Gifted and Talented Secondary Selective Entrance Program
Providing challenging and motivating learning opportunities for students with exceptional academic capacity or creative talent
Applications for Gifted and Talented Secondary Selective Entrance programs in 2025 are NOW OPEN.
Applications are open to students who will enter Year 7 in 2025.
Limited places may also be available for students who will enter Years 9, 10 and 11 in 2025.
Applications close Sunday, 11 February 2024 and testing will occur in Term 1, 2024.
For more information or to apply, go to www.education.wa.edu.au/gifted-and-talented
Programs are in the areas of Academic, Arts and Languages and are offered at select public secondary schools. Demand for these programs is strong and entry is competitive. All placements will be made on the basis of individual performance in program-specific testing and assessments, including the Academic Selective Entrance Test. Testing will take place when your child is in Year 6.
Further information on schools and programs, application guidelines can be found on the Department of Education website: https://www.education.wa.edu.au/gifted-and-talented
It is important to note that successful applicants are able to attend their school of choice, even though they may not live in that school’s local intake area.
WA country students who are accepted into our Gifted and Talented Secondary Selective Entrance Program may be eligible to apply to board at the Department of Education’s City Beach Residential College.
For more information please contact Comet Bay College’s Gifted and Talented Program Coordinator:
Gifted and Talented Program Information
Testing
The test has four components:
• Qualitative Reasoning
• Reading Comprehension
• Abstract Reasoning
• Written Expression
A Candidate Information Bulletin will be forwarded to all applicants prior to the Selective Entrance Test. Scholarships are available for this program.
Specialist Extension Program Opportunities
Once a student has successfully gained a place in the Gifted and Talented Program and enrolled at Comet Bay College, he or she will be invited to apply and audition for inclusion in a number of other Year 7 Extension Programs offered at the College.
These include:
- Extension Visual Arts
- Extension Performing Arts – Drama and Dance
- Extension Music – IMSS students automatically qualify.
Opportunities for students within the Gifted and Talented Program
Students who qualify for this program enjoy a wide variety of benefits and are able to experience a rigorous, challenging, differentiated curriculum where their individual needs can be catered for via enrichment, extension and acceleration while learning with like-minded peers.
Excursions
Students are able to access guest speakers and participate in excursions and incursions that both complement and supplement their classroom studies by providing opportunities to broaden students’ interpretation, understanding and application to the ‘real world’.
Extra-curricular Activities
Through affiliations with various tertiary institutions, our students have the chance to mix with like-minded peers from around Western Australia and participate in programs such as the Science Experience with Engineering at Curtin University; BioGENEius Challenge conducted by Murdoch University and Sir Charles Court Youth Leaders conference. Each year talented writers participate in a series of Creative Writing Workshops facilitated by leading Australian authors and hosted by the Fremantle Children’s Literature Centre. Our most recent additions include Robotics and United Nations Youth Australia Voice.
Competitions
Participation in a variety of competitions is encouraged as it allows the students to gain confidence while fostering their talents. Examples include the Rio Tinto Big Science Competition, Westpac Maths Awards, the da Vinci Decathlon Competition, Giant Classroom National History Competition, Bendigo Community Bank Competition and Regional Chess Tournament.
Student Services
Pastoral care is extremely important in catering for the students’ social and emotional well being and a range of services are available. In order to meet their needs, the students are able to access a variety of staff including the Dean of Academic Excellence, Dean of Student Support, School Psychologist, Chaplain, School Nurse and VET Coordinator.
