HIGH-achieving primary school English students across the Goulburn Valley have spent the last 10 weeks extending their writing skills through the Victorian Challenge Enrichment Series (VCES).
The series, introduced last year by the Department of Education, recognises the fact that there are many Government schools with students displaying a high ability in English, as reflected in Naplan data and teachers’ assessments.
More than 20 local students have worked online weekly with a High Ability Practice Leader in charge of the extension program, and have been encouraged to use elements that they have been taught during the sessions, such as dialogue and metaphors, to create a piece of writing.
The ten weeks culminated in an in-person Masterclass at Guthrie Street Primary School last week, which saw many of the students meet face-to-face for the first time.
Guthrie Street Primary School teacher, Claire Ratten, said, “The idea of the program too is to get like-minded children together at the end of the term and share what they’ve done and have some fun experiences.”
“It’s such a great initiative, it’s so nice for them to be recognised,” Ms Ratten said.
“We’re listening to the stories they’ve created and they’re just amazing, they’re very talented. They’ve got a fine art for writing, a lot of them.”
