Victorian High-Ability Program
The Victorian High-Ability Program (VHAP) enables high-ability students in Years 5-8, at all Victorian State Schools, to be challenged and extended in a supportive environment.
VHAP consists of ten-week online courses in Mathematics and English for both primary and secondary levels. Students engage in synchronous Webex classes with their teachers. They can also engage with the course material on VSV Online outside of the class time.
VHAP started in Term 4, 2020, as part of the State Government’s $60.2 million investment in the new Student Excellence Program. Due to the success of the program, VHAP has been extended and will now continue through to Term 4, 2025. By the end of 2025, it is expected that 85,000 students will participate in this exciting new challenge and extension program.
The VHAP classroom provides students with the opportunity to:
- explore and express their ideas freely
- make their own decisions about their work
- be inspired and challenged by each other
- gain confidence in their choices and abilities
- feel excited by their learning.
In the VHAP English course, we explore links between reality and fiction by observing the world around us and our journeys into fictional worlds. VHAP English empowers students through cultivating confidence and a willingness to take academic risks.
In the VHAP maths course, students embrace the “why” of maths, not just the “what”. Students and teachers dive into the philosophical implications of mathematical topics.
Project Based Learning
In addition to VHAP, we are offering an additional extension and enrichment program for Years 4 to 6 students this year. The opt-in program involves students learning collaboratively for an hour per week, for a six to ten week period.
Students who were assessed as being 12 months or more above standard in at least one strand of English or Mathematics at the end of last year will be eligible for the program. Students who have not been selected to participate in VHAP recently will be prioritised.
Students will actively participate in real-world and personally meaningful learning experiences. They will collaboratively work with peers to extend their learning and share their high-quality learning projects with peers. They are encouraged to achieve their best and explore areas of interest and/or strength whilst leverage student abilities in cross-curricular projects.