More than 5,600 tutors are working across Victorian schools to build connections and support students.
Learning Specialist Daniela Bird
The Tutor Learning Initiative began rolling out across Victorian schools in Term 1 and is designed to support students whose learning has been disrupted because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Every Victorian government school now has at least one tutor on board, with more than 5,600 tutors working to provide extra support for students who need it.
This is 1,450 more than the initial target of 4,100 set for the school year.
Exceeding these targets shows the dedication of educators across Victoria to support student learning and help them succeed in the classroom.
Implementing the Tutor Learning Initiative at Melton West Primary School
As part of the initiative, each school determines how tutoring support is best implemented in their school. Melton West Primary School has a diverse student population with a broad range of nationalities and abilities.
The funding provided to the school for the initiative has allowed them to employ staff to teach the inquiry units of work in every classroom. During this time the classroom teachers are released for three hours per week to work with selected children from their class in small group settings.
Principal Michelle Costa said, ‘the Tutor Learning Initiative funding has enabled us to provide additional time for teachers to respond to intervention as part of our professional learning community.’
Students were chosen to participate in the initiative based on learning data from a range of assessments. The benefits are already noticeable for both students and teachers at the school.
‘The long-term goal is to improve student outcomes, but we are also seeing how it is building teacher capacity,’ Michelle said.
Learning specialist Daniela Bird said, ‘the tutoring program has definitely been beneficial.’
‘Our data indicates that there is quite a bit of movement in relation to students achieving their SMART goals.’
The initiative is also giving students the opportunity to build better connections with their classmates and teachers.
Assistant principal Kathy Cvitkovic said, ‘I’m seeing a real focus on their learning and I’m seeing students interacting a lot more energetically with each other and their teachers.’
‘A student said to me the other day, Mrs CV I’m so grateful that we’re doing this because I can go into my room and really read my words and I can understand the story.’
For more information about how the initiative is making a difference for students and families at Melton West Primary School watch the below video.
Education Week
This year, Education Week celebrates the theme ‘Building Connections’.
It is an opportunity for all primary and secondary schools, higher education, and early childhood services to showcase how they are building connections with the community around them. Education Week will run from 23-29 May.
Find out more
For more information, visit the
Tutor Learning Initiative.