Penrith Selective High School

Altiora Peto - Striving for the highest

Telephone02 4721 0529

Emailpenrith-h.school@det.nsw.edu.au

Academic Competitions

Computational and Algorithmic Thinking 

High Potential and Gifted Education Policy 

  • Intellectual, Creative Domain

The Computational and Algorithmic Thinking (CAT) competition is a one-hour problem-solving competition designed to encourage student curiosity and promote multiple modes of thinking. Build on the important mathematical concepts established in the Junior Division. Consolidate strategies and develop greater flexibility for problem solving. Foster creativity and ingenuity and strengthen intuition. Stimulate enthusiasm and enjoyment of mathematics. Provide an opportunity to compete against other schools and terms.

Australian Informatics Olympiad 

High Potential and Gifted Education Policy 

  • Intellectual, Creative Domain

 

The AIO is suitable for an IT class that has learnt some computer programming, 3-hour contest. Students write short computer programs to solve six problems that vary in difficulty. The competition does not test computer literacy or knowledge but is focused on problem solving through programming skills.

Australian Maths Competition 

High Potential and Gifted Education Policy

  • Intellectual, Creative Domain

A 75-minute task made up of m/choice and and problems. It is designed to strengthen their problem-solving abilities and foster creativity and competition. The competition consolidates strategies and develops greater flexibility for problem solving. This competition is compulsory for Year 7 – 10 and non-compulsory for Years 11 – 12.

Australian Intermediate Mathematics Olympiad

High Potential and Gifted Education Policy

  • Intellectual, Creative Domain 

This four-hour contest is designed to stretch talented students. It is suited to Years 7 – 10 level and particularly for those who: - have completed Maths Enrichment (Gauss and Euler level), - are high achievers in the Australian Mathematics Competition (AMC). The AIMO gives talented students an opportunity to be recognised and to participate in activities which will enhance their enjoyment and knowledge of mathematics. This competition is non- compulsory for Year 7 – 10.

UNSW Maths Competition

High Potential and Gifted Education Policy

  • Intellectual, Creative Domain 

The competition is designed to assess mathematical insight and ingenuity rather than efficiency in tackling routine examples. The competition is a three-hour open-book exam. Entrants are allowed to take any books and materials, but not computers with Internet connections, into the examination. This competition is non-compulsory for Year 8 – 12.

The Olympiad comprises five separate contests roughly six weeks apart, starting in late March. Each contest is held under exam conditions in the classroom and marked by the teacher. The competition consolidates strategies and develops greater flexibility for problem solving. This competition is compulsory for Year 7 – 8.

Australian History Competition

High Potential and Gifted Education Policy

  • Intellectual, Creative Domain

The Australian History Competition involves 50 multiple choices on topics studied in Year 7-10 History syllabus. Preparing for this competition will improve student knowledge of history content in Years 7-10. This competition is not compulsory for Year 7 – 10.

Australian Geography Competition 

High Potential and Gifted Education Policy

  • Intellectual, Creative Domain

The Australian Geography Competition involves multiple choice questions based on content from the Australian Geography Curriculum and test both geographical knowledge and skills over 35 minutes. This gives students the opportunity to practise geographical skills, interpret and analyse stimulus material (e.g. maps and charts) as used in the HSC Geography Examination. This competition is not compulsory for Year 7 – 10.

ICAS Science Reach 

High Potential and Gifted Education Policy

  • Intellectual, Creative Domain

This competition is compulsory for Year 7 – 10. Created by the expert authoring team behind ICAS, Reach Assessments is a suite of benchmarking tests that measures the knowledge and progress of students of all ability levels. Reach puts powerful diagnostic data into the hands of your teachers, enabling them to tailor teaching for the best possible student outcomes. Demonstrate depth of knowledge and understanding of stage appropriate concepts in science. Build student skills in solving problems by analysing a range of data and stimulus material. To think critically and solve problems.

ICAS Science Competition 

High Potential and Gifted Education Policy

  • Intellectual, Creative Domain

ICAS Assessments are designed to recognise academic excellence. This competition is not compulsory for Year 7 – 10. Students are assessed on their ability to apply classroom learning to new contexts, using higher-order thinking and problem-solving skills. Demonstrate depth of knowledge and understanding of stage appropriate concepts in science. Build student skills in solving problems by analysing a range of data and stimulus material. To think critically and solve problems.

International Chemistry Quiz

High Potential and Gifted Education Policy

  • Intellectual, Creative Domain

The ICQ is a unique chemical education activity. This quiz is compulsory for Year 11 and non-compulsory for Years 7 – 10 and 12. It provides a major focus for secondary school students on the relevance of chemistry in an exciting and stimulating way. Questions will rely on knowledge and understanding covered as part of studying the Australian Curriculum, as it is designed to promote chemistry and chemical thinking. Questions that go beyond what is covered in syllabus documents should be able to be answered by students applying their knowledge and understanding to stimulus material provided in the questions. Some questions that are designed to challenge more able students may be/will be included. The quiz is 1 hour long with 30 multiple choice questions. It will take place before school from 8 - 9am to minimise disruptions to usual lessons. Tests students’ knowledge and understanding of chemistry and their ability to solve problems scientifically at their stage level.

Olympiad Examination - Biology / Chemistry / Physics / Junior Science 

High Potential and Gifted Education Policy

  • Intellectual, Creative Domain

The Australian Science Olympiads are a national enrichment program for secondary science students. The Australian Science Olympiads provide rewarding opportunities for students to extend themselves way beyond school science through challenging exams, stimulating extensions and enrichment programs and international competitions. Candidates who score highly (High Distinction/Excellence) in the examinations may be invited to attend summer schools and/or engage in international ‘Olympics’ of science. Students sit a 2-hour examination, which will commence at 8am on the school premise to ensure they do not miss out too much class time.

Students have the opportunity to demonstrate the depth of their knowledge and understanding in their area of interest (Bio / Chem / Phys and Junior science). It tests syllabus content and students’ ability to solving problems scientifically. The examination is an extension to current departmental syllabus requirements in the hopes of challenging the minds of youth and allowing students to demonstrate their giftedness and/or talent in the subject area.

Science and Engineering Challenge 

High Potential and Gifted Education Policy

  • Intellectual, Creative Domain

STEM-based activities for 16 x year 9 and 16 x year 10 students, held at WSU Kingswood campus on Wednesday 20th July 2022. Students work in teams to solve a variety of challenges, competing against other high schools from the region.