and learn to sustain movement through musicality, moving with the music rather than simply on the beat. Two- and three-level choreography becomes a key feature, increasing visual interest and performance complexity.

HPGE Dance Troupe
Our HPGE Dance Troupe brings together students who have demonstrated exceptional dance capability at their stage level. This extension group incorporates intricate technical sequences, sustained movements, and dynamic performance elements. Students work with more complex music featuring irregular tempos, layered sound effects, and nuanced themes to challenge and refine their expressive and interpretive skills. The troupe represents the pinnacle of our dance program, offering high-potential students a platform to excel and perform at an advanced level.

School-Wide Showcases

Every two years, our whole school comes together for a major production that celebrates creativity, confidence and collaboration.

Students in Years 4–6 are invited to audition for featured and lead drama roles, receiving dedicated mentoring across Terms 2 and 3 to prepare for the stage. Lead actors also work together to perform a dance piece that enhances the storyline.

All classes—from Kindergarten to Year 6, including Support—choreograph a routine connected to the show’s theme. Students and staff collaborate to design movements, rehearse for precision and create costumes that bring each performance to life.

Singing is woven throughout the production, with soloists and vocal groups selected to suit the script and elevate the story.

Schools Spectacular

Each year, Bletchington Public School proudly auditions for the NSW Schools Spectacular in both dance and choir, giving our students the chance to shine on one of the biggest stages in the state.

Our dancers access differentiated pathways, with up to three levels of choreography designed to challenge, extend and inspire. They collaborate with students from across regional NSW, building teamwork, discipline and a sense of belonging.

Our choir students immerse themselves in over 20 songs, singing in unison, harmonies and as backup vocalists for featured performers, while becoming part of an extraordinary 1500-strong massed choir.

The week away provides rich creative and social experiences, helping students develop confidence, independence and lasting friendships with peers who share the same passion for the performing arts.

Leading Through Opportunities

Learning to lead, serve, and make a difference - our students at Bletchington Public School are encouraged to grow as confident, responsible leaders through a variety of meaningful opportunities.

Our programs include the Bletchington Leadership Project, commencing in 2026, designed to guide students in developing strong social-emotional skills and leadership capabilities. Open to all interested Year 5 students, participants will spend several terms exploring public speaking, speech writing, organisation and event planning (including opportunities during break times), leadership and influence, as well as emotional intelligence, critical thinking, and problem-solving.

Students also take on roles as Peer Support leaders, PBL lesson facilitators, and representatives in the Junior AECG, building confidence, communication, and teamwork.

Beyond the classroom, students engage with the wider community through initiatives such as visits to Wontama Nursing Home, where they develop empathy, respect, and a sense of service. Together, these opportunities empower high potential and gifted students to practise leadership, make positive contributions, and become role models for their peers.

Music Tutorials

Bletchington Public School offers specialised Instrument Tutorials, giving students the opportunity to receive expert guidance on their chosen instrument. Led by skilled musicians Chris Mickle, Rocki Rochelli, Anne Hulak and other expert instructors, these sessions extend students’ technique, confidence, and musical expression, ensuring each learner is supported to reach their full potential. Combined with our band program, Instrument Tutorials provide personalised instruction that nurtures talent and celebrates achievement.