School Profile - Gifted and Talented - Extension Classes

JUNIOR

The school actively promotes extension opportunities for gifted and talented students. Extension Classes are offered in English, Mathematics and Science.

The composition of these classes varies. Students have to earn their places in these classes from year to year.

SENIOR

HISTORY EXTENSION

Students must have successfully completed the Preliminary Course and be currently studying an HSC Course in either Modern or Ancient History to attempt the Extension course and must have good research skills and an independent approach to learning to be successful.

The HSC History Extension Course involves the study and evaluation of the ideas and processes used by historians to produce history. In Part 1 of the course, students investigate the question, ‘What is history?’ through readings compiled in a source book and through one case study.  In Part II, students design, undertake and communicate a personal historical inquiry.

HSC History Extension will provide students with critical and reflective thinking skills that are essential for effective participation in work, higher learning and the broader community. In particular, the course will develop many higher order skills and methodologies that are of great value to students intending to undertake tertiary studies and are transferable between disciplines.

ENGLISH PRELIMINARY EXTENSION 1

ENGLISH HSC EXTENSION 1

ENGLISH HSC EXTENSION 2

Students explore how and why texts are valued in and appropriated into a range of contexts. They consider why some texts may be perceived as culturally significant. They explore ideas of value and consider how cultural values and systems of valuation arise.

In the Preliminary Extension course students examine a key text from the past and its manifestations in one or more popular cultures. Students also explore, analyse and critically evaluate different examples of such appropriations in a range of contexts and media.

The HSC Extension course 1 has one section. Students must complete one elective chosen from one of the three modules offered for study: Genre; Texts and Ways of Thinking; Language and Values. It requires the study of prescribed texts, as well as a range of other relevant examples.

In the HSC English Extension course 2, students develop a sustained composition and document their reflection on this process. It requires students to complete a Major Work and a statement of reflection.

As the course is analytical in nature, students will develop skills that are very relevant to all forms of tertiary study. Students wishing to specialise in English, or other humanities subjects, at tertiary level will be well prepared by the Extension English courses.

JAPANESE EXTENSION

The 1 Unit HSC Japanese Extension course is available in year 12 for students who have completed Preliminary Japanese Continuers, and are currently studying HSC Japanese Continuers.  The Extension course has a prescribed theme and related issues as its organisational focus.  Students knowledge and understanding of Japanese language and culture will be enhanced through accessing a variety of texts, some of which are prescribed, related to the theme and issues.  Students will extend their ability to use and appreciate Japanese as a medium for communication and creative thought and expression.

The theme in the Extension course is the individual and contemporary society.  The prescribed issues are: impact of technology; group versus the individual; overcoming personal difficulties.

MATHEMATICS PRELIMINARY

EXTENSION 1

MATHEMATICS HSC EXTENSION 1

MATHEMATICS HSC EXTENSION 2

Students must concurrently be studying Mathematics 2 Unit in Preliminary and HSC years.

HSC Extension course 1 is prerequisite for Extension course 2

The content of the Extension courses and its depth of treatment indicate that it is intended for students who have demonstrated a mastery of the skills of Stage 5 Mathematics and who are interested in the study of further skills and ideas in mathematics. The course is intended to give these students a thorough understanding of and competence in aspects of mathematics, including many which are applicable to the real world. It has general educational merit and is also useful for concurrent studies of science, industrial arts and commerce.

The Preliminary Extension 1 course covers: algebra, circle geometry, trigonometry, parametrics, polynomials, permutations and combinations and calculus.

The HSC Extension 1 course covers: methods of integration, application of calculus, inverse trigonometric functions, mathematical induction, binomial theorem, further probability and further algebra.

The HSC Extension 2 course is designed for students with a special interest in mathematics that have shown that they possess special aptitude for the subject. They must concurrently be studying Mathematics 2 Unit and HSC Extension 1.

The course offers a suitable preparation for study of mathematics at tertiary level, as well as a deeper and more extensive treatment of certain topics than is offered in other mathematics courses. It represents a distinctly high level in school mathematics involving the development of considerable manipulative skill and a high degree of understanding of the fundamental ideas of algebra and calculus. These topics are treated in some depth. Thus, the course provides a sufficient basis for a wide range of useful applications of mathematics as well as an adequate foundation for the further study of the subject.

The main topics covered are: graphs; complex numbers; conics; integration; volumes; mechanics; polynomials and harder mathematics Extension 1 topics.

The Extension 1 course is a recommended minimum basis for further studies in mathematics as a major discipline at university and for the study of mathematics in support of the physical and engineering sciences. Although the course is sufficient for these purposes, students of outstanding mathematical ability should consider undertaking the Mathematics Extension 2 course that is excellent preparation for tertiary study in mathematics or science based courses.

MUSIC EXTENSION

The 1 Unit HSC Music Extension course is available in year 12 for students who have completed Preliminary Music 2 and are currently studying HSC Music 2. It builds on Music 2 and assumes a high level of music literacy and aural ability as well as advanced performance or composition or musicology skills. Students will specialise in performance or composition or musicology and will follow an individual program of study, which will be negotiated, between the teacher and student.

Students selecting Composition or Musicology as their area of specialisation in the Extension course will be required to compile a portfolio of work as part of the process of preparing a submitted work. The portfolio may be requested by the Board of Studies to validate authorship of the submitted work.