HPL is an exciting new program dedicated to Ryan Catholic College’s High Potential Learners.

It is a program that is created with a focus on the integration of knowledge, rather than focus on a singular topic of interest. It focuses on Entrepreneurship principles where finding solutions to problems is the key outcome. There is a focus on an end product by using, developing and nurturing entrepreneurial skills; advanced thinking and ethical, social justice based decision-making.

Our high potential learners are students who have that extra drive, focused ambition and the willingness to challenge themselves beyond just the curriculum.

The program at Ryan was designed to engage our high learners in ways beyond the curriculum that we could showcase their thinking skills in a range of different areas. At first we began this program for selected and invited Year 5 and 6 students, however have begun expanding this to Year 5 to Year 9. We have seen some excellent results shine through already, particularly within Mathematics and Literacy.

Last year, as part of the HPL literacy group, students were encouraged to create their own children’s book. The initial ideas were based on student interest. Topics centered around  cultural awareness;  family relationships;  a day in the life of someone with Anaphylaxis and also about disability in families, to name a few.

Students were introduced to a number of digital apps to produce the final copy. Once completed, students took home a hard copy of their books and we kept one in our library for our wider community to enjoy.

Excitingly, one of our students' families fell in love with the message created in her story and took the initiative to have her book officially published. Paisley Panda’s Day, written and Illustrated by Luca Lewis, was published on the 5th May.

Luca chose to write her story about one of her sisters who has Autism, ADHD, Vision impairment and severe anxiety. Not only does this children's book tell the story of a family's challenges in living with disability as part of their day to day, it also gives voice to their triumphs. This book is a space for the acceptance of differences and one that speaks to many families in our own community and beyond. The focus being “It’s not a disability, it’s just a different ability”.

Important in the structure and design of a HPL program, is that students have the autonomy to create as well as the support and tools to complete something they are proud of.

The Ryan HPL program enables passions to ignite, creativity to bloom, and determination and resilience of thinking, to be given space to create innovative solutions.

HPL at Ryan allows us to tap into our students' thinking and harness their potential to create meaningful learning experiences… When this happens, powerful moments of learning occur. 

The College is proud to be a part of something so powerful and I cannot wait to see where else our students can take their potential.