Primary Extension and Challenge (PEAC) is a part time supplementary program for identified gifted students in Years 5 and 6.

Identification of eligible students usually occurs during terms two and three in Year 4.  Since 2009 the testing, marking, scoring and results for all regions have been centrally coordinated, in consultation with Regional Assessment Coordinators.

Student assessment and identification for selection to PEAC involves Regional population testing of Year 4 students using two instruments.

The Test of Learning Ability 4 (TOLA4) is a verbal reasoning test which tests acquired learning. This test is designed to measure language and reasoning abilities, which measure acquired learning.

TOLA 4 has three components:

T1 – verbal comprehension, knowledge and understanding using vocabulary, comprised of 31 items;
T2 – problem solving items of a mathematical kind, comprised of 22 items; and
T3 – verbal reasoning by analogy, comprised of 18 items.
The Standard Progressive Matrices (SPM) is a test of non-verbal reasoning ability. It is pattern-based measuring skills in analysis, interpretation, prediction and sequence identification. This test requires students to see relationships and solve problems of increasing complexity with speed and accuracy.

Raw scores for each test are converted to percentiles using the child’s chronological age at the date of the test.

PEAC is intended for the most able students, and those who are identified as being in the top 2.5% in each / either test are deemed to be suited.