Whittlesea Primary School is very pleased to have students who have been provided with the opportunity to participate in the Victorian High-Ability Program (VHAP). Selected Year 5 & 6 Students will be able to participate in either Primary Mathematics or Primary English.
This program will focus on tasks that stimulate students’ critical thinking, problem-solving, and creativity – enriching their understanding of English and mathematics. It is important to understand the program will not focus on accelerating students through core Victorian Curriculum content, but rather allow for and facilitate a deeper level of understanding and knowledge application.
It is important that parents and caregivers have an awareness that High-Ability students should also become accustomed to this type of challenge. All students, including those of high ability, need to be reassured that being challenged in this way is an important part of the learning process.
Only students who have been selected by the Department of Education and Training can participate in the program. As part of the selection process, the Department analyses student achievement data to assess student readiness and ability to participate in this program. Selected students will only be offered a place in up to one course each term.
Students will be invited to participate across multiple years if they are deemed eligible. However, students will only be able to participate in Mathematics or English once in primary and once in secondary.
Students will participate in one virtual class per week over 10 weeks. Students will also engage with learning materials using the web-based, Learning Management System, Virtual School Victoria (VSV) Online.
External Teachers who have been specifically trained for this role will run classes each week, engaging students through a range of virtual strategies using Cisco Webex. The teachers will also engage with students via forums, quizzes, and blogs at Virtual School Victoria Online.
Research has shown that highly able students thrive when surrounded by like-minded peers. In the virtual classroom, students will be able to connect with like-minded peers from across Victoria, enabling them to extend each other both academically and personally.
You may refer to the Department of Education’s website page ‘Supporting High-Ability students in the classroom'.
