We welcome information about events or opportunities that are of interest to gifted learners, their teachers and families. If you would like to contribute an item, please contact the moderator with details, for consideration. You should also check out the Competitions page.
The following organisations provide Ministry-funded events and opportunities for gifted learners across Aotearoa.
Gisborne, Wairoa, Northern Hawkes Bay, and the East Coast
The Aurora Manutaki Leading Lights programme includes four events and many opportunities focusing on topics such as science, nature, wellbeing, and creative writing. Learners also develop their social and leadership skills, community service and digital literacy. These events will run throughout Terms 3 and 4 in 2024 and Terms 1 and 2 in 2025.
To find out about these events, you can contact the Executive Director at sunny@auroraed.co.nz.
Nationwide (for rural and isolated schools) and Northland
Tātai Aho Rau Core Education offer two online engaging, innovative, metaverse iNVENTIONATOR events, for rural and isolated schools, and one in-person iNVENTIONATOR event in Te Tai Tokerau. These events are student-centred, inquiry and learning challenges designed for Years 6–9 gifted learners who want to play, think, and design innovative solutions to real-life problems that matter to them. These events will run in Terms 3 and 4 in 2024 and Terms 1 and 2 in 2025.
To learn more about these events, visit Tātai Aho Rau Core Education (core-ed.org) or you can contact suzi.gould@core-ed.ac.nz.
You have two opportunities to register ākonga for this free online event, powered by Tātai Aho Rau and funded by Tāhuhu o Te Mātauranga | Ministry of Education.
Note: Registrations for iNVENTIONATOR 2024 close 17 October or once we reach capacity of 80 ākonga.
Please fill in this form for the online May 2025 iNVENTIONATOR event:
iNVENTIONATOR May 2025 ākonga | learner registration form.
iNVENTIONATOR 2024:
18 - 21 November 2024 (Term 4, week 6)
9:15am - 12:30pm each day, with an evening whakanui or celebration event for whānau and friends.
iNVENTIONATOR 2025:
12 - 15 May 2025 (Term 2, week 4)
9:15am - 12:30pm each day, with an evening whakanui or celebration event for whānau and friends.
Tairāwhiti
The Kōhine Robotics Kaupapa supports girls in Years 6–9 from across Te Tairāwhiti to experiment with VEX IQ Robotics, develop confidence with a range of technologies, learn about study and career pathways in tech, and hear from other wāhine thriving in tech. Tōnui Collab are hosting events throughout Terms 3 and 4 in 2024, with dates for 2025 to be confirmed.
To find out more, visit Tōnui Collab or you can contact admin@tonuicollab.com.
Canterbury
Imagination Station are running a series of LEGO Education classes for gifted ākonga in the Canterbury and Mid-Canterbury region. At each event, Imagination Station will provide a wide range of fun LEGO Education projects including (but not limited to): Stop motion animation movie making, LEGO Robotics (using WeDo 2.0, SPIKE Prime, SPIKE Essential or Mindstorms EV3), LEGO Technic mechanical building, or digital LEGO design. All out of classroom events incorporate te Reo Māori and cultural practices and are inclusive of neurodiversity.
While some classes are specific to MindPlus Canterbury students, over the next 12 months there are spaces available for:
South Island
The NZMSC offer a series of marine science programmes that provide unique learning environments and experiences (laboratory, field work, research vessel), and opportunities to engage with experts to extend gifted learners. The programmes emphasise the multidisciplinary and multidimensional nature of marine science, and the Nature of Science with an overlay of cognition and teamwork practices. Events are open for teachers (or affiliated adult/s) to bring small groups or whole classes of selected rangatahi in Years 6–13 during Terms 3 and 4 2024. Events for 2025 are to be confirmed.
For more information, including application details, please visit Science extension and enrichment programmes (University of Otago).
South and West Auckland
Kiwa Digital offer an 8 week out-of-school internship for gifted ākonga, aged 11–13 of Māori descent. Ākonga gain real-world experience of working in the media technology industry, acquiring knowledge and skills they would not otherwise have access to. The South Auckland internship will start in August 2024 and the West Auckland internship will start in February 2025.
To find out about the internships, visit Kiwa Digital or you can contact jill@kiwadigital.com.
Nationwide online
Clubs is a free, fun and easy to use online learning platform where curious kids from all over Aotearoa explore their passions together. Clubs is available for students in Years 2–10 to connect with like minds. If your child or student needs "more" and would love to explore activities in their interest area with kids just like them, join Clubs today. Whether it’s astronomy, architecture, or ancient Greeks - or anything in between - there’s plenty to explore!
To find out more and to sign up, visit The Neurodiversity in Education Project or you can contact hello@neurodiversity.org.nz.
South Auckland
Project Wy’s aim is to develop education, life-skills and leadership for our gifted learners. Project Wy run four different programmes throughout the school year incorporating a STEM makers week, a digital storytelling holiday programme, an app development competition and a 6-month mentoring programme with students and families predominantly from Ōtara, Papatoetoe, Māngere, Ōtāhuhu and Manurewa.
To find out about their upcoming events, visit Project Wy on Facebook or you can contact essendon@faithcity.nz.
www.anyquestions.govt.nz is a free, online chat service that helps New Zealand school-aged students with their schoolwork. Between 1pm and 6pm on weekdays, students can logon and chat with a librarian who will help guide their research and teach them valuable information literacy skills. The service is run by the National Library of New Zealand, funded by the Ministry of Education and supported by public libraries from around the country.
Ethics Olympiad schools promote respectful, supportive and rigorous discussion around current ethical issues. They are marked out by their commitment to student development in civil, critical and well informed ethical discourse. Online and face to face events are held for junior, middle and high school students in New Zealand and Australia.
For more information go to: Ethics Olympiad
FutureLearn, works with leading universities and organizations around the world to offer our learners relevant, high quality online courses across a huge range of topics. Fees apply.
For more information click here
This is a website for young adult (YA) readers all about reviewing and New Zealand books. They can submit reviews for publication and become part of a critical conversation. For more information go to: Hooked on Books
Tailored and affordable programmes accessed from school or home. Learners between Y5-10 can choose from a range of 15, 25 and 30 week programmes relating to their interests and/or strengths. eTeachers from Kōtui Ako (previously VLN Primary) meet weekly with a small group of learners on Zoom, with learning continued independently between sessions. Programmes from across the curriculum are available, with a selection of specific programmes tailored for gifted and talented ākonga.
Check out our available programmes & register interest by emailing primary@kotuiako.school.nz
Check out opportunities for ākonga on the Clubs page.
Find out about opportunities for y2 - 8 gifted ākonga to attend Mindplus school one day a week (fees apply).
WERO - Wayfinding for Rangatahi Entrepreneurs
A fully funded coaching programme for Māori and Pasifika rangatahi about the ways and wonders of being an entrepreneur. Register your school now for 1-day Wayfinding Challenges with students in Te Waipounamu. More details can be found at: Flying Geese Pro.
