More high-ability students at every government school in Victoria will have support to excel at school and reach their full potential, with more funding for the Andrews Labor Government’s Student Excellence Program.

The Victorian Budget 2022/23 invests an extra $37 million to make sure high-achieving students at every school have access to programs that challenge them to extend themselves – and to boost the capacity of schools and teachers to deliver these extension programs and support every student to achieve their best.

The package includes $11.2 million to expand the Victorian High-Ability Program, supporting up to 57,000 government school students in Years 5 to 8 to participate in intensive online extension and enrichment programs across English and mathematics – opening the program up to an extra 9,000 high-achieving students statewide.

A further $6.4 million will continue the successful Victorian Challenge and Enrichment Series – delivering engaging extension activities and excursions for 100,000 students from Prep to Year 12 who are performing a year or more ahead of the expected curriculum through universities, tech schools and other expert education organisations.

These activities include something for every student’s interests and talents – with programs in subjects as diverse as robotics, biomimicry, food sustainability, screenwriting, nutrition, app creation, philosophy and neuroscience.

The package will also deliver $15.3 million directly to schools to purchase resources, develop new in-school initiatives or continue existing high-ability programs and support every school to have a High-Ability Practice Leader, coordinating programs and identifying and supporting high-achieving students.

The Student Excellence Program was designed to ensure advanced and high-ability students are empowered to reach their full potential by challenging them – making sure they are not at risk of disengaging from their education.

The Labor Government is also supporting students who need extra assistance with their learning through the $480 million Tutor Learning Initiative – giving every child the individual support they need to thrive at school.

On top of the Student Excellence Program, the Government is also delivering the Centre for Higher Education Studies, to open in 2023 – boosting outcomes for high-achieving secondary school students by offering first year university-level courses and select VCE subjects accompanied by an enhancement and enrichment program.

This ‘head start’ will allow Victoria’s most capable students to undertake a study that contributes to their ATAR while gaining university credits that will set them up for the future – with applications for the inaugural intake to CHES to open in the coming months.

Quote attributable to Premier Daniel Andrews

“We’ve built a public school system that works for every student – whether they need more support with their learning, or to be pushed to extend themselves, we’re making sure all Victorian kids achieve their full potential.”