Opportunity Class

Certain schools across NSW offer  opportunity classes  for high-achieving, academically-gifted students in Years 5 and 6. To be considered for enrolment, students must sit the  opportunity class placement  test in Year 4.  Learn more here.

The Wentworth Falls Public School Opportunity Class

“Opportunity Class” placement provides intellectual stimulation and an educationally enriched environment for academically gifted children in Years 5 and 6.

The program at Wentworth Falls Public School has been carefully developed by dedicated teachers to provide a stimulating curriculum which emphasises academic rigour whilst nurturing the gifted child's overall social and emotional development.

Opportunity Class Overview

Opportunity Class what to expect in the classroom

Our OC program provides a planned curriculum that matches the ability of gifted students to:

1. Learn a faster rates gifted learners understand new concepts easily with fewer repetitions. This means that they will progress through the curriculum at an accelerated pace of instruction to ensure learning is continuous and that they are being stimulated.
2. Find, solve and act on problems more readily. We focus heavily on creative thinking, divergent thinking and critical thinking as these skills are important for today's problem solvers.
3. Manipulate abstract ideas and make connections to an advanced degree. Gifted learners understand concepts, abstractions and ideas beyond what would normally be expected at their age level. Therefore our programs are concept based and include complex, abstract ideas so that interests and abilities are challenged and extended.
4. Gifted learners benefit when they work with gifted peers. One of the best advantages of the OC class is that the children get to work with children of similar abilities; they bounce ideas off children who are like minded and have similar interests. The discussions and debates in an OC class are amazing to listen to. The friendships formed are strong and mature. The children bond well and have a respect for each other and the other benefit is that they spend two years together, which strengthens the bond.

We use a variety of teaching and learning strategies to cater for such learning styles, including:

• using pre-assessment to compact the curriculum for students who have already mastered the core: then focus on accelerated progression in all key learning areas.

• extension activities that deepen students' knowledge, understanding and skills. enrichment activities that broaden the curriculum to develop knowledge and skills to a greater complexity.

• contract work, with students negotiating the components of the contract.

• open-ended questions, activities and assignments. hypothesis testing and problem solving.

• individual research and investigation, where students learn how to develop and manage their independent learning skills.

• opportunities for peer assessment.

• using graphic organisers as an instructional tool.

• group tasks and creative thinking sessions that allow like-minded students to discuss and bounce ideas off each other.

• Thinking tasks include Tony Ryan's 'Thinker Keys', Edward De Bono's Six Thinking Hats and Divergent Thinking.

• Many competitions that provide opportunities to think, create and shine.

Programs in the Wentworth Falls Public OC

• Tournament of the Minds:  is a problem solving program for teams of students. They are required to solve demanding, open-ended challenges from one of the following disciplines: Applied Technology, Language Literature, Maths Engineering, the Arts and the Social Sciences.
• Debating:  opportunities to participate in the Premier's Debating Challenge.
• Premier's Challenges:  as well as the Premier's Debating challenge, the students will participate in the Premier's Spelling Bee and also be encouraged to participate in the Premier's Reading Challenge.
• Public Speaking:  all OC students will have the opportunity to write speeches for various public speaking opportunities.
• Interschool Chess:  The Chess Club meets at lunchtime to enjoy friendly games and also to practice for the NSW Junior Chess League competition which runs during Term 2 and in to Term 3.
• Game Changer Challenge:  students have the opportunity to engage in design thinking days.

Creative Arts Opportunities in Wentworth Falls OC

A variety of music programs are offered including:

• Creative Arts Teacher:  Our OC students also participate in lessons with Wentworth Falls Public School's Creative Arts teacher, Ms Packer. They have the opportunity to be creative in all areas: through painting, drawing, printing, making music, performing in drama and dance. They enjoy a well-resourced and welcoming environment in the dedicated Creative Artspace.

• Festival of Choral Music Choir:  Students meet for choir at a designated time at school. The students have the opportunity to be a part of the Primary School Concerts which performs at the Opera House.
• The Beginner Band Program:  This is open to all students who are just beginning with an instrument. It provides an opportunity for the students to enjoy music together. There is instrument hire on offer from the school and the students can take advantage of tutors that come to the school during the week. This is a paying arrangement.
• The Concert Band:  This is the band for the more experienced musicians. The band performs at school events and special occasions. There is instrument hire on offer from the school and the students can take advantage of tutors that come to the school during the week. This is a paying arrangement.
• The String Ensemble:  A String ensemble is formed under the guidance of #####. They participate in the Strings concert organised by the Arts unit.
• Recorder Group:  A teacher holds recorder lessons in a class once a week at lunch time to teach recorder. Students have the opportunity to play at The Instrumental Concert at the Sydney Opera House.
• Dance Program:  The Dance group consists of students in years 3-6. They perform at a number of concerts and school events.
• ICT Resources:  Our class has 30 laptops for student use and there is a touchscreen interactive board.

Sporting Opportunities in the Wentworth Falls OC

There are endless sporting opportunities provided for our students, they involve:

• PSSA and Knock-out Competitions:  Each year Wentworth Falls Public School enters teams into the PSSA and Knock Out competitions. Teams entered in the competition are: cricket, soccer, touch football, OZ TAG and basketball.
• Carnivals:  Annually Wentworth Falls conducts three sporting carnivals in swimming, athletics and cross country. Trophies and medals are awarded to each age champion and runner up.
• Variety of Sporting Activities:  Each term a variety of sporting activities include: Squash, Sport-in-Schools, Gymnastics programs, Dance and Fundamental movement skills.
• BMPSSA Representation:  opportunities to represent Blue Mountains and Sydney West in a variety of sports and carnivals.

Excursions and Camps

• There are a variety of excursions and a camp that take place through out the year.

• For example, places your child might visit:

  • Broken Bay Sport and Recreation Facility - 3 day camp
  • Canberra - 3 day camp
  • Bathurst Goldfields - 1 day excursion
  • NSW Parliament House
  • Sydney Writers Festival

A Day in the Life of an OC Student

Click to see a video created by Dural OC students called  A Day in the Life of an OC Student which has been represented by the  NSW Government  on their website.