Gifted Assessments in Calgary, AB
Gifted Assessments at Embark Psychology
At Embark Psychology, we are highly experienced in providing gifted assessments in Calgary, AB to help families understand their child’s cognitive strengths and unique learning needs. Our assessments are often used to support applications to Westmount Charter School, the CBE GATE program, or to guide enrichment strategies in a child’s current school.
A gifted assessment offers clarity about how your child learns and where they may need additional challenge or support. Whether you’re applying to a specialized program or simply seeking insight into your child’s abilities, our Calgary-based gifted assessment services provide families with valuable information, clear results, and practical next steps. Below you will find information to guide you from start to finish:
What is Giftedness?
Signs to Look For
What the Assessment Can Do for You
School Entry Requirements
Assessment Process & Cost
Link to Resources
So, what is Giftedness?
Giftedness refers to advanced cognitive abilities that go beyond what’s typical for a child’s age. Gifted children often learn faster, think more deeply, and show exceptional creativity or problem-solving skills. They may also excel in academic subjects. While these strengths can be exciting, they may also come with unique social, emotional, or learning needs—making understanding their unique profile an important step in supporting them.
Gifted students have intellectual abilities (also called an IQ) of at least 130. Only 2.2% of the world falls within this bracket - so being gifted is a true gift (so to speak!). However, Westmount Charter School allows a range, and will accept applications of a child’s IQ at 125 or above.
Signs to Look for
Gifted Children often:
Learn quickly and grasp new ideas easily
Have a strong vocabulary and ask thoughtful questions
Show deep curiosity
Have a strong memory
Think creatively or abstractly
Seek out challenges and prefer complex tasks
Enjoy the company of older children or adults
Set high standards for themselves and may struggle with perfectionism
Not every gifted child shows ALL of these traits, but if many of them sound familiar, an assessment can help clarify if your child is gifted and how to help them thrive!
Does this sound like your child?
Book online to find out!
What an Assessment can Do for You
Uncover hidden strengths: Our cognitive assessment reveal more than just IQ - it provides insight into areas like reasoning, verbal understanding, memory, and processing speed.
Unlock personalized educational paths: With clear results, families and educators can create tailored learning plans. This can include enrichment in their current classroom, acceleration, or applying to specialized programs like Westmount Charter School or the CBE GATE program.
Highlight emotional needs: Gifted children sometimes face perfectionism, social isolation, or emotional challenges. Our evaluation helps families address these alongside academic strengths.
Spot twice-exceptional (2e) profiles: Some children show both exceptional abilities and learning differences. Early identification helps ensure they receive both the support and stimulation they need.
Boost confidence & advocacy: Discovering your child’s cognitive strengths builds their self-esteem and gives you the tools to advocate effectively for their learning needs.
Westmount Charter School
Westmount Charter will only accept WPPSI -IV (ages 2-7), WISC-V (ages 6-16), or Stanford Binet-5 (ages 2-85). The WPPSI and WISC are preferred tests. A full scale intelligence quotient (FSIQ) and general ability index (GAI) must be included in the report.
Application Requirements for Westmount Charter School
A cognitive assessment which shows an IQ (FSIQ or GAI) of 125+ for your child
How Current? The WPPSI-IV assessment must be completed within 1 year of application
How Current? The WISC-V or SB-5 assessments can be completed within the last 3-5 years before application
For more detailed information about admission requirements (beyond the assessment) click here.
CBE GATE Program is available for students in grade 4-12: the WISC-V, SB-5 or Woodcock-Johnson IV are accepted for cognitive tests. The WIAT-III/ WIAT-IV, KTEA-3 or Woodcock Johnson-IV Achievement are accepted for academic tests.
Application Requirements for the GATE Program at CBE
A Cognitive AND academic test are required
The child must have an IQ (FSIQ or GAI) of 130+
How current? The cognitive test must be completed within 3 years of the referral AND completed after the child is 7 years old. If the test was completed before 7 years old, an updated test is required.
How Current? The academic test must be completed with 1 year of the referral.
Applications are done through your child’s CBE school
For more detailed information about admission requirements (beyond the assessment) click here.
GATE Program (CBE)
Westmount Charter Application Deadlines (2026-2027 school year)
For Kindergarten through Grade 4 students, the application deadline for the 2026-2027 school year is November 28 2025 at 9:00am. It is recommended that you schedule your assessment between August and mid-November to ensure the assessment report can be completed prior to the application deadline.
For students entering Grades 5 through 12, the application deadline for the 2026-2027 school year is January 30, 2026 at 4:00pm. It is recommended that you schedule your assessment between October and mid-January to ensure the assessment and report can be completed prior to the application deadline.
Assessment Process: Steps & Cost
Westmount Charter School Application: $1200 (*$720 without report)
CBE GATE Program Application: $1920 (*$720 without report)
Steps Include:
Intake Meeting
We meet with you and your child to learn about their development, learning style, and interests. (~30 minutes)
Testing
Your child completes testing one-to-one with the clinician. We take fun breaks as needed! This can be booked in 1 session (~2 hours) or 2 half sessions (~ 1 hour each)
Academic
ONLY needed for CBE GATE. Academic testing can be booked for GATE applications (~ 2 hours)
Feedback Meeting
We go over results together and explain what it all means. You’ll leave with a clearer picture of your child’s abilities and next steps. (~30 minutes)
Written Report (optional)
You can choose to add a report for schools, program applications or your own records (optional) for $480, which we will deliver within 2 weeks. **If the child does not meet criteria for giftedness, families can opt out of the report as a cost saving option and pay a reduced fee of $720.
Gifted Resources
Click here to be taken to our full page of resources to support gifted learners and their families