QUEST Program
Gifted and talented students have unique social, emotional, and learning needs, which should be recognised, valued and catered for appropriately. MCSS is committed to meeting the needs of this unique group of students. All staff at MCSS have undergone training in Gifted and Talented and Differentiation to help cater for the individual needs of students. A comprehensive identification process has been established, in line with the ACT Gifted and Talented Student Policy 2014. In addition to the gifted and talented program MCSS also run a primary school program for local Year 6 students. The students are identified as gifted and talented students from partnering primary schools. They are involved in an ongoing program that challenges and extends students in Science, Mathematics, English and HASS. For more details please see the Primary QUEST site.
For the most up-to-date information on all of our programs please see the QUEST site.
If you have any questions or concerns please contact Melba Copland's Gifted and Talented Liaison Officer, Lauryne Grant at: lauryne.grant@ed.act.edu.au
At MCSS a multi-faceted approach is taken for gifted and/or talented students.
This will include:
- QUEST Academic Program - provides opportunities for academic excellence and curriculum acceleration beyond mainstream classes.
- QUEST @ College - provides opportunities for year 10 students to select subjects to prepare them for college including subjects with an academic skills focus and college level subjects. This program also provides opportunities for senior students to continue their extension throughout their time at college.
- QUEST Dance - The purpose of the QUEST Dance program is to provide a specialised and enriched learning experience for talented young dancers.
- Talented Athletes Program (TAA) - The TAA program was established to support athletes while studying at MCSS and to provide specialised learning opportunities.
- Differentiation - QUEST academic students will be identified in their specific area of giftedness. These students will be catered for through an accelerated curriculum.
- Grouping & Extension - at regular times, QUEST students will be taken out of the normal classroom setting, and grouped with students of similar ability to undertake a challenging and educationally appropriate program to meet their specific needs.
- School and ACT Wide Competitions - QUEST students are encouraged to participate in a range of Academic Competitions.
- Subject Acceleration - a developmentally appropriate placement of students ahead of their chronological age or their chronological peers in one or more subjects or by one or more whole learning years.
- ASP - Academic Success Plan - an individual learning plan tailored to highly gifted students,
- Talent Workshops - specialised workshops for identified students in specialist areas (GATEWAYS, GERRIC, MCSS developed).
- Mentors - where appropriate, students may be paired up with a mentor to help the student reach their potential and cope with their unique needs.