2024 Victorian Education Excellence Awards finalists

Principal Daniel Riley’s commitment to empowering disadvantaged communities through education has revitalised the educational focus of Dandenong Primary School and fostered unprecedented collaboration among local schools and the community.

Implementing a comprehensive school improvement approach that incorporated leadership coaching and targeted professional development, Daniel has strengthened the staff’s sense of purpose, capacity, and community commitment, as evidenced by parent, staff, and student surveys and much-improved student outcomes.

Extending a culture of openness and shared learning at the school, Daniel is also fostering inclusivity in the diverse local community. Creating new methods of engagement and inclusion, he has initiated the distribution of multi-language weekly newsletters, established a community space for the Afghan Women’s Organisation Victoria and created award-winning community hub and childcare programs, all involving alumni and local volunteer groups.

As the current Chair of the Dandenong Principal Network, his dedication to leading improvement through inclusivity is inspiring others to lead and to collaborate with the community.

Over the last 5 years, Principal Jacquie Burrows has led the building of an exemplary instructional culture at Churchill Primary School, guided by the strong belief that all children can learn.

A passionate and influential spokesperson for the use of evidence-based approaches to both learning and wellbeing, Jacquie’s culture of high expectations is supporting strong wellbeing practices and positive student outcomes.

Jacquie’s comprehensive improvement approach has been to introduce and sustain consistent instructional practices at the school, which supports a low socioeconomic community. The significant improvements in both students’ learning and wellbeing resulting from her leadership have been recognised Australia-wide and are evidenced by strong NAPLAN results.

Jacquie is the Deputy Chair of the Latrobe Valley Principals Network and led the planning and facilitation of the Latrobe Valley Inclusive Practices Conference in 2023, which supported the capacity building of 350 of her principal and teaching colleagues across the Inner Gippsland Area.

The progressive vision and leadership of Principal Paul Kenna has transformed Belle Vue Park Primary School into an inclusive, multicultural community achieving positive outcomes for students and families.

Supporting a high equity community the school established their 'Community Hub' in 2014 to address school readiness and needs within the community. The school now offers a unique birth to Year 6 model. Transformational supports/services for families and students include Maternal Child Health nurses, kindergarten programs, playgroups, adult English classes and free counselling services for students and parents.

Under construction is ‘KidsZone’ Inclusion/Wellbeing centre supporting neuro-diverse students, community outreach and other programs. Paul’s advocacy of evidence-based research, trauma-informed practice, and restorative conversations is ensuring students are supported, feel valued and inspired to succeed. Building strong, collaborative relationships produces consistently high staff, student and parent opinion surveys in the 90th percentile indicating an excellent culture. Student achievement data shows strong growth.

Principal Brett Moore has not only shaped and led powerful school-level improvement at Ashwood High School but is also a genuine system leader who sees the bigger picture of educational improvement at scale.

Since coming to the school in 2015, Brett’s value-driven leadership has steered Ashwood High School to become a school of ‘influence’ in student achievement, based on both NAPLAN and VCE results.

Brett’s leadership of evidence-based improvement in teaching and learning is reflected in the school’s exceptional student outcomes data, with significant improvements in enrolments, engagement, achievement, and wellbeing. In 2023, Ashwood High School was ranked the number 1 local-entry high school in Victoria for university pathways.

Brett’s commitment to learning, research and inquiry in educational leadership is exemplified by his work with Monash University. In strengthening the capacity of schools, leaders, and teachers to access and apply research and evidence-based processes, he is building more productive, collaborative, and successful school communities.

Principal Patrick Mulcahy has established a culture of professionalism at Carwatha College through his leadership of collaborative whole-school improvement that has student wellbeing and cultural inclusion at its heart.

Patrick’s prioritisation of student wellbeing in the restructure of the College has improved attendance data and enrolment, funded additional support staff, and increased funding for students with disabilities.

Initiatives such as the 'Carwatha Mob' and the International Students Program are testament to his dedication to fostering inclusion and academic excellence, resulting in greater cultural understanding within the school community. Forging meaningful partnerships with community stakeholders, Patrick has generated new opportunities for students’ growth and development, both inside and outside the classroom.

Patrick’s strategic vision and commitment to collaborative professional development has empowered staff to excel, resulting in remarkable growth in student achievement as evidenced by increases in the school’s Victorian Certificate of Education median study scores and NAPLAN performance, surpassing both state and network averages.

The leadership of Principal Lisa Holt has transformed the school that is now Rosebud Secondary College. Demonstrating exceptional leadership qualities, Lisa’s commitment to fostering positive change within the educational system is delivering an inclusive education for all students and their families.

​Lisa's principled, student-centred focus has shaped the college as a place where highly inclusive practices are flexibly meeting each students’ needs. Dedicated to providing well-supported learning for young people, her leadership has substantially increased access to the opportunities and resources students need to fully embrace, and succeed, in their education.

Fostering many partnerships between the school and community, her leadership has greatly enhanced academic outcomes and wellbeing at the college. Determined that the young people of the Southern Peninsula will learn in a modern environment that reflects their future learning and work environments, Lisa has also overseen a significant investment in the college’s facilities, and in the future of her community.

Sally Colverson’s commitment to creating innovative learning environments extends beyond her engaging classroom to include the entire community of Seville Primary School.

Committed to ensuring best practice and excellence in her teaching, Sally applies different instructional teaching methods, including project-based learning and inquiry-based activities, that successfully engage all students in an active, student-centred process of learning that has greatly increased their personal and academic growth.

Instrumental in implementing several key initiatives at the school, including the development of a comprehensive literacy program and the integration of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) activities into the curriculum, Sally has enriched the learning experiences of her students and set a benchmark for innovation and excellence within the school community.

Sally’s outstanding ability to lead and manage improvement and innovation that is inclusive, forward-thinking and collaborative, has encouraged her colleagues in their professional growth and inspired a culture of continuous improvement at the school.

Art teacher Felicity’s transformative approach to enhancing student learning and wellbeing is encouraging children’s creativity and reflective thinking while developing students’ understanding of different cultures and viewpoints.

Integrating art with literacy, storytelling and other cross-disciplinary activities, Felicity actively fosters connections across classrooms and subjects.

Embracing events like Chinese New Year and creating Acknowledgement of Country posters, Felicity ensures that her lessons are culturally responsive, and resonate with students’ diverse backgrounds. Using works from artists across cultures and throughout history, she encourages students to explore and broaden their understanding of the many perspectives of art making.

Felicity takes a leading role in creating school-wide events which involve the community, such as the biennial art show at the Brunswick South West Primary School. She creates opportunities for her students to work together to critically evaluate and celebrate their own work, to identify areas for improvement, and to set meaningful goals for their personal development.

Danielle Henderson’s commitment to improving the wellbeing of students at Seville Primary School began in her classroom, and now focuses the entire school community.

Creating a vibrant and inclusive classroom culture to support children’s mental health and emotional resilience, Danielle’s teaching methods are firmly rooted in evidence-based practices and her implementation of differentiated instruction and personalised learning plans have resulted in outstanding improvements in student achievement across all year levels.

In her role as Student Wellbeing Leader, Danielle has led a collective effort to increase students’ wellness, presence, and success at the school. Instrumental in the introduction of a Positive Behaviour Support model, she led the implementation of attendance tracking systems and engagement programs that have resulted in consistent improvement in students’ attendance and participation in learning.

Recently completing the Graduate Certificate in Education (Learning Difficulties), Danielle is further informing her commitment to improving the wellbeing and academic success of every student at the school.

On taking up her position as Literacy Leader at the College in 2021, Wendy began an extended period of research and diagnosis to better understand the literacy challenges faced by students.

Applying the Framework for Improving Student Outcomes cycle, she implemented key literacy initiatives to address deficits in students' reading, spelling, and comprehension skills. Establishing partnerships with local primary schools, education support staff, and her peers, she built a culture of collective ownership of student learning that is successfully improving the college’s literacy levels.

Ensuring all members of the student population are supported to improve their literacy skills and can access opportunities for success, Wendy supports students with disabilities and works with vulnerable parents and students with compassion and integrity to improve literacy at every level of learning.

Wendy’s dedication to inclusive, system-wide literacy improvement is having a profound impact on the college’s learning environment and ensuring much-improved literacy outcomes for students and teachers.

Subject leader, mentor, and educator Lianna Beeching’s contribution to secondary education at Preston High School has been inspiring and generous.

Revolutionising student learning through data-driven practices, differentiated instruction, and the skilled use of rubrics, Lianna is leading her peers and the network in the system-wide development of learning and teaching in Maths.

Creating a culture of shared learning and innovation through collaboration, professional development, and community engagement, she is elevating teaching quality at her own school and in many schools across Victoria.

Lianna’s promotion of excellence in the practice of Mathematics has also found voice and impact in presentations at the Mathematical Association of Victoria and within the online community of Mathspace, including over 300 participants across the country.

Lianna’s system-wide sharing of her practices and her provision of coaching and ongoing support has influenced and inspired change at a broader level and is testament to her great capacity to lead innovation through education.

A Learning Specialist at Suzanne Cory High School, Chloe Cook has demonstrated exceptional dedication and innovation in fostering student learning and wellbeing at the school.

Understanding the correlation between positive relationships and improved learning outcomes, Chloe is successfully creating learning environments where every student feels valued and supported.

Chloe's teaching excellence is evident in her differentiated instructional approach, innovative assessment methods, and her leadership of curriculum development. Her proactive adoption of high-impact wellbeing strategies, informed by data and research, ensures her focus on student wellbeing results in sustained improvement in both students’ academic and wellbeing outcomes.

​Chloe's commitment to community engagement, such as the Outreach Program for high-ability students from diverse backgrounds, is testament to her inclusive teaching approach. Her collaborative approach in coaching her peers, developing school-wide initiatives, and engaging with the community, ensures that the inclusion of all voices is informing a culture of continuous and collaborative whole-school improvement.

Within two years of arriving at Cranbourne Primary School, Amelia Green is achieving outstanding learning and wellbeing outcomes for her students and inspiring an entire school community.

Cranbourne Primary School serves a diverse, lower-income community and has a higher proportion of both Koorie students and culturally and linguistically diverse students, including non-English speaking children and students with ongoing experiences of trauma.

Amelia has made her diverse classroom a culturally relevant, safe, and supportive place where all children can improve their learning and develop competency in literacy, speaking, reading, and listening.

Applying current educational research around phonics instruction and using data-informed screening and benchmarking, she has worked hard with her Professional Learning Community to evaluate the effectiveness of her methods: Amelia has consistently achieved the highest performing student reading scores in the school.

Amelia’s teaching and classes are the gold standard that are inspiring other effective approaches to improving inclusion, literacy, and wellbeing across the school.

Early career teacher Ebony Peters’ dedication to student-centred learning, wellbeing and inclusion is creating a positive cultural change at Bourchier Street Primary School.

Ebony's ability to implement effective and sustainable improvement plans and initiatives, grounded in research and modelled on best practice, is centred on students and inclusive of staff, and is made evident in the school’s growing culture of wellbeing and inclusion.

Whether initiating a student-run podcast, implementing a new restorative practices policy, or leading a much-valued staff wellbeing initiative, Ebony is fostering a more resilient and understanding school culture by ensuring that the school remains responsive to the evolving needs of its community.

Ebony's positive and purposeful relationships with students, peers, parents, and the broader community, along with her dedicated engagement to developing inclusive and culturally responsive policies, practices, and plans for the school, are building a strong foundation for the school’s continued success and ongoing improvement.

Since arriving at Werribee Primary School in 2022, Monique Camilleri’s genuinely inclusive classroom teaching is ensuring every individual student feels valued and able to succeed.

Adapting curriculum materials to challenge students at their point of need, Monique expertly manages her diverse classroom by creating flexible groupings of students and giving regular formative and summative assessments to support cooperative learning, differentiated instruction, and the provision of timely feedback.

Monique's great capacity for communication with students and their parents builds her understanding of student’s strengths, interests, and motivations. Able then to determine a student’s specific needs and aspirations, she tailors her instruction to help them progress towards their individual learning goals.

Diligent in developing her knowledge and understanding of inclusion in the classroom, Monique is leading her peers in implementing initiatives that can determine the strengths, functional needs, and educational adjustments necessary to best support disability inclusion and wellbeing in every classroom.

Alison Fiddes’ work to embed new instructional practice and evidence-based improvement is already shaping a more student-centred teaching approach at Hampton Park Secondary College.

Creating an inclusive and collaborative classroom culture where students work together, respect their diverse perspectives, and celebrate each other's achievements, Alison’s use of differentiated instruction and educational adjustments are ensuring the engagement of all students in learning.

Alison’s commitment to educational excellence and her ability to positively impact student learning outcomes is supported by her application of data to renew and develop teaching practice and programs. Playing a key role in developing developmental rubrics at the college, Alison’s innovative and measured approach has provided clear, actionable direction for student improvement.

Pivotal in writing and implementing the first year of the Victorian Pathways Certificate at the college, Alison's creativity and skill in developing curriculum has engaged some of the college’s most vulnerable students in education and created pathways to support their success.

In just over a year, Head of Humanities and English and Humanities Teacher, Anthony has greatly increased student agency in all of his classes while making an important contribution to learning and teaching development at Richmond High School.

As Year 7 English Subject Leader in 2023, Anthony led the development of a new unit of work that aimed to promote student agency, directly addressing low levels of connectedness to learning reported by Year 7 students in school-wide attitudinal surveys.

Anthony is passionate about fusing student agency with formative assessment techniques to promote academic, social, and emotional growth among his students. Strongly emphasising the use of exemplar models, scaffolding, step-by-step instruction, and regular formative assessment and feedback, he has significantly improved his students’ connectedness to learning.

An active contributor to the development of a school-wide instructional model, Anthony has led professional learning through facilitating model classrooms, and sharing practice on how to best embed the new instructional model.

New teacher Michelle Magalona’s leadership in implementing evidence-based improvement is extending beyond her classroom at Suzanne Cory High School. Actively leading innovation and change initiatives within the school community, she is already improving the quality of education at the school.

Encouraging student voice and agency is at the core of Michelle's teaching philosophy. In her Year 10 Robotics class, she implemented a student-identified assessment that integrated Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). This project-based approach not only increased student engagement but provided a means for high-ability students to access differentiated learning opportunities. Involving students in the design of curriculum and assessment, Michelle fosters students’ ownership of learning which in turn, improves their outcomes.

Recognising the importance of staying ahead of curriculum changes, such as the introduction of AI and GitHub version control in the upcoming Victorian Certificate of Education’s Applied Computing Study Design, Michelle is ensuring the school is well-prepared to address emerging educational trends.

As the new Business Manager at Ringwood Secondary College, Juan Hompart has brought significant financial expertise and school management experience to his role. His outstanding contribution, in a very short time, has won the respect and cooperation of the entire college community.

An integral member of the college's School Improvement Team, Juan oversees all financial and administrative aspects of the college, including the Ringwood Training Facility, the college’s on-campus vocational training organisation.

Ensuring all staff and processes are focused on improving students’ experience, outcomes, and success, Juan has streamlined all aspects of the college’s financial and administration management. He has eased parents’ ability to make financial transactions, developed domain leaders’ financial capability, and invested in non-teaching staff, providing professional learning and networking opportunities for Education Support staff and administrators.

Juan’s ability to maximise funding and improve financial literacy and administrative process is ensuring Ringwood Secondary College’s growth towards a successful future.

Lee Nolan’s commitment to fostering teamwork and collaboration at Seville Primary School, and her dedication to developing staffs’ financial literacy and confidence, has significantly contributed to the improved quality of the school’s resources and educational provision.

Lee’s meticulous oversight has ensured that school resources are utilised efficiently and effectively, but also strategically; her careful prioritisation of funding has resulted in significant savings for the school, which have been redirected to enhance student learning and wellbeing programs.

Greatly enhancing teamwork within the school’s Educational Support team and teaching staff, Lee has developed individual financial competence and fostered a collaborative culture of continuous learning and improvement. Through one-on-one mentoring and workshops Lee ensures that every staff member can confidently navigate the financial aspects of their roles.

Treasurer of the Yarra Ranges Business Managers Group, Lee is well-respected across the network for her ethical and inclusive approach to fostering a culture of continuous learning and improvement in schools.

Since arriving at Thornbury Primary School two years ago, Shirley Brown has proved herself to be an exemplary business manager, demonstrating a great capacity for ethical leadership through her management of the financial and administrative operations of the school.

Shirley’s practical and inclusive approach to implementing systems, process and procedures has improved communication across the school. Actively engaging with the school community, her respect for others has fostered a climate of transparency and trust.

Turning deficits into surplus without significantly impacting programs, Shirley has applied her financial acumen and experience in ways that have ensured the school's success. ​ Her strong financial management skills have clarified and refined budgets and created tangible improvements, including the upgrading of the school's aging technology resources.

Shirley's commitment to developing herself and others is demonstrated through her completion of a Graduate Certificate in Education Business Leadership, her involvement in professional networks, and in her dedicated support for colleagues' professional growth.

Mackellar Primary School’s IDEAS School Management Team (ISMT) implemented a whole-school improvement framework that has resulted in profound improvement in the school’s learning, teaching, and wellness outcomes.

All staff were involved in an evaluation that involved parents, teachers, and students, and together they created an optimistic blueprint for improvement. All staff were acknowledged as leaders in the process of the school’s reform through the deliberate setting-up of opportunities that distributed responsibility for creating positive cultural change at the school.

Establishing a strong collaborative culture of professional development and collegiality, the ISMT engaged staff through workshops and professional conversations to develop a comprehensive Learning and Teaching Plan that has revitalised the school’s culture.

The establishment of a School Wide Positive Behaviour Support (SWPBS) model has embedded Rights, Resilience and Respectful Relationships learning and genuinely fostered the crucial link between learning and wellbeing: in 2023 the school achieved a Gold Award for its SWPBS implementation.

Recently named as one of the top performing primary schools in Victoria in the 2023 Better Schools analysis, Mount Waverly Primary School has been transformed through a process of collaborative whole-school improvement that prioritised professional learning for its staff.

Forming the Principal Class Team in 2021, the school led a process of renewal based on evidence-informed decision making and a strong commitment to improving students’ learning experience and outcomes through collaborative process.

The team’s effective implementation of the school’s instructional model fostered a shared understanding of high-quality teaching practices and improved staffs’ understanding of students’ cultural diversity and learning needs. The initiation of whole-school professional learning and peer support mechanisms built collective instructional leadership capacity and energised the school with professional conversations about learning.

Recent NAPLAN data has shown a consistent upward increase, indicating the school is exceeding expectations in all areas, and most importantly, demonstrating significantly improved student achievement and progress.

The Mitchell and Murrindindi Network Wellbeing Community of Practice (CoP) is a collaborative platform for school leaders in the Goulburn Area that is positively impacting the learning and wellbeing of over 6,000 students in primary, secondary and inclusion settings across the North Eastern Region.

In the fastest growing municipality in Victoria, with high rates of disadvantage, family violence, limited infrastructure and service provision, the CoP was established to bring together Principal Class, Middle Leaders, Education Support, Area Managers and Health, Wellbeing, and Inclusion Workforces to focus on four key pillars of improvement: Wellbeing Walks and Talks; Attendance; Disability Inclusion implementation; and Building Leaders.

Hosted by the network Senior Education Improvement Leader, they have collectively implemented School-Wide Positive Behaviour Support programs in the majority of schools, substantially improved student attendance rates, increased engagement, reduced absenteeism, enhanced NAPLAN results, and significantly reduced the variability of performance within and between schools in the Area.

Comprised of dedicated counsellors, mental health practitioners, psychologists, family therapists, and youth workers, the Student Wellbeing Team at McKinnon Secondary College operates with outstanding professionalism to deliver programs and services that support improvement in staff and students’ wellbeing.

Dedicated to fostering a supportive, responsive, and inclusive environment, the team managed 415 student referrals in 2023. Responding to critical incidents as they occur is balanced by pro-active engagement with staff, students, parents, and community services to ensure wellbeing programs are meeting students’ needs.

Initiatives such as the Wellbeing Staff Advisory Group, Student-Led Wellbeing Focus Groups, and the school-wide wellbeing survey have empowered students and community members to actively shape wellbeing initiatives at the college.

The team exemplify the highest standards of professionalism, applying evidence-based practices with creativity, compassion, and skill. Their collective expertise, coupled with a genuine passion for nurturing students' growth and potential, make them a formidable and effective force for wellbeing at the college.

Hampton Park Secondary College’s Wellbeing Team has increased student wellbeing by focusing their collective expertise on building engagement and a culturally safe community.

Over 5 years, the team has grown to include a diverse range of professionals that have increased student engagement with wellbeing services from 3% to 24%. Situated in a socioeconomically challenged area, the team has fostered an open-door environment with no barriers to disadvantage.

Working to remove the deep cultural stigma regarding mental illness and help-seeking, the Wellbeing Team educate, encourage, and support students to access appropriate care and services.

Establishing initiatives such as ‘Parent Connect’, ‘Doctor's in secondary schools’, and the student-led ‘Mindfulness Club’, the team has brought together multiple initiatives and partner providers in a college ‘community hub’ of wellbeing services.

The team’s purpose-built wellness centre is connecting with young people and ensuring safe, streamlined, on-site services where adolescents and families can access the wellbeing support they need.

Pese Mai (Samoan for ‘sing out’) is a performance-based engagement initiative for Pasifika youth in Victorian government schools, focusing on celebrating Pacific cultures through contemporary performance.

Led by the exceptional Pese Mai team at Cranbourne West Secondary College and developed in partnership with the Victorian State Schools Spectacular, the program involves students working collaboratively to design and rehearse a performance, culminating in their feature as an independent performing group in the Victorian State Schools Spectacular each year.

The Pese Mai initiative offers students numerous opportunities to celebrate Pasifika culture through large-scale performances, including participation in the 2023 Moomba Festival and the City of Melbourne’s Choirs at Christmas series at Federation Square.

Pasifika students’ involvement in Pese Mai is fostering deeper connections between the college and students across Victoria, and between the college and Pasifika families. Increased levels of cultural pride, wellbeing, and student engagement with the college are improving students’ academic outcomes.

Barton Primary School’s exemplary approach to inclusive education is improving the engagement, support, and education for refugee, asylum-seeking and newly-arrived migrant children attending the school.

Prioritising initiatives that engage families and children of different cultural backgrounds and languages in education, the school is embedding inclusive practice by employing a team of multilingual, multi-skilled education support staff, investing in teachers’ professional learning and wellbeing, and ensuring a strong emphasis on parent and community involvement.

Pioneering the introduction of a highly-skilled, trauma-informed, multilingual Youth Work team, the school is engaging the most disadvantaged and vulnerable students in learning and supporting local schools to implement similar initiatives.

Establishing clear inclusion and wellbeing guidelines and a referral process has supported teachers’ growing expertise in culturally inclusive practices, and initiating support and access in the community for families has increased the capacity of the school to achieve improved academic, social, and emotional outcomes for all its students.

Docklands Primary School has implemented multiple evidence-based frameworks that are supporting the creation of a highly-effective and inclusive learning environment.

Implementing Multitiered Systems of Support to create effective instructional and behaviour support for students, staff are collaboratively evaluating academic and social data to inform when to increase supports to individual students in the form of evidence-based interventions.

The school’s staff represent a highly competent group of values-driven teachers and leaders working effectively within a supportive and high-performing structure to improve outcomes for their students. Their instructional coaching processes, playbooks, and systems of teacher support, provide teachers with the knowledge, skill, and professional learning they require to meet students’ academic and wellbeing needs.

The impact of their work is evident in the school’s most recent academic outcomes data and Attitudes to School Survey, with all students making significant progress in their academic achievement and wellbeing, and in their positive perception of the school.

Students at Waratah Special Developmental School have moderate to severe intellectual disability, and most students are non-verbal. Many students have a secondary diagnosis, including Autism, communication disorders, degenerative disorders, or sensory conditions.

The school's vision of 'independence for every student, every day, everywhere' guides the school in supporting every student to have an effective communication system and to learn appropriate social skills that help them to participate in community life with positive self-esteem. Individual student goals in each of these areas are prioritised by families and staff.

Targeted teaching of skills, and the collection of information about student progress has been important in demonstrating how students are progressing. Working with a mainstream school software provider, the school has created a tracking program that meets the needs of students with significant disabilities.

In 2023, 75% of students achieved their communication goals, 70% of students achieved their independence goals, and most rewarding of all, 89% of students achieved their social goals.

The development of a Narragunnawali School Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) signifies Bandiana Primary School's formal and enduring commitment to reconciliation.

Serving as a comprehensive framework guiding actions and strategies for reconciliation in all facets of school life, regular reviews of the school’s RAP ensure that reconciliation remains at the forefront of the school's agenda and drives ongoing progress and improvement.

In embracing the vision outlined in the Marrung: Aboriginal Education Plan 2016-2026, the school has adopted a collaborative approach dedicated to integrating Koorie perspectives.

The school’s strong connection with the local Wiradjuri community has captivated students' interest and deepened their understanding of Aboriginal cultures and histories. The relationship has nourished the curriculum with storytelling, traditional knowledge systems, and experiential learning opportunities, and the Koorie community’s participation in events such as the Reconciliation Assembly, Koorie Day and Koorie Dance Troupe performances, ensure the school’s authentic and ongoing commitment to reconciliation.

The Cardinia Network Marrung Steering Committee’s (CNMSC) commitment to improving Aboriginal education has greatly improved inclusive teaching practices across Cardinia’s school network and resulted in enhanced wellbeing and educational outcomes for all Koorie students in the shire.

The CNMSC is made up of a dedicated group of school leaders representing Cardinia’s network of 26 schools. Working together in a Community of Practice to support and drive the Marrung Aboriginal Education Plan 2016 – 2026, their outstanding ability to co-build capacity across Cardinia’s school network has created a more connected, safe, and inclusive environment for Koorie children and their families.

The CNMSC builds stronger connections between Koorie communities and schools and integrates Aboriginal cultural activities and perspectives into schools, informed by the voices of Koorie students and parents. They have achieved profound change in the Cardinia region, evidenced by Koorie students’ improved attendance, academic achievement, and engagement in school events and cultural activities.

Western Heights College embrace of the vision of the Marrung Aboriginal Education Plan is celebrating the culture, knowledge, and experiences of First Nations Peoples in new ways.

In 2023, committed to creating and maintaining a school environment that empowers Koorie students to feel valued, respected and culturally strong, members of the executive team at the college participated in the Murri Matters Training program. Inspired to adopt the ‘Engoorie’ principles of development to evolve and strengthen Indigenous culture and engagement at the college, they have since initiated many positive developments in support of their Koorie students’ learning.

Initiatives include the redefining of the School Wide Positive Behaviour Support model with a more culturally sensitive lens, a new collaboration with the Koorie Education Workforce, Jobs, Skills, and Pathways team, the co-creation of Career Action Plans for all Koorie students, and a new First Nations traineeship program to mentor Koorie students at the school.

The School Improvement Team at Knox Park Primary School understand that their high-ability students’ wellbeing is integral to their students’ achievement of academic excellence.

Wellbeing is at the forefront of Knox Park Primary School’s education model, underpinning the school’s approach to promoting student voice, agency, and leadership. Activities that build opportunities for higher level learning are supported by clubs, events, and competitions where students’ achievements in diverse domains of high ability are celebrated and shared.

Initiatives like ‘Leadership Sprints’, focus on developing differentiation and different high-ability growth opportunities in portfolios like Numeracy, Literacy, Wellbeing/Inquiry and Student Voice. STEM Specialist teachers are increasing student engagement, especially among 'twice-exceptional students', and the appointment of a High-Ability Leader is developing the school’s capacity to identify and support the diversity of their high-ability learners.

Acknowledged with a Gold accreditation for their School-Wide Positive Behaviour Support model, the school is demonstrating that high-ability, excellence, and wellbeing are not only restricted to academic and sporting domains.

Preston High School's commitment to encouraging staged learner growth is ensuring all students, including high-ability learners, have the opportunity to excel.

The school’s Learning and Teaching Team lead a collaborative process of curriculum design and development that is enabling all students to access increasingly challenging content as they need it, extending high-ability students’ understanding of that content through its application.

Delivering targeted support to their students, the team has initiated ​community engagement and partnerships with other schools and universities to enrich their high-ability students’ educational experience and provide further professional learning opportunities and engagement.

In 2023, Preston High School developed the Preston High Institute to offer professional learning for schools and teachers. Partnering with the University of Melbourne, the school’s Learning and Teaching Team has led the use of developmental rubrics to better facilitate the tracking of student progress, to identify areas for individual improvement and provide targeted growth opportunities for high-ability learners.

The Bandiana Primary School Inclusion team understands that with almost half of Victorians being born overseas or having a parent born overseas, a multicultural and inclusive environment is essential to student success.

Students develop a holistic understanding of the interconnectedness of world cultures through multicultural events and programs and make connections with other countries through sports and international projects. Engaging with a curriculum that reflects the school’s cultural diversity, students explore the impact of colonialism and study diverse societies, and literature from different cultural contexts is offered in English language classes. Multicultural events celebrate this cultural diversity, exposing students to different languages, customs, and ways of life.

Bandiana Primary School’s inclusive leadership is recognised internationally for global learning and engagement, for sustaining successful international collaborations, and empowering educators and students to become active global citizens.

The school’s exemplary commitment to global learning is ensuring students are immersed in an educational ecosystem that champions inclusivity and cultural understanding.

The Japanese Immersion Team at Glen Eira College strongly believe that embedding language in a defined context is crucial for language acquisition. The team’s unique immersion program implements Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) to teach science through Japanese, using content relevant to the Victorian Curriculum.

Students explore a range of science topics through the lens of Japanese language and culture to provide new perspectives and challenges to learning. Drawing comparisons to their own languages and cultures, students reflect on how their ideas and values are shaped by their cultural backgrounds.

Networking with other CLIL practitioners in a University of Melbourne project titled ‘Integrating Indigenous Australian Knowledge and Japanese Language Learning’, the team and their students have developed resources to embed Indigenous ways of knowing into their curriculum.

The Japanese Immersion Science Program is empowering students to challenge the monolingual mindset and apply their learning in ways that enrich content with globally relevant language and understanding.

Heathmont College’s ‘Deepening Engagement with Indonesia and Asia’ team’s sustained commitment to fostering an inclusive Australia and Asia-Pacific region is ensuring students and staff have the knowledge, skills, and intercultural understanding they need to contribute to a globally connected world.

Working to strengthen global competency at the college, they are developing students’ language skills and increasing Heathmont College’s community engagement with Asia. Organising student tours to Indonesia and Malaysia and facilitating international student projects with overseas partner schools, they have integrated international engagement into the curriculum and ensured students’ experience of global connection.

Indonesian language teacher Prema Devathas has led the team’s building of intercultural awareness at the college through the mentorship of new language teachers and the initiation of multiple opportunities for teachers’ cultural exchange and learning. As a dedicated participant in many global youth educational projects initiated by organisations such as the Asia Education Foundation, Prema’s active contribution to the education of young people is ensuring their ability to succeed as global citizens.