The purpose of the Academic Enrichment Program is to provide the appropriate level of academic challenge to cater for the intellectual and affective needs of gifted students at Whitefriars.
There are a number of various ways in which we deliver these complex extension opportunities and include full time ability grouping, multi-age classroom groupings, withdrawal programs in specific subjects, curriculum compacting (acceleration) and personalised learning plans.
The extension programs encompass clearly articulated curriculum goals, instructional strategies, ability groupings, enrichment and accelerative options. Successful applicants will have access to a richer and more challenging curriculum.
This includes a full time Year 9 Extension Program that enables highly able students to develop to their full potential in ability groups of Mathematics and English. The program extends and challenges the students beyond the prescribed Victorian Curriculum. This alternative evidence based approach caters for the intellectual, emotional and social needs of highly abled students and provides gifted students with a solid foundation as they progress into their senior years of schooling.
At Whitefriars, all facilitators and lead coaches involved in the extension programs are in-serviced in the ‘pedagogy model’ and have appropriate professional development focused in gifted and talented education for boys.
Programs offered for Gifted and Talented range from Year 7 right up to VCE. Identification and selection for these extension programs include NAPLAN, PAT R Testing, Academic Assessment Services, Diagnostic Testing and Teacher Recommendations.
In addition, a key ingredient to the success of any gifted program is student access to a range of extensive ‘opt-in’ faculty-based opportunities and access to developmentally appropriate activities. Whitefriars offers a comprehensive range of co-curricular and faculty-based programs, activities and initiatives in various key learning areas and include Chess Program, Debating Team, Coding Club, Book Club, Philosophy, Science, Technology and Environment Club and a large plethora of competitions.
