Now a professor at UCLA and winner of Fields Medal, showed an extraordinary gift for numbers from age two. Supported by parents and teachers who recognised his potential, he advanced through high school and university-level maths while still a child. His story shows how flexible learning pathways and supportive environments can help gifted children thrive, not only intellectually but also, as well-rounded individuals. About: Terence Tao, often called the ‘Mozart of Mathematics’, is one of the most accomplished mathematicians in the world and a Professor at UCLA. Early spark: Born in Australia to academically inclined parents, his father a paediatrician and his mother having studied mathematics and physics, Terence displayed exceptional numerical intuition from the age of two, teaching himself to read and showing an early fascination with numbers. Learning beyond the classroom: Recognising that traditional schooling could not match his fast pace of learning in mathematics and physics, his parents collaborated with educators to design a personalised education plan that enabled him to move at a pace that was suited to him for mathematics and physics, while remaining socially connected with peers and progressing with other subjects at the same pace as his peers. Academic journey: By seven, Terence was attending high school maths classes, by nine, he was taking university-level mathematics and physics courses. At just fourteen years old, Terence had joined Flinders University in Adelaide, completing his bachelors and masters degree by seventeen. He went on to earn his PhD in mathematics from Princeton University at 20 and later joined UCLA as a professor. His groundbreaking research on prime numbers and harmonic analysis earned him the Fields Medal, often described as the Nobel Prize of Mathematics. Life and legacy: Despite global recognition, Terence remains humble and grounded. Married to an engineer, he continues to inspire young learners to embrace curiosity and persistence in mathematics. Key insight for guardians: Terence’s journey underscores how early recognition, flexible learning, and support are essential for nurturing gifted children. When curiosity is guided, and not restrained, it can blossom into brilliance.