Every public-school student in NSW can now access opportunities to pursue their talents and potential at their local school, with the ground-breaking Inspire program rolling out as part of the Minns Labor Government’s commitment to put high potential and gifted education (HPGE) offerings in every public school.
All public schools in NSW are now embedding HPGE in their teaching practices and co-curricular activities, with a range of new programs tailored to each school, such as enrichment streams, extension opportunities and STEM programs.
The fulfilment of the major policy commitment will be announced today by NSW Deputy Premier and Minister for Education Prue Car at the SMH Schools Summit.
The Inspire program brings together all schools’ high potential and gifted offerings under one banner, shared on school websites, giving parents and carers easy access to information about the opportunities available at their local school.
Paired with an updated school-finder website, where schools are now proactively sharing their availability of places with local communities, parents can more easily plan their child’s schooling if they wish to explore the option of a non-local school.
The rollout of the Inspire program is backed by targeted teacher professional development in gifted education which took place state-wide in 2025, to help ensure all students are challenged to achieve their full potential across academics, the arts, leadership and sport.
As part of its commitment, the Minns Labor Government is investing $100 million to develop state-of-the-art learning facilities for students in 33 high schools selected as HPGE Partner Schools, eight of which completed upgrades for the start of the 2026 school year.
Under the Minns Labor Government’s Inspire program, new extension classes are being offered across comprehensive public high schools.
HPGE Extension Classes are now running in eight public high schools, with more schools to join the initiative next year. The schools were selected to address unmet demand for extension class offerings.
The high schools running new classes in 2026 are:
- Chifley College: Dunheved Campus
- Kooringal High School
- Hunters Hill High School
- Lisarow High School
- Elderslie High School
- Georges River College: Peakhurst Campus
- Port Hacking High School
- Riverstone High School
This commitment to support students to reach their full potential is backed by a rebuilt teaching workforce, with vacancies dropping to a 12-year low following Labor’s historic wage rise and additional policies to reduce workload.
Deputy Premier and Minister for Education and Early Learning Prue Car said:
“We are determined to ensure our public schools are places of excellence, where all students can access opportunities to develop their talents and reach their full potential.
“The Inspire program ensures high potential and gifted students in NSW public schools are identified and their teachers are equipped to provide world-class opportunities for these students to be challenged and pursue their talents.
“The Minns Labor Government is backing the roll-out of Inspire with our $100 million investment in infrastructure upgrades for 33 HPGE Partner Schools, with new extension classes also now in place in more public high schools.
“Importantly, teachers are receiving targeted training to deliver these opportunities in every school, something that can happen thanks to the Minns Labor Government’s wage reform which has seen vacancies shrink to a 12-year-low.
“Selective schools and opportunity classes are no longer the only public pathways for gifted students to pursue excellence. Parents, carers and the community will see high potential and gifted education in action in their local public schools.”