Glenunga International High School is a Department for Education Special Interest School offering high quality programs for students with high intellectual potential through the Ignite program.
Ignite Program for Gifted Learners
The Ignite Program is a special interest program funded by the Department of Education, designed to support the learning needs of identified gifted and talented students. The Ignite Program is offered at Glenunga International High School, The Heights High School, and Aberfoyle Park High School.
The Ignite Program has been functioning since 1997. Here at Glenunga International High School we don’t shy away from change or innovation, even if it has been something that has been functioning well for over 30 years. Since its conception, students and learning have evolved and we have taken the steps as educators and as a school to adapt to our students’ changing needs.
The Ignite Program allows students to:
- Accelerate their learning at a rate that matches their ability
- Have the opportunity to critically challenge and explore the depth and breadth of their thinking
- Work in a learning environment that focuses on building a holistic learner, with sustained focus on critical and creative thinking, collaboration, communication, and citizenship and character
- Have access to a range of enrichment opportunities.
Gifted and talented learners generally understand concepts, abstractions and ideas beyond what would normally be expected at their age. This means the curriculum needs to be concept based and include complex, abstract ideas so that interests and abilities are challenged. We need to build well-rounded, holistic people, who are able to navigate the changing needs of the contemporary world.
At Glenunga, we know that giftedness can manifest itself in many different ways, and no two students are alike. Our purpose is to develop great learners and first class people. This is reflected in the culture and links with the ethos that underpins our Ignite Program. We strive to build strong learner partnerships with our students and families to help each student reach their full potential. Within our ethos we emphasise the importance of:
- Building empathetic connections with others and self
- Engaging in intentional and meaningful collaboration
- Engaging in authentic and relevant learning (High Quality Thinking)
- Working through challenges productively
- Reflection and celebration of learning and progress.
For more information, please contact dl.0927.ignite@schools.sa.edu.au.
Ignite and LEAP PB
Here at Glenunga we pride ourselves on building first class human beings, who are well-rounded and have a thriving identity outside of their academic achievement. For our Ignite learners we understand that our younger Ignite students really benefit from a sustained focus on building their social and emotional skills, in addition to a flexible approach to extension and acceleration in their traditional academic learning. Within Ignite, all Ignite students work with their mentor group teacher and subject teachers to develop their socio-emotional maturity and their 21st Century capabilities such as:
- Creative and Critical Thinking
- Collaboration
- Communication
- Citizenship
- Character
Ignite Learning Pathways
As part of welcoming Year 7 into high school, we have refined our Ignite Program. Students will remain in a consistent mentor group from Years 7 through Year 9 for the LEAPPB curriculum, but will attend different Ignite classes depending on their personalised learning pathway. The advantage of this model is that students are still able to build their social connections with their Ignite peers and build their capabilities as a mentor group, but thrive in their own personalised learning journey in other learning areas.
From 2024 onwards our Ignite program will begin with all Year 7 Ignite students experiencing an innovative and appropriately challenging curriculum for Year 7, with increased opportunities to take responsibility for their growth, and to present their learnings in exciting ways. They can use the year to explore different areas of learning, try new things, and undertake new challenges. At the end of Year 7 the Ignite and Year 7 Sub-School teams finalise the personalised learning pathway for each student in Year 8 based on student data, Student Insight Responses, and Parent Insight Responses.
There are two curriculum pathways available to students.
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The Accelerated Pathway
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The Accelerated Pathway option offers a fast paced curriculum with a focus on curriculum compaction, deep thinking and challenge. Students could be accelerating across all subjects, or in a single subject. Concepts and topics are different from the Extension Pathway, and year-level curriculum, and there is a greater focus on specialised pedagogy to support gifted learners. Challenge plays a key role in this pathway, providing students with agency to explore more nuanced concepts. Flexible options are available as the student progresses through their learning, for more challenge and rigour in senior years.
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The Extension Pathway
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The Extension Pathway offers students a curriculum with a focus on deep thinking and rigour, with a lesser pace compared to the Accelerated Pathway, but faster compared to our year-level classes. Concepts and topics sit apart from a non-Ignite curriculum, and there is a greater focus on specialised pedagogy to support gifted learners. Extension offers students an opportunity to explore topics at depth, and from different perspectives, to encourage greater critical thinking. Specialised curriculum exists across the core subjects of English, Mathematics, Science and Humanities.
Registrations for Year 7 in 2026
2025 Ignite Assessment for Year 7 2026 Entry
The ACER Ignite assessment will be held on 22 February 2025 for Year 6 students entering Year 7 the following year.
Registrations for the 2025 assessment are now open via the ACER Portal. Please see Registration Details below for registration link. Please note registration closes on Sunday 9 February 2025.
No late applications will be accepted.
The assessment comprises four parts, completed over a period of 3 to 5 hours with time allowed for a break.
- Reading Comprehension
- Written Expression
- Mathematical Reasoning
- Abstract Reasoning
The test materials will be sent to the Australian Council for Education Research (ACER) in Melbourne for marking. We anticipate results within nine to ten weeks. Please do not contact the school or ACER in relation to the results. You will receive notification of results by email.
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Eligibility
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The assessment is open to students in Year 6 at the time of the assessment. Year 5 students may apply to sit the assessment but are required to provide a signed letter of recommendation from their primary school principal. This letter must be sent to Glenunga prior to registering to sit the assessment.
- Please only apply to one Ignite School. Please register and sit the assessment at your first preference of Ignite School.
- Students can only sit the assessment once and only at one Ignite School.
- Students are encouraged to sit at the Ignite School they wish to attend in the following year.
- Rural and interstate students may have the opportunity to sit the assessment at their primary school provided we have principal approval. Please contact Glenunga prior to registration.
- Students not residing in Australia at the time of the assessment cannot register to sit the assessment. Eligible families must be residing in Australia. Ignite assessment cannot be administered overseas.
- Visa Subclass 500 holders: International students on a 500 visa currently living and studying in South Australia. Please contact the Ignite team prior to making a registration via dl.0927.ignite@schools.sa.edu.au.
- Families can expect to receive the student ID in the week leading up to the assessment day via email.
- To request a fee refund, please contact the Ignite team via email at dl.0927.ignite@schools.sa.edu.au and briefly explain your reason. Refunds will incur a fee. Once approved by the Ignite team, you will receive a partial refund only.
- School Card holders need to pay the full fee of $155. After registration, please email your 2024 School Card approval letter to dl.0927.ignite@schools.sa.edu.au. We will then issue a refund of $130 after the registration closing date.
- No late applications will be accepted.
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Registration Details
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It is vital to read the above instructions including the ACER Parent Guide before starting your application.
Applications are via ACER, you can download the guide to online registrations here.
Please register for the assessment via the ACER Portal.
Registrations close Sunday 9 February 2025.
For any technical issues or if you have any queries about the online application system, please contact the ACER HAST team via hast@acer.org or call 03 9277 5625.
If you have any questions about your application, or for further information or if you have a query, please contact the Ignite Team via dl.0927.ignite@schools.sa.edu.au
We look forward to receiving your submission.
Selection is based on the student’s ACER results. Under our Capacity Management Plan, we select 100 students per yearly intake.
If there are extenuating circumstances relating to the taking of the Ignite exam for your student, or for any enquiries, please email the Ignite team at dl.0927.ignite@schools.sa.edu.au or call 8379 5629.