Challenge and Enrichment

The Student Excellence Program is delivering a range of initiatives to support government schools to provide a great learning environment and build teacher capability to support and extend their high-ability students.

Access to a high-ability practice leader and funding for every government school

Here at Solway Primary School we have appointed Mr Allan Skea as our high-ability practice leader. His role includes:

acting as a point of advice for teacher colleagues in relation to high-ability students
coordinating students to participate in the Victorian High-Ability Program and the Victorian Challenge and Enrichment Series
communicating Solway’s approach to the education of high-ability students within their school community

In addition, every primary and secondary school is receiving funding to expand their support for high-ability students. Schools can use the funding to develop, deliver and coordinate their programs for high-ability students, or undertake professional learning to support this.

Victorian Challenge and Enrichment Series

High-ability students from Prep to Year 12 will benefit from the Victorian Challenge and Enrichment Series, a new series of high-quality, funded extension activities across all areas of the curriculum. Schools can nominate students to participate in activities within the series according to their abilities and interests.

The Department is partnering with more than 20 expert education and not-for-profit organisations, universities, Tech Schools, teacher associations, and science and mathematics specialist centres to deliver activities within the series.

Up to 100,000 government school students will have the opportunity to participate in the series from Term 3, 2020, until Term 4, 2022.

Over the two-and-a-half years of the series (subject to health requirements in place at the time), activities will be held in metropolitan Melbourne and regional areas, and delivered during school hours, after school, on weekends and during school holidays.

All activities will:

be free for participating students
have a minimum duration of 90 minutes and be conducted in groups
be across one or more learning areas of the Victorian curriculum.

Victorian High-Ability Program

The Victorian High-Ability program will provide up to 48,000 high-ability students in Years 5 to 8 at government schools the opportunity to participate in 10-week online extension and enrichment programs, in English and mathematics.

The virtual program, delivered by Virtual School Victoria, will focus on extending and developing students' mathematic and English abilities.

After completing the virtual program, students will participate in a face-to-face masterclass with other high-ability students from schools in their local area. All masterclasses will incorporate the latest COVID-19 advice and risk mitigation strategies to maintain a safe environment for students and staff.

The Department is centrally managing the selection process for the program based on student academic performance. Parents of students selected for the program will be provided with more information about the program by their school.

What are we doing at Solway?

Victoria High Ability Program

We have already had many students selected by the Department of Education to take part in this extension program. Each term the Department of Education selects students to take part based on academic performance. Mr Skea has also successfully applied for places for students whom the school feels would benefit from the program

Victorian Challenge and Enrichment Series

We have had students across Year 3 - 6 participate in Monash Tech School online sessions and PETTA Able Writers Workshops. Solway Primary School is committed to finding challenge and enrichment opportunities to cater for the needs of all students.

We have a 2-day Able Writer Workshop booked in for March for students in Year 1 to Year 6. Further information will be provided to selected students later this term.

Maths Olympiad

Mr Guy will be running this year’s Maths Olympiad for Year 5 and 6 students. The main aims of the program are to:

Introduce students to important mathematical concepts
Teach major strategies and develop flexibility for problem solving
Foster creativity and ingenuity and strengthen intuition
Stimulate enthusiasm and enjoyment of mathematics
Provide for the satisfaction, joy and thrill of meeting challenges

John Monash Science School Program

We are very lucky to have been selected to take part in this year’s John Monash Science School program. The program is delivered by JMSS alumni and passionate mathematics and science students. Sessions are focused on building problem-solving skills and the ability to communicate mathematics and science effectively.

Here are some details about the program:

Programs consist of four fortnightly sessions and take place on Wednesday afternoons at JMSS from 1.30pm–3pm.
JMSS students teaching the program receive training and support and laboratory technicians are present during the workshops.
Support is provided for students to complete their projects and display them at JMSS.
There is an opportunity for primary teachers to observe lessons and engage with JMSS students and teachers regarding the content and processes.