As part of a new initiative launching in 2025, the elective line for gifted students in Years 9 and 10 has been piloted this year—giving students the opportunity to explore specialised topics in greater depth. In Term 2, the focus was Forensic Science, and the final assessment brought learning to life in a thrilling, hands-on way.

Students were tasked with designing and staging a crime scene for a visiting Year 7 English class to solve—combining scientific analysis with storytelling and teamwork.

Here’s what Gabriella Hannaford (Year 7) had to say about the experience:

“Today, a group of students from Ms Walker’s Year 7 English class got to visit the Gifted and Talented class's crime scene, and it was epic! As part of their forensic science unit, they created a full-on murder mystery for us to solve. There were footprints, fake blood splatter, fingerprints, and even maps and suspect notes. It felt just like playing Cluedo in real life! My group investigated all the clues, and I (pretty much) solved the whole case. Turns out, the killer was Sam—he was couch-surfing and got into a fight with one of the twins whose apartment he was living in. This disagreement led to both of the twins dying. It was such a fun way to learn, and now I kind of want to be a detective!”

This creative project not only challenged our high potential learners to apply their scientific knowledge but also inspired younger students to engage deeply with problem-solving and critical thinking. An outstanding example of authentic, inquiry-based learning in action!

Louise Dwyer