High achieving students who have the academic ability need a supportive environment to hone their potential. Like most Australian states, South Australia also offers gifted and talented students select entry into exclusive public schools or educational enrichment programs.
The Selective School Exam is the test designed to measure the ability of the students on an academic basis. It is conducted to allow admission to the exclusive government and public schools or programs.
Formerly known as SHIP (Students with High Intellectual Potential), Ignite is a program for gifted and talented students in South Australia. This program offers the opportunity to students to pursue academic excellence and to progress at an accelerated rate corresponding to their abilities. It provides a supportive and nurturing environment for gifted and talented students to aspire for their personal best.
Participating Schools for Ignite Program
The government of South Australia offers selective entry in the following three public schools for the Ignite Program:
- Glenunga International High School
- The Heights School
- Aberfoyle Park High School
Eligibility Criteria
- Year 7 students
Students in Year 7 at the time of the ignite test are eligible to sit for the exam.
- Year 6 students
Some Year 6 students who have the ability and potential to accelerate directly into Year 8 can also sit for the exam provided they get a recommendation from their current Principal indicating the acceleration would be beneficial for the student.
However, students can only take the ignite test once. If the students have already undertaken the test in Year 6, then they cannot appear again for the assessment in their Year 7. Moreover, Year 8 students are not eligible for the ACER assessment exam.
Selection Process for the Ignite Program
The students are selected for the Ignite Program through an assessment designed by ACER (Australian Council for Education Research) commonly known as Ignite Test that is held every year in February. The assessment can be taken by year 6 and year 7 students irrespective of their age. Moreover, some students can sit for the test at primary school also provided the supervision responsibility is accepted by the school.
Students who perform extraordinarily well in this test are then further invited for an interview to ensure that the program would be beneficial to him/her and he/she may be able to succeed in the gifted program.
Selection Test Structure
The assessment is divided into four parts:
- Reading Comprehension: a multiple-choice test
- Written Expression: Persuasive or Narrative
- Mathematical Reasoning: a multiple-choice test
- Abstract Reasoning: a multiple-choice test
The writing test is for 30 minutes, whereas the reading, mathematics, and abstract reasoning are for 45 minutes, 40 minutes, and 40 minutes respectively.
Conclusion
The selective exam test by Test Champs specially curated for your state can be undertaken to enhance the chances of getting into gifted programs. This accelerated learning program provides a collaborative academic environment for the students to thrive and succeed in achieving the same goals. There are several possible courses in the Ignite Program which students can undertake to accelerate their growth at a rate proportional to their potential.