We hear from Head of School DR JADIS BLURTON and Learning Extension & Testing Coordinator EMILIE RAZON about an educational approach to gifted students at The Harbour School in Hong Kong.
Tell us about the Learning Extension Program, in a nutshell.
At The Harbour School (THS), we want every student to be progressing at the pace that is appropriate to them – learning content that is new to that student. We don’t assume that any child is uniformly talented, much less gifted children.
Every child deserves to be challenged. We understand that the reason gifted students are already advanced in a particular subject is because they learn that subject faster. So, rather than just providing advanced content, we use a variety of methods – some online, some in person – so they can progress at a pace that’s exciting and interesting to them.
The students remain in grade, if possible, so they are with their age mates for social and physical activities. This means we have some students who are five or six years advanced – or more – in their subject. In Literacy, for example, many entries in the primary students’ blog look like something any secondary school would be proud of!
THS’s overall educational philosophy is built on personalisation, with the Learning Extension Program representing the most advanced tier of this individualised approach. While the school offers unique experiences for all students, the gifted programme stands out because it treats advanced learners with the same level of targeted support typically reserved for struggling students.
Why did you establish the programme?
There is nothing more stultifying than to be held in one place just because everyone else is there, and nothing more demoralising than to be shamed or blamed for asking questions. These are difficulties that gifted children often face at school – and why, contrary to popular belief, many intellectually gifted or academically advanced children do not automatically do well in school.
Perversely, there is also a stigma to being gifted. Growing up, one of the first things gifted children learn is that it can be embarrassing or weird to think in an advanced way or be interested in advanced topics. In a school that celebrates diverse abilities and strengths, children understand that their friend who isn’t great at mathematics might be an amazing musician or sportsperson. Similarly, gifted students often find themselves frozen by perfectionism, afraid to try something new because their entire selfconcept leans on their advanced abilities.
At THS, an open acceptance of the strengths and weaknesses of all students encourages gifted students to see themselves more holistically, which allows them to risk failure – an essential skill for advanced problem solving and innovation.
Do you have a story on a gifted student you’d like to highlight?
One of our first students springs to mind; he is currently completing his Graduate Program at Harvard in Architecture, having first taken an architecture course in 7th Grade at THS and served on the design committee for our Grove Campus in 9th Grade. (He was the only student among a sea of adults, and contributed substantively to The Grove’s ultimate design.)
A final word on the Learning Extension Program or THS?
The school’s motto is “Unlocking the Best,” and that definitely applies to gifted students, as it does to all of our students. Often, when gifted students arrive at THS they are bored, unmotivated, perfectionistic or ashamed of their gifts. One of the most exciting things to watch is students growing beyond those hurdles.
The Garden Campus: 138 Lee Chi Road, Ap Lei Chau | 3708 9060
The Grove Campus: 332 Ap Lei Chau Bridge Road, Ap Lei Chau | 3905 0180
ths.edu.hk
This article on learning for gifted children and the Harbour school in Hong Kong first appeared in the Summer 2026 issue of Expat Living magazine. You can buy the latest mag or an annual subscription, or read the digital version for free now.
