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MindPlus is a specialist programme for Y2-10 gifted and neurodivergent learners.
Once a week, MindPlus kids come together with a specialist teacher and a specialist programme to grow their thinking and conceptual skills, dive into passion areas, and learn the executive functioning, social and emotional, and self-advocacy skills they need to thrive.
Hear about the different MindPlus options from our Head of Programmes.
What is giftedness?
A gifted child has a brain wired to learn and process faster, and retain more than their neurotypical peers. About 1 in 20 children - unaffected by gender, ethnicity or socio-economic status - are born with their brain wired in this way. About 30% have an additional neurodiversity like ADHD, ASD and dyslexia.
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People use different terms to describe these brains wired for high performance. Whilst "gifted" is the term used by professionals, other terms like "high potential learners" or even "curious learners" may carry less baggage or be preferred. We use these terms interchangeably.
Hear from our MindPlus kids what it means to be gifted, the challenges they face, and what MindPlus means for them.
How do I know a child is gifted?
Here are some common characteristics of gifted kids. They often:
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Ask lots of questions, maybe unusual ones
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Have deep interests or passions - either long-lasting or fleeting
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Have BIG emotions, ‘all the feels’
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Seem different to their same-age peers
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Enjoy a quirky sense of humour
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Grasp complex, abstract or advanced ideas quickly
​​Gifted children are all very different, and may not have been - or felt - able to express their gifts fully, particularly if their brains are different in other ways (for instance if they have ASD, ADHD, dyslexia etc).
If you are after a formal confirmation (which you don’t need for MindPlus), there are a number of psychologists or other professionals around New Zealand who do assessments.​
Helpful resources
to learn more
Note that whilst this list focuses on dyslexia assessment, many practitioners are able to diagnose multiple neurodiversities.
Impact
High level analysis of findings from our 2021, 2022 and 2023 student and parent surveys across our MindPlus OurSchool, YourSchool and Online programmes.
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98% of students and their parents enjoy the MindPlus experience
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94% of students and parents report finding the work interesting and challenging.
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93% of students felt understood by their friends and teacher at MindPlus, and 97% of parents agreed
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89% of students were able to learn about themselves as gifted individuals
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95% of parents felt that MindPlus was making a positive impact for their child
A day at MindPlus
What really happens at MindPlus?
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