Ignite (youth program)


Ignite is a program for gifted and talented young people in South Australia, created in 1997 and formerly known as SHIP. It is administered by the South Australian Department of Education and Children's Services.

How the program works

At the beginning of the school year in South Australia, DfE advertises for Year 6 or Year 7 applicants to take part in the program in the following year. The applicants are charged $100 and take a test made up of reading comprehension, written literacy, mathematics and an Abstract Reasoning test at one the three participating schools Aberfoyle Park High School, Glenunga International High School, or The Heights School.The best of the students who completed the test are notified later in the year. Students are ranked on their performance and an aggregate is determined. The test is designed by ACER. Students who are eligible for school card do not pay the $100.
The top 25 students are given a chance to "skip" year 9 with the Ignite compacted course, these student can pick any of the following courses if they do not wish to do compacted: Maths accelerated, English accelerated and Broad focus. None of the courses are forced on the students, and they are allowed to pick another course, but the new course cannot be that of the higher ranks.

Programs

As well as the Ignite compacted program, there is also Maths accelerated, English Accelerated and Broad focus, which is similar to the compacted program, except that children in this program do not "skip" year nine.