Published by Olympus Learning | March 2026
When a group of parents at Waverley Public School in Sydney’s eastern suburbs discovered that their school did not offer a selective or gifted education stream, they did not simply accept the situation. They organised, lobbied, and ultimately succeeded in creating one themselves. From 2026, Waverley Public School is offering a new HPGE (High Potential and Gifted Education) STEM+ Enrichment class — a parent-driven initiative that has attracted significant attention from families across the eastern suburbs and beyond.
What Is the Waverley STEM+ Enrichment Class?
The STEM+ Enrichment class at Waverley Public School is designed for high-potential and gifted students who are seeking greater academic challenge than the standard curriculum provides. The class offers an enriched program in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics, with additional components in critical thinking, problem-solving, and project-based learning.
The class was established following sustained advocacy by a parent group who identified a gap in the local selective education landscape. While the eastern suburbs has several high-performing selective high schools — including James Ruse Agricultural High School, which consistently ranks first in NSW — there were limited options for gifted primary school students in the area who were not yet at high school age.
The initiative reflects a broader pattern that education researchers have observed across NSW: where the formal selective education system does not meet the needs of high-potential students, parents and communities increasingly find ways to fill the gap themselves.
What Does This Tell Us About Gifted Education in NSW?
The Waverley STEM+ story is a microcosm of a larger challenge in NSW education. The state has a well-developed selective high school system — with 17 fully selective schools and 27 partially selective schools — but the provision of enrichment and extension opportunities at the primary school level is far more uneven. Some schools have well-resourced gifted education programs; many do not.
The NSW Department of Education’s High Potential and Gifted Education (HPGE) policy, introduced in recent years, requires all NSW public schools to identify and support high-potential and gifted students. But the implementation of this policy varies significantly from school to school, and many parents of gifted children find that the standard classroom environment does not provide sufficient challenge for their child.
This is particularly true in STEM subjects, where gifted students can progress rapidly beyond their year-level curriculum. A student who has mastered Year 5 mathematics by the end of Year 3 needs a different kind of educational experience — one that most standard classrooms are not equipped to provide.
What Are the Options for Gifted Students in the Eastern Suburbs?
For families in Sydney’s eastern suburbs with high-potential children, the options include:
Selective school pathways. The selective school test (now with equal weighting across all four sections, including Writing) remains the primary pathway to a specialised academic environment at the high school level. Preparation for this test should ideally begin in Year 4.
Opportunity classes. NSW public schools offer Opportunity Classes (OC classes) for gifted students in Years 5 and 6. These are highly competitive, with placement determined by a separate test. Several eastern suburbs schools have OC classes.
School-based enrichment programs. As the Waverley STEM+ initiative demonstrates, some schools are developing their own enrichment programs. Parents who are interested in this option should speak with their school’s principal and P&C.
External enrichment and tutoring. For students who are not in a selective or enrichment stream, external support can provide the additional challenge and extension that the standard curriculum does not offer. This is particularly valuable in mathematics, where gifted students can work significantly ahead of their year level.
At Olympus Learning, we work with gifted and high-potential students from Year 2 upwards, providing extension and enrichment in Mathematics, English, Science, and other subjects. Our tutors are high-achieving university students who can challenge and inspire students who are ready for more. Find an extension tutor today.
Sources: Waverley News: Parents drive new selective STEM class in Waverley | SMH: Eastern suburbs school creates its own selective class