Gifted Education

Kindergarten-Year 6

The teaching of Philosophy encourages deep thinking and reasoning skills. The girls are encouraged to articulate their ideas, while listening respectfully to the ideas of others. In this way, our young gifted and talented students are practising the '4Cs' - critical thinking, communication, collaboration and creativity.

What does a Philosophy lesson look like?

• Is it ever OK to lie?
• If you had a different name, would you be a different person?
• What would you do if you had a ring of invisibility?
• Is it possible to think of nothing?
• Can computers think?
• Is there anything we cannot know?
• Would you eat a pig if it could talk?

Year 9

Philosophy is offered as a Year 9 elective course that encourages students to explore life's big questions while developing critical and creative thinking skills. Through discussion, debate, and inquiry, students examine the ideas of influential philosophers, investigate ethical issues, and explore concepts such as Ethics, Political philosophy, Aesthetics and Epistemology. Students learn how to construct and evaluate arguments, identify logical fallacies, and apply ethical decision-making frameworks to contemporary issues. The course fosters intellectual curiosity, open-mindedness, and confident reasoning, equipping students with valuable skills for academic success and informed participation in an increasingly complex world.

Philosophy Club Years 7-12

Philosophy Club is a lunchtime group for students to learn about philosophical ideas and how to work with others to reason, justify, collaborate, discuss, question, draw out and make connections about some of the key ideas in life.

Students learn about some key philosophical issues. They also learn how to engage in the collaborative inquiry process, employ justification and reasoning, tackle areas of difficulty through questioning and develop their own ideas and the ideas of others.

Philosophy Events Years 5-12

At Loreto Kirribilli , we believe that gifted and highly capable students thrive when they are challenged to think deeply, collaborate with others, and engage with complex ideas. Through our participation in Meeting of Minds, Minds on Fire, Socratic Summit, and the Sydney Philosothon, students engage in rigorous philosophical inquiry alongside peers from across New South Wales. Students are trained in the Community of Inquiry approach, facilitated by our High Potential and Gifted Education teachers who have completed specialist training through the Federation of Australasian Philosophy in Schools Associations (FAPSA). These programs provide opportunities to explore complex ethical and philosophical questions, develop critical and creative thinking skills, construct reasoned arguments, and consider diverse perspectives. By fostering intellectual curiosity, confidence, collaboration, and thoughtful dialogue, these experiences empower students to become reflective, articulate, and open-minded learners who are prepared to engage meaningfully with an increasingly complex world.

The Da Vinci Decathlon is an academic competition designed to challenge and stimulate the minds of school students.

Inspired by Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519), widely believed to be one of the world’s greatest thinkers and scholars, the Decathlon places a particular emphasis on higher order thinking skills, problem solving and creativity.

In teams of eight, students compete across ten disciplines including Engineering, Mathematics and Chess, Code Breaking, Art and Poetry, Science, English, Ideation, Creative Producers, Cartography and Legacy.

The Ethics Olympiad is a competitive yet collaborative event in which students analyse and discuss real-life, and timely, ethical issues. In teams of five, students learn to think rigorously for themselves, defend their position as a team and consider reasons and cogent arguments.

Students develop a broad range of skills which, together with logic and sequential thought, are highly transferable, powerful aids to success in many professions.

This global competition also provides students with valuable feedback and mentoring from the judges, who are university lecturers from all around the world.

Learning@Lunch is a K-6 program that connects students with inspiring professionals, experts and community leaders across a wide range of fields. Through engaging presentations, conversations and hands-on experiences, students gain insight into how passions, interests and curiosity can lead to meaningful pathways and careers.

Designed to broaden horizons and spark new possibilities, Learning@Lunch provides authentic opportunities for students to explore ideas beyond the classroom, ask questions of experts and develop a deeper understanding of the world around them. Sessions have featured professionals from areas including science, technology, engineering, medicine, the arts, business, law, media and environmental conservation.

At Loreto Kirribilli , our Chess Club, Chess Challenge Training, and participation in the IGSA Chess Challenge provide students with opportunities to develop strategic thinking, problem-solving skills, resilience, and healthy competition in a supportive environment. Students can engage socially through Chess Club, refine their skills through dedicated training sessions, and represent the school in inter-school competitions. To support students at all levels, training is delivered in partnership with a professional coach from the Sydney Academy of Chess, equipping students with advanced strategies, game analysis skills, and the confidence to compete. Through chess, students learn to think critically, plan strategically, persevere through challenges, and build connections with like-minded peers who share a passion for the game.

Future Problem Solving (FPS) is a co-curricular program facilitated by the HPGE and Science faculties, offering students in Years 7-12 the opportunity to collaborate on solutions to complex future-focused challenges. Through researching emerging global issues, applying structured problem-solving processes, and developing innovative solutions, students strengthen their critical and creative thinking, teamwork, communication, and research skills. The program encourages students to think beyond the present, consider the ethical implications of future developments, and become confident, adaptable problem-solvers equipped to address the challenges and opportunities of an ever-changing world. Loreto Kirribilli has a history of qualifying in both national and international rounds.

For students whose learning needs extend beyond the regular curriculum, Loreto Kirribilli offers personalised mentoring opportunities with experts from universities, industry and the wider community. These partnerships provide students with access to advanced learning experiences, authentic challenges and specialist knowledge aligned to their strengths, interests and passions.

Through regular engagement with mentors, students are encouraged to deepen their understanding, explore complex ideas and pursue areas of talent beyond the classroom. Mentors serve as inspiring role models, helping students connect their learning to real-world contexts while fostering curiosity, confidence and a lifelong love of learning.