Kalgoorlie’s gifted primary school students extend their learning with elite program

Some of Kalgoorlie-Boulder’s brightest students have been recognised for their achievements and ability to overcome significant challenges this year. Located at Kalgoorlie-Boulder Community High School, the Goldfields Primary Extension and Challenge Centre gives Year 5 and 6 students the chance to expand on classroom learning. Students are offered a choice of four courses each term and nominate one session each week. Goldfields Regional PEAC coordinator Ann Spence said the program was designed for local gifted and talented students. “The students attending the program have highly developed skills in analysis, interpretation, prediction, design, innovation as well as being able to identify relationships and solve problems of increasing complexity,” she said. “Some of the courses the students particularly enjoyed this year included building earthquake-resistant structures, chess, escape rooms, graphic novel design and animation.” The group also participated in the Tournament of Minds challenge and the FIRST LEGO League Robotics Challenge. Students are selected for the PEAC program based on results from a Statewide testing program completed in Year 4. PEAC will have students from seven Kalgoorlie-Boulder primary schools next year.