Focus areas
To lift outcomes for all children and young people, we will focus on:
- Expanding quality early learning: Providing more hours of free, quality early learning for all children.
- Excellence in learning: Supporting schools and services to achieve better learning outcomes for children and young people.
- Strengthening safety, wellbeing and engagement: Having the right supports and services in place to enable each child and young person to thrive and be safe from harm.
- Prioritising self-determination, strengthening cultural safety and delivering on Treaty: Improving learning and wellbeing outcomes for First Nations children and young people, supporting community control and choice and supporting Treaty implementation.
- Addressing disadvantage and vulnerability: Enabling children and young people experiencing disadvantage and vulnerability to get the full benefit of education.
- Supporting our teaching and education workforce: Growing and supporting our education and care workforces, addressing their workload and safety, and supporting best practice in teaching.
Foundations
To be successful, our priorities will be:
- Our people: Supporting a strong culture of integrity, inclusion, safety and high performance.
- Strong systems: Ensuring we have the right systems and business processes in place.
- Stewardship: Ensuring our education and early childhood sectors deliver strong outcomes and meet regulatory standards through direct operation of state-owned services and by providing sector-wide support, guidance and oversight.
- Partnerships and engagement: Building strong and effective partnerships across and with our sectors, families and carers.
- Physical and digital infrastructure: Building and partnering to create and maintain contemporary, safe, and sustainable systems and spaces.
- Resilience, mitigation and adaptation to climate change: Doing our bit to address climate change and ensuring continuity of learning in the event of natural disasters and emergency events.
Focus areas (initiatives)
Expanding quality early learning
Providing more hours of free, quality early learning for all children.
Strategic Plan Initiatives
1.1 3-Year-Old Kinder: Continue to roll out kindergarten programs for 3-year-olds across the state, growing to 15 hours by 2029.
1.2 4-Year-Old Kinder: Continue to roll out more hours of 4-Year-Old Kinder, increasing to a universal 30-hours a week program of play-based learning for every 4-year-old child in Victoria.
1.3 New early learning centres: Establish 50 Victorian government-owned and operated early learning centres, in areas of greatest need.
Excellence in learning
Supporting schools and services to achieve better learning outcomes for children and young people.
Strategic Plan Initiatives
2.1 Early years assessment and learning tool: Support teachers and co-educators to embed best practice assessment of children’s strengths, interests and abilities using an online observation-based tool.
2.2 Intensive school support: Deliver intensive and tailored support to schools facing challenging and complex circumstances to ensure there is consistently strong practice across the government school system.
2.3 Lifting student attainment – Excellence in mathematics education: Support the implementation of Victoria’s mathematics position, strengthening mathematics teaching in government schools and improving numeracy outcomes. Implement the Year 1 Numeracy Check Pilot, with participation open to all Victorian government primary schools in 2026, and statewide implementation from 2027.
2.4 Lifting student attainment – Excellence in reading: Support the implementation of Victoria’s reading position, through the Year 1 Phonics Check and Foundation Assessment Literacy suite, strengthening evidence-based reading instruction in government schools and improving literacy outcomes.
2.5 Lifting student attainment – Lesson plans: Develop and implement high-quality, sequenced lesson plans in priority curriculum areas to reduce administrative burden and ease workload pressure for teachers.
2.6 Lifting student attainment – VTLM 2.0: Implement the Victorian Teaching and Learning Model 2.0.
2.7 Lifting student attainment – Small group learning support: Provide small group learning support to students who are behind their age-expected literacy and numeracy standard.
2.8 Lifting student attainment – Student Excellence Program: Support high-ability students.
2.9 New Tech Schools: Complete the construction of 6 new Tech Schools which will provide free, hands-on and immersive science, technology, engineering and maths learning experiences to more than 62,000 secondary school students.
2.10 Senior Secondary Pathways Reform: Continue implementation of the VCE VM and the Victorian Pathways Certificate in Victorian schools, make high-quality VET accessible to all Victorian students, develop pathways for students to engage with emerging industries and a consistent model for the effective delivery of meaningful careers and pathways education in all secondary schools.
2.11 Strengthen student engagement and achievement in early secondary school: Identify opportunities to invigorate Years 7 to 9 to foster early secondary student engagement, wellbeing, and achievement, including by improving access to a range of learning opportunities.
Strengthening safety, wellbeing and engagement
Having the right supports and services in place to enable each child and young person to thrive and be safe from harm.
Strategic Plan Initiatives
3.1 Child safety: Strengthen child safety policy, guidance, training and support for schools and early childhood education and care services, so that children and young people are safe, and staff are equipped to identify and respond to risk or harm.
3.2 Rapid Child Safety Review: Implement relevant recommendations from the Rapid Child Safety Review, to strengthen safety in early childhood education and care settings.
3.3 Kinder participation: Improve kinder participation through strengthened local and statewide strategies, leveraging existing initiatives such as Compact, Early Childhood LOOKOUT, and School Readiness Funding. This will be supported through the establishment of kindergarten attendance data reporting using the new Arrival IT system.
3.4 Student mental health reforms: Following the statewide implementation of the Schools Mental Health Fund and Menu, the Mental Health in Primary Schools program, and the Mental Health Practitioners initiative, work continues to embed these reforms and equip schools to use evidence-based initiatives to better identify and support the mental health and wellbeing needs of their students.
3.5 Disability Inclusion: Following the statewide implementation of the Disability Inclusion reform in schools, work continues to embed the reform to help schools better identify and respond to the needs of students with disability.
3.6 Thriving Kids: Design and implement Thriving Kids for children aged 8 years and under who have developmental delay or autism and low to moderate support needs, and their families. Services will be provided in places where children live, learn and play.
3.7 Engaging students: Strengthen strategic focus on improving school attendance and student engagement with an emphasis on early intervention for at-risk students and connection with programs and support.
3.8 Victorian Early Leaver Connection initiative: Establish the Victorian Early Leaver Connection initiative to identify and support early school leavers to remain engaged in education and training and successfully complete a Year 12 or equivalent qualification. This initiative will provide career advice, additional support and strengthened Year 12 pathways at TAFE, including targeted support for early school leavers who are First Nations students or who have a disability.
3.9 Supporting families with the cost of education: Continue to deliver School Breakfast Clubs, Affordable School Uniforms, Glasses for Kids and free period products, including an expansion of the Glasses for Kids program to more government schools.
3.10 Student behaviour: Strengthen responses and supports for student behaviour so that classrooms and school environments are respectful, safe and engaged for students, school staff and school communities.
Prioritising self-determination, strengthening cultural safety and delivering on Treaty
Improving learning and wellbeing outcomes for First Nations children and young people, supporting community control and choice and supporting Treaty implementation.
Strategic Plan Initiatives
4.1 Cultural safety and inclusion in kinder: Work with VAEAI on new approaches to establishing a culturally safe environment across all services, which value and respect First Nations culture, children and families.
4.2 Roll out more hours of 4-Year-Old Kinder to First Nations children as a priority: From 2026, First Nations children will be eligible for between 16 and 25 hours of 4-Year-Old Kinder per week.
4.3 Marrung: Aboriginal Education Plan 2016–2026: Strengthen cultural safety and responsiveness and ensure equitable access to early childhood and education supports so that First Nations learners achieve their potential, succeed in life and feel strong in their cultural identity.
4.4 New First Nations Education Strategy: Develop and deliver the new First Nations Education Strategy in partnership with VAEAI and community, following the cessation of Marrung: Aboriginal Education Plan 2016–2026 in 2026.
4.5 Dhelk Wukang – Aboriginal Inclusion Plan: Strengthen Aboriginal inclusion, self-determination and cultural safety at all levels within the department and government teaching service.
4.6 Self-determination in education reforms: Strengthen self-determination for First Nations learners and their families through building school capability and practice in partnership with First Nations communities and organisations.
4.7 Aboriginal Employment Plan 2025-2029: Attract and retain new First Nations people to the schools, corporate and early childhood workforces. Continue to work with VAEAI on supporting First Nations people to become early childhood teachers and educators.
4.8 Statewide Treaty implementation: Support implementation of Statewide Treaty commitments, such as the ‘Inclusion of Truth-telling in the Victorian Curriculum’, which will be co-designed between Gellung Warl, VAEAI, the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority and the department.
4.9 Implementation of government response to Yoorrook Justice Commission: Deliver the Victorian Government response to the education (including early childhood education) recommendations of the Yoorrook Justice Commission, in partnership with First Nations communities, organisations, and relevant stakeholders.
4.10 Self-determination in early childhood education: Support and strengthen existing Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations (ACCOs) delivering kindergarten and other childhood services, and help establish more ACCO-delivered services so more First Nations families have this option for their children.
Addressing disadvantage and vulnerability
Enabling children and young people experiencing disadvantage and vulnerability to get the full benefits of education.
Strategic Plan initiatives
5.1 Fighting for students with disability and their families: Provide more support for students with disability and their families, ensuring more students have better access to the services they need.
5.2 Roll out 4-Year-Old Kinder to priority cohorts: Priority cohorts of children will be eligible to receive between 16 and 25 hours of 4-Year-Old Kinder statewide:
- from 2026, children from a refugee or asylum seeker background and children who have had contact with Child Protection
- from 2028, children (or guardians) who have a concession card, and children who are a multiple-birth child.
5.3 Multicultural, multifaith and culturally and linguistically diverse support: Support multicultural and multifaith communities by continuing refugee education support programs, implementing the new anti-racism policy for schools, and continue support for students through the Victorian African Communities Action Plan and place-based partnerships education initiatives.
Supporting our teaching and education workforce
Growing and supporting our education and care workforces, addressing their workload and safety, and supporting best practice in teaching.
Strategic Plan Initiatives
6.1 School workforce supply initiatives: Continue delivering initiatives to attract and retain people in our school education workforce.
6.2 Improving school staff mental health and wellbeing support: Continue to prioritise the wellbeing of our school workforce by implementing initiatives to improve government school staff mental health.
6.3 Reducing administrative and compliance workload: Continue to embed meaningful and sustained administrative and compliance workload reduction for Victorian government schools, in line with the recommendations and findings from the Independent Review into administrative and compliance activities in Victorian government schools.
6.4 Best Start, Best Life workforce strategy: Implement Best Start, Best Life workforce strategy to build workforce supply and support retention of early childhood workforce to deliver high-quality early childhood education.
Foundations (initiatives and key activities)
Our people
Supporting a strong culture of integrity, inclusion, safety and high performance.
Strategic Plan Initiatives
1.1 Victorian Secretaries Board (VSB) Integrity Statement Action Plan: Support a strong culture of integrity by implementing the 2023 VSB Integrity Statement Action Plan through the delivery of work planned as part of the department’s integrity program and our Integrity Statement Action Plan.
1.2 Develop a new workforce diversity and inclusion strategy: Consolidate the range of existing strategies and plans into one, to focus effort and streamline actions for greater impact.
1.3 VSB 2025 Capability Development Statement: Support a learning culture aimed at building capability in priority areas aligned to our Strategic Plan and the Public Sector Values. We will:
- promote and support alignment of craft capabilities (working in government, leadership and management, integrity, and the public sector values)
- implement the mandatory minimum training requirements for executives across the craft capabilities.
Key Activities
1.4 Support departmental Occupational Health and Safety through policies, procedures, encouraging staff consultation, employee wellbeing and support services and reporting systems.
Strong systems
Ensuring we have the right systems and business processes in place.
Strategic Plan Initiatives
2.1 Cyber security and Information and Communications Technology (Securing Connected Learners): Create a safe and secure system-wide digital learning environment for students and schools to achieve a globally engaged and competitive education system.
2.2 Child Link and Kindergarten information systems: Continue operation and workforce support for Child Link, which integrates key information to support individual children’s wellbeing and safety (birth to 18 years). Establish a new kindergarten information system (Arrival) for monitoring kindergarten funding and data collection of enrolment and attendance information.
2.3 Improve information access and records management practices: Implement a strategic Records Management Program consistent with the Records Management Strategy 2024–2028 to improve access to departmental information, support staff to systematically keep high-quality, digital-first records and ensure historic records are safeguarded and preserved.
2.4 Review of the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA): Implement the recommendations of the independent review of the VCAA led by Dr Yehudi Blacher PSM and the observations of the Independent Monitor to ensure that the VCAA can deliver its statutory functions and has the confidence of Victorian students, families and schools.
2.5 Strengthen early childhood law and regulatory policy: Strengthen early childhood education and care National Law and regulatory policy to support quality and child safety across the sector. As host jurisdiction for the National Law, legislate further child safety and regulatory amendments in 2027.
Stewardship
Ensuring our education and early childhood sectors deliver strong outcomes and meet regulatory standards through direct operation of state-owned services and by providing sector-wide support, guidance and oversight.
Strategic Plan initiatives
3.1 Better and Fairer Schools Agreement (BFSA): Finalise negotiations with the Australian Government for a Victorian Bilateral Agreement to the BFSA and collaborate with other Australian governments to deliver agreed national commitments in schooling.
3.2 Preschool Reform Agreement: Finalise negotiations with the Australian Government for a new Preschool Reform Agreement.
Key activities
3.3 Support Best Start, Best Life provision, planning and change management at the sector and local level.
3.4 Strengthen child information sharing and improve service connections in the early years, working with other departments, local governments and partners.
3.5 Deliver agreed National Enabling Initiatives and National Reform Directions under the BFSA to support improvement in Australian schooling outcomes.
Partnerships and engagement
Building strong and effective partnerships across and with our sectors, families and carers.
Key activities
4.1 Continue working closely with local and federal governments on maximising our collaborative impact.
4.2 Continue working closely with the Department of Jobs, Skills, Industry and Regions to improve access to VET Delivered to School Students, for students to participate in quality work-based learning activities with industry. Continue to improve senior secondary certificate implementation including through non-school providers, as part of the Senior Secondary Pathways Reform.
Physical and digital infrastructure
Building and partnering to create and maintain contemporary, safe and sustainable systems and spaces.
Strategic Plan Initiatives
5.1 Department of Education Asset Strategy: Develop and maintain a high-performing asset base by targeting investment and improving processes so assets meet demand, are safe and in good condition, fit-for-purpose and inclusive, environmentally sustainable, and asset managers are accountable and capable across the early childhood and school systems.
5.2 School infrastructure program: Deliver infrastructure to meet demand, including new school construction and associated establishment processes, land acquisition, additional permanent, refurbished and upgraded infrastructure at existing schools and modular classrooms, including building 126 new schools between 2017 and 2029, planning 3 more, and delivering over 2,400 upgrade projects.
5.3 Early childhood infrastructure: Grants and direct delivery to support expansion of places through kindergarten and early learning building projects that support the rollout of 3-Year-Old Kinder and 4-Year-Old Kinder. Building Blocks is also making early learning and kinder buildings, playgrounds and equipment more inclusive for children of all abilities.
5.4 Digital enrolment expansion: Deliver modernised enrolment and student administration services, a portable unique student identity and a single integrated platform for student support.
5.5 Whole-of-Victorian Government (WoVG) data centre exit and transition to cloud-first infrastructure: Migrate the department’s Information and Communications Technology (ICT) infrastructure from the WoVG data centre in East Burwood to secure cloud platforms.
Key activities
5.6 Continue to update Kindergarten Infrastructure and Service Plans with all local governments.
5.7 Partner with local government, non-government schools and not-for-profit providers to deliver new early childhood infrastructure and identify non-government school sites for delivery of kindergartens.
5.8 Undertake analysis to determine where and when new schools should be built, and additional capacity required at established schools.
Resilience, mitigation and adaptation to climate change
Doing our bit to address climate change and ensuring continuity of learning in the event of natural disasters and emergency events.
Strategic Plan Initiatives
6.1 Education and training climate change adaptation action plans: Deliver actions to build resilience to the impacts of extreme weather and climate change on people, services and infrastructure in the education system, and to support skills and careers in Victoria’s clean economy.
6.2 Greener Government Schools Buildings: Install solar power systems in schools to lower the cost of electricity and reduce schools’ carbon footprint.
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