Gifted and Talented
At St Francis Xavier Catholic School, we identify gifted and talented children as being those who show outstanding ability and passion (or the potential) for learning, in a given field. Therefore they require differentiated learning programmes and opportunities to explore and enhance their gifts.
The Diving Deeper Programme aims to deliver a differentiated programme to provide for the learning needs of gifted and talented students.
Mrs. Jane Gunson coordinates the programme, which involves identifying gifted and talented students, providing a withdrawal differentiated programme and supporting the students and their teachers in the classroom. The Diving Deeper withdrawal programme is generously funded by the Board of Trustees. This equates to one teacher release day per week.
During the year we offer enrichment activities across the curriculum for all year groups. These are two hourly sessions each week for four to five weeks. Teachers who have a strength or passion in a curriculum area will be responsible for the delivery of those programmes. A number of St. Francis Xavier teachers teach in the Diving Deeper programme.
Jane Gunson | G.A.T.E. Co-ordinator
In the programmes children have participated in are listed below.
E Pro 8 Year 5 and Year 6
Mathex Year 5 and Year 6
Junior Dance Year 1 and Year 2
Future Problem Solving Year 5 and Year 6
Senior Art Year 5 and Year 6
Senior Stream Team- Year 5 and Year 6
Middles Art – Year 3 and 4
Tikanga me Te Reo Māori Year 5 and Year 6
DD. Band Year 3 – Year 6
Maths Year 3 and Year 4
Robotics and Coding Year 5 and Year 6
P.E. Health and Wellbeing- Year 5 and 6
