A new package of support for gifted education was announced by Associate Education Minister Hon Tracey Martin on 27 February 2020 at MindPlus East one-day school, hosted at Riverina School in Pakuranga, Auckland.

The package recognises that gifted learners and notions of giftedness are diverse, both within and across cultures.

The package of support includes:

• Support for the New Zealand Centre for Gifted Education to deliver and grow MindPlus (one day school) so gifted learners can access learning with like-minded peers. Applications (including subsidy options) are now open – please contact Contact admin@nzcge.co.nz to apply.

• Awards for gifted students for gifted learners (or groups of learners) who are gifted or have exceptional abilities to extend and challenge their learning and support their wellbeing. It enables them to complete a particular project or activity in areas that may be quite different from their usual learning. There are two rounds of awards each year. Applications for the first round of 2021 gifted learner awards can be submitted from 1 February until 12 March at 4pm.

  For more information about the awards please read: Awards for gifted learners.

• Awards for teachers to access learning opportunities – to increase their skills for supporting gifted learners. The funding is flexible to make learning opportunities more accessible for busy classroom teachers. Teachers can identify opportunities that will fit with their timetable and location. This may be a formal qualification or an informal learning opportunity – such as a programme, mentorship, spending time with another teacher or other things available in your community. There will be two application rounds per year for both the flexible awards and the Postgraduate Diploma study awards. The next award round will be early in 2021.

  For more information about the awards please read: Awards for teachers or Study Awards for Postgraduate Diploma

• A programme of events, experiences and opportunities. Details of the new programme can be found at Events and opportunities for gifted learners.

• Expansion of online modules. Improved access to online modules which enable gifted learners to learn alongside like-minded peers. Contact admin@nzcge.co.nz to apply.
• Additional guidance for teachers and kaiako to help them recognise and support gifted learners. Follow the link above to the Guide to identification and provision or access from the further support tab.