HERizon Program

EMPOWERING GIFTED AND TALENTED GIRLS TO THRIVE THEMSELVES

Launched at the beginning of 2026, the HERizon Program represents MLC’s evolving and research informed commitment to supporting gifted and talented girls. Designed around talent development, wellbeing and authentic challenge, the program nurtures girls with advanced abilities so they can not only achieve — but truly thrive.

WHAT WE MEAN BY ‘GIFTED’

Giftedness is a term often debated and frequently misunderstood. At MLC, we take a thoughtful, contemporary approach that reflects international research. Giftedness exists across a continuum, and the HERizon Program supports girls wherever they sit along that spectrum.

GIFTEDNESS IS:	GIFTEDNESS IS NOT:
Rapid pattern recognition	High achievement alone
Advanced verbal or quantitative reasoning	Genius or prodigy
A strong intrinsic drive to explore, question and learn	Something visible at a glance
Traits aligned with forms of neurodiversity	A guarantee or emotional and social maturity

OUR FRAMEWORK: GAGNE’S MODEL OF GIFTEDNESS AND TALENT

MLC uses Professor Françoys Gagné’s Differentiated Model of Giftedness and Talent as the foundation of the HERizon Program:

Giftedness: Outstanding natural abilities in one or more domains, placing a student among the top 10% of age peers.
Talent: Developed abilities in a field of human activity, also placing a student among the top 10%.
Catalysts: Environmental, interpersonal or chance factors that help transform gifts into talents — such as family, school, culture and life experiences.

HERizon aims to identify outstanding natural abilities in our girls, and act as meaningful catalyst to helping girls grow these gifts into talents with confidence.

WHY A FOCUS ON GIFTEDNESS FOR GIRLS?

Research highlights distinct patterns in the development of gifted girls:

• Confidence often peaks early and may decline sharply during adolescence.
• Gifted girls tend to take fewer academic risks and may internalise perfectionism.
• High-performing girls’ schools can see heightened masking of anxiety.
• Gifted girls may receive less specific feedback on the depth of their thinking or risk-taking compared to boys.
• Multi potentiality — being good at many things — can bring unique challenges.

HERizon seeks to counter these trends by cultivating confidence, celebrating intellectual curiosity, and normalising challenge and visible struggle. This aligns closely with MLC’s values and culture: empowering girls to understand, embrace and express their abilities without hesitation.

HOW WE TEACH GIFTED AND TALENTED GIRLS

MLC staff engage with research-based practices to ensure gifted learners are challenged appropriately — through rigour, not pressure.

Our approach includes:

• Pre-testing before extension or enrichment
• Prioritising depth over speed or repetition
• Encouraging risk-taking and normalising productive struggle
• Using positive, specific feedback to build confidence
• Designing extension tasks with choice, novelty and opportunities for passion

WHERE HERIZON IS HEADING

As the program continues to develop, priorities include:

2026 PRIORITIES	LONG-TERM PRIORITIES
Establishing student voice forums and surveys	Thoughtful identification of gifted and talented students
Developing new co-curricular enrichment pathways	Strengthening socio-emotional learning alongside academic growth
Staff consultation to identify professional learning priorities	Supporting parents in understanding their daughter’s unique profile
Strengthened use of data for identification and program design	Providing staff with professional learning informed by best-practice GATE principles
Student feedback mechanisms to shape future programming	Building new co-curricular and enrichment opportunities with CCGS through the ‘Crossing the Fence’ program
Parent outreach and engagement	Establishing student voice forums and surveys

WHAT’S ON THE HERIZON?

HERizon is in its initial stages and continues to be shaped by our newly appointed Coordinator of the HERizon Program, whose expertise is guiding the development of new opportunities, frameworks and supports for students, staff and families.

If you have any questions, please reach out to our Coordinator of the HERizon Program, Spencer Davis, at sdavis@mlc.wa.edu.au.