Ignite at Aberfoyle Park High School
Aberfoyle Park High School is one of the three schools in South Australia with a focus on gifted education. The school is set in the leafy suburb of Aberfoyle Park, approximately 25 kilometres south of the CBD. The most prominent landmark in the vicinity is the Happy Valley Reservoir.

As a leading school in Information Technology, APHS Ignite students have an extensive range of courses available to them at all levels of their schooling. This enables those students with an interest or ability in IT to develop a strong base from which to pursue further studies in this area. Another focus area is the Arts. Our school prides itself in its achievements in both the visual and the performing arts. The APHS Stage and Concert Bands are renowned for their quality performances, competing with great success both within and outside South Australia.

Aberfoyle Park High School is currently embarking on its One2One laptop program, supported by our corporate sponsors, Raytheon Australia. This partnership will give Ignite students access to a laptop computer twenty four hours a day for seven days a week. In addition, in term 4 2009 Raytheon Australia collaborated with the school in delivering a unit of work, for Year 9 Ignite students, centred around a rescue mission of astronauts stranded on the Moon. In 2010 this program will be repeated with Year 9 students, whilst Year 10’s will be presented with a selection of week-long problem solving challenges.

The school's vibrant International Education program fosters student growth in socio-cultural awareness and fluency in one of three languages; Japanese, German or Spanish. This can provide students with the foundation to study overseas as a part of one of many student exchange programs accessed by Aberfoyle Park High School.

In addition to the rich and extensive Performing and Visual Arts programs our Ignite students have access to well coordinated Sports and Athletics options. This creates a varied curriculum enabling students to develop and pursue interests both in and out of school and to experience the best of what Aberfoyle Park High School has to offer.

Students are selected for entry into the Ignite program on the basis of performance in an Australian Council for Educational Research assessment and an interview conducted by the school. At each year level there are two Ignite home groups, and across the school nearly 25% of students are Ignite. Home group teachers generally follow their group through for the full five years.

The main features of our Ignite program include:

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Subject acceleration where required.

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Enrichment and extension opportunities.

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A varied curriculum designed to cater for the specific needs of gifted students.

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Teachers specifically trained in gifted education.

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Curriculum-focussed field-trips in Years 8-10.

The field-trips are curriculum based camps exclusive to the Ignite program. Our Year 8’s spend a week studying environmental issues, sustainability and diversification on Kangaroo Island. In Year 9 the focus is on Federation and also Science, in the National Capital, Canberra. Mining and its effect on the environment are the chief considerations when our Year 10 Ignite students venture north to Roxby Downs, Andamooka, Woomera and the Iron Triangle.

Aberfoyle Park High School is innovative in its provisions for gifted young people. Its modern open design facilitates collaboration between faculties and between the school and the wider community in order to achieve the best results for our students.

Glenunga International High School
Glenunga International High School, located 3 kms south east of the City Centre, has an international reputation for academic excellence. It traces its origins back to 1898.

Glenunga offers the International Baccalaureate Senior Diploma and the Middle Years Program. This provides a unique global emphasis that both values and supports the diverse nature of the school's population. Over one third of Glenunga's students have been identified as gifted.

The curriculum includes a choice of five languages, and excellent Arts, Media and Technology programs. Students are encouraged to participate in the wide range of co-curricular activities offered at Glenunga. A feature of Glenunga is the extremely successful international students program.
Glenunga is accredited by the European Council of International Schools, (ECIS), which applies rigorous international standards to schools throughout the world.

The Heights
The Heights School is located in the North Eastern suburbs of Adelaide. The school caters for students from Pre School to year 12. Gifted students are enrolled in all 3-sub schools making up a significant proportion of the student cohort. The school is easily accessible by public transport including the O-Bahn.

Ignite students study in the Middle and Senior Sub Schools and are able to access high-level information technology. Programs also exist for younger gifted students in the Junior Sub School.

Opportunities exist for Ignite students to develop their skills and talents in leadership, the Arts, (including Music and the Performing Arts), and Sport. The Heights School is one of the very few schools in Australia that has its own Observatory with studies of Astronomy.

The school’s Internationalism Coordinator organises international programs including sister school projects and cultural exchanges. These provide exciting opportunities for students.

The school has been recognised both nationally and internationally as a school of excellence in Gifted Education.

 

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