Gifted Assessments in Calgary, AB
We know how much this matters to your family. Our gifted assessments are completed by psychologists in a comfortable, child-friendly space that is designed to help your child feel relaxed, confident, and ready to do their best.
At Bluebird Psychology, we offer gifted assessments and IQ testing for Westmount Charter School, the CBE GATE Program, or for enrichment in your child’s current school.
Below, you’ll find information on what giftedness is, the signs your child may be gifted, application requirements for Westmount Charter School and the CBE GATE Program, and what you can expect during the gifted testing process.
First, What is Giftedness?
In Alberta, an IQ of at least 130 is generally considered “gifted.”
This means that someone has intellectual abilities that are in the top 2% of their age group. Some schools may classify giftedness according to different criteria. For example, Westmount Charter School accepts giftedness with an IQ or General Ability Index (GAI) of at least 125.
Alberta Education defines giftedness as“exceptional potential and/or performance across a wide range of abilities in one or more areas.”
(Our playroom, located in our waiting room)
Signs Your Child Might Be Gifted
Maybe you’ve noticed your child is outperforming their peers in their developmental milestones. Or, maybe you’ve noticed that they are excelling academically and starting to complain about boredom at school. Here are some of the common signs of giftedness in children:
They have an advanced vocabulary for their age
They demonstrate a desire for perfection
They are able to learn new things quickly and without a lot of repetition
They have a high level of curiosity
There are able to retain a variety of information
They think abstractly, logically, or creatively
They have a preference for being around older children or adults
Learn more about the benefits of a gifted assessment for your child here
Not sure if your child is gifted? Many of the families we see come to us unsure whether their child will qualify - and that's completely okay. Giftedness doesn't always look the way people expect. Some gifted children excel effortlessly at school. Others are bored, disengaged, or even struggling — because their needs aren't being met in a standard classroom.
If something feels different about the way your child thinks, learns, or engages with the world, it's worth a conversation.
Gifted Program Options in Calgary
Calgary offers several pathways for gifted students, and the right fit depends on your child's score, your family's priorities, and what's available in your area. Here's a simple overview of the main options:
CBE GATE Program
The Calgary Board of Education's Gifted and Talented Education program is a dedicated gifted classroom available at select CBE schools for students in Grades 4–12. GATE requires a minimum IQ or GAI score of 130 and a formal assessment of academic skills.
Westmount Charter School
Westmount is Calgary's only dedicated charter school for gifted learners, serving students from Kindergarten through Grade 12 with a full-time gifted program. Westmount accepts a minimum IQ or GAI score of 125 - slightly lower than the GATE threshold - making it an important option for children who are clearly gifted but didn't quite reach the GATE cutoff.
An IPP With Enrichment in Your Child's Current School
If GATE or Westmount isn't the right fit, whether by score, location, or family preference, your child may be eligible for an Individualized Program Plan (IPP) with enrichment supports within their current school. In Alberta, a student with an IQ of 130 or higher is formally identified as gifted and the school is required to provide some form of differentiated programming.
Application Requirements For Gifted Programs in Calgary
Application Requirements For Westmount Charter School
Westmount Charter School assessments are completed at our office in SE Calgary, in Riverbent. We provide the formal IQ testing Westmount requires (Westmount currently accepts an IQ or General Ability Index score of at least 125 to determine giftedness), with reports accepted directly by the school.
A gifted assessment for Westmount Charter School can be completed over one full session, or split over two half sessions. Sometimes younger children, such as those completing the assessment for kindergarten admissions, benefit from breaking up the assessment into shorter sessions.
For more information about admission requirements and the application process for Westmount Charter School, click here.
Fee -$1,200*
*Depending on the results of the assessment, you may opt out of a written report and pay a reduced fee of $720.
Application Requirements for the CBE GATE Program
The GATE Program requires cognitive testing with an IQ or General Ability Index score of at least 130.
The CBE GATE Program also currently require an additional testing session that measures your child’s academic skills.
Applications are currently done internally through your child’s CBE school. Please ensure you have discussed the application process, application requirements, and deadlines with your child’s school prior to booking an assessment.
For more information about the GATE Program, click here.
Fee -$1,920*
*Depending on the results of the assessment, you may opt out of academic testing and a written report and pay a reduced fee of $720.
Our Assessment Process
At Bluebird Psychology, we've kept our assessment process simple so it's easy for families to navigate.
When you arrive, have a seat in our waiting room and feel free to help yourself to juice, water, and light snacks. Your child is also welcome to enjoy our playroom before their session starts.
Appointments begin with a parent intake meeting where we review your child's background and learning history.
Testing follows the intake and is conducted one-on-one with your child and their psychologist. Working individually keeps distractions to a minimum and ensures the assessment follows proper standardization, which means your results are accurate and accepted by CBE and Westmount Charter School. IQ testing typically takes around an hour and a half, though this varies by child. We take as many breaks as your child needs throughout, there's no rushing.
Once testing is complete, everything is scored, and your psychologist walks you through the results together. If you'd like to proceed with a written report, your psychologist will prepare a detailed summary of the results along with specific recommendations for you and your child's school on how to support their unique learning profile.
The application deadline for kindergarten to grade four at Westmount Charter School is November 27th, 2026. while the deadline for grades five to twelve is January 30th, 2027.
We suggest booking your assessment no later than 1-3 months before any deadlines to give yourself comfortable breathing room.
What Happens During a Gifted Assessment Appointment?
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Step 1. Parent Meeting
The appointment starts with a parent meeting to discuss your child’s medical, social, and learning history. Your child is also welcome attend this meeting so that they can share information about their learning strengths and interests.
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Step 2. IQ Testing
Immediately following the parent meeting, IQ testing is completed with your child. Activities in the assessment involve a number of different “brain games” that many children find enjoyable. Testing can be done over one or two sessions.
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Step 3. Results Meeting
Parents are then welcomed back into the office to review results and decide whether to move forward with a report (if applying to Westmount) or with scheduling an academic testing session (if applying to GATE).
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Step 4. Academic Testing
If you are applying to the CBE GATE Program, this second testing session will measure your child’s academic abilities. Academic skills are measured in the areas of reading, writing, mathematics, and oral language.
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Step 5. Written Report
You will receive a written report with recommendations on how you and your child’s school can best support their learning. This report can also be used as part of your child’s application to the GATE program or Westmount.
What is an IQ/Gifted Assessment?
An IQ test is a standardized assessment that measures someone’s cognitive abilities. In Calgary, the Wechsler assessment, like the WPPSI-IV and the WISC-V, are the most common.
These standardized tests are administered and scored in a consistent, predetermined way for all test-takers. It features the same questions and format for everyone and is given under the same conditions (for example, in one-on-one environment, with the same instructions, and the same time limits). It is also scored according to set rules. This allows someone’s score to be compared to those of other, same-age peers. This is important for IQ testing because if we want to measure how well someone reasons and processes information, we need a way to measure these skills against set guidelines.
Why Choose Bluebird Psychology for Your Gifted Assessment?
Families choose our clinic for:
Our specialized expertise and experience in IQ Testing
Our child-friendly office that is complete with a playroom where your child can enjoy playing with toys, flexing their creativity at our art station, or spending some time in our cozy reading nook.
Our flexible scheduling that allows you to choose whether you complete testing over one or two sessions. We also offer appointments during the week and on Saturdays.
Our warm, compassionate and patient psychologists who love working with children and their families!
FAQs
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If you are booking a full gifted assessment, the appointment will take approximately three hours. This includes the intake meeting, testing, and feedback. Alternatively, you may choose to complete the assessment over two half sessions. The first session would include the intake meeting and half of the testing. The second session would include the remainder of the testing and the feedback meeting.
Academic testing appointments are also scheduled for three hours.
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Gifted testing involves the use of standardized measures such as the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence (WPPSI-IV) or the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC-V), depending on your child’s age. Both of these measure IQ.
For children under the age of 4, they also measure:
verbal comprehension
visual-spatial reasoning
and working memory
For children over the age of 4, they measure:
verbal comprehension
visual-spatial reasoning
fluid reasoning
working memory
and processing speed
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Many parents find it helpful to tell their child ahead of time that they will be doing a number of different “brain games” or “puzzles”.
On the day of testing, make sure your child has had a healthy meal beforehand, has had a good sleep, has taken any medication they need, and is wearing any required glasses or hearing aids. Children are also welcome to bring snacks and water to enjoy during breaks in testing.
We also have a playroom that children can enjoy before or after their appointment. Our child-friendly office helps children feel more at ease before testing begins.
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We aim to have reports to parents within two weeks of the testing date. For those parents who have booked an appointment that falls within two weeks of the Westmount Charter School application deadline, rest assured that Bluebird Psychology will provide you with the report in time for the application.
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We recommend waiting until a child is at least 3 years old.
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Gifted children and teens can experience academic difficulties, including learning disorders, or social and behavioural challenges, emotional difficulties, and other learning needs. These children are often referred to as "Twice Exceptional Learners," or "2e Learners."
If you suspect that your child is gifted, but is demonstrating some of the complexities that being gifted can bring, a full psychoeducational assessment may be more appropriate. A psychoeducational assessment includes cognitive testing and can determine whether your child is a gifted learner. It also measures academic abilities and can explore emotional or behavioural concerns and ADHD.
Parents may also choose to start with a gifted assessment and pursue further assessment later on.
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An academic-only assessment costs $1,200. If you currently have a valid cognitive assessment and require additional WIAT-III testing, please book the “Academic Testing” session in the online booking portal.
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Westmount Charter School and the CBE Gate Program both require cognitive testing. The only difference between the two programs is that GATE also requires an academic test. This is a second, separate appointment that measures your child’s reading, writing and math skills.
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Yes! You may choose to share the report with Westmount Charter School and the CBE Gate Program. The report can also be provided to your child’s current (or future) school to access additional enrichment opportunities. Children who are gifted are entitled to additional school support under Alberta Education’s guidelines. Children who are gifted are “coded” and put on something called an Individualized Program Plan or IPP (your school may refer to it as something different). This IPP formalizes their support and may include more challenging academics, special projects, or other unique learning opportunities to meet their needs.
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You can book online using this link.
You can also email our office at office@bluebirdpsychology.ca
Or leave us a message at (587) 288-6884
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A score below 130 doesn't mean your child isn't bright - IQ is one measure of ability, not the whole picture. We'll walk you through what the results mean and point you toward other enrichment options in Calgary if GATE or Westmount isn't the right fit.
Have questions?
We’re here to help!
Email us: office@bluebirdpsychology.ca
Call us: (587) 288-6884Schedule a free 15-minute consultation with one of our psychologists here.
We are located at 277, 200 Rivercrest Dr. SE in Calgary, AB