G.A.T.E.WAYS is an independent, non-funded organisation, established in 1994 to provide opportunities for highly able and gifted children with special educational needs. Like-minded students can participate in programs that will challenge them intellectually and help develop their individual talents. Both short and longer term programs in most areas of the curriculum are offered in host schools in Melbourne, Canberra, Brisbane, the Gold Coast, Sydney, Singapore, Bangkok, as well as ‘On Location’. Over the last 25 years G.A.T.E.WAYS has gained considerable recognition with teachers, parents and children in Australia for its high quality programs.
Parent paid fees cover the costs of program development, administration and presentation. G.A.T.E.WAYS is widely supported by schools in all education sectors – state, independent, catholic – as well as by many parents who home-school their children. Most programs operate during regular school hours so that gifted and talented children are not penalised by having to complete their extension programs ‘on top of’ rather than ’instead of’ regular schoolwork. In any given week during the school term between 750 and 1200 primary aged children attend workshops.
G.A.T.E.WAYS engages presenters who are expert in a given field or fields; passionate about their field and able to convey this enthusiasm to children; excellent communicators who love children; knowledgeable about the special needs of gifted children and how they learn; creative, flexible and skilled in terms of curriculum development and delivery. Their programs are inquiry based, with hands-on activities, problem solving and higher order thinking skills.