Student Excellence
At Karoo Primary School, we are committed to nurturing student excellence and providing rich opportunities for all learners to thrive. Through targeted programs, extension opportunities, and a strong focus on critical and creative thinking, we empower our high ability students to explore their potential and develop a lifelong love of learning. Below is a lost of programs currently supporting high abilities at Karoo.
Maths Talent Quest
We’re excited to share that we will once again be participating in the Maths Talent Quest (MTQ), run by the Mathematical Association of Victoria.
This week, a call went out to all passionate maths enthusiasts in Years 3 to 6, inviting them to take part in the 2025 MTQ. Students can choose to enter individually or in small groups. Your child may have brought home some ideas to help them start thinking about possible investigation topics.
If there is strong interest and we receive a large number of entries, all students will still be supported to develop their investigations. However, please note that there is a limit to the number of official entries we can submit: up to six per category per year level (e.g. six Year 3 individual entries, six Year 3 group entries, and so on). If needed, a school-based panel of teachers will shortlist projects to determine which will be submitted to the Mathematical Association of Victoria.
Regardless of whether their project is officially submitted, every student who expresses interest will be supported in completing an investigation. As MTQ projects are predominantly completed at home, an online Parent Information Session will be held in the coming weeks to provide further guidance and answer any questions.
To help students stay on track, weekly MTQ support sessions will be held during school time. These sessions will offer structured time for planning, feedback, and progress check-ins.
The Maths Talent Quest is a fantastic opportunity for students to showcase their creativity, critical thinking, and mathematical thinking. The focus is not just on finding an answer, but on the entire process of mathematical investigation.
We look forward to seeing the amazing ideas and investigations that our young mathematicians will explore this year!
Victorian Challenge and Enrichment Series
The Victorian Challenge and Enrichment Series (VCES) is a Department of Education initiative designed to extend and enrich learning for high-ability students across Victorian government schools. These engaging programs provide opportunities for students to connect with peers across schools and take part in activities that challenge their thinking and stretch their capabilities. At Karoo, we will be participating in a range of VCES offerings tailored to our students, allowing them to dive deeper into areas of interest and develop their critical and creative thinking skills. These will include live online Writing workshops with authors, Next Stage Drama workshops, and the Victorian Coding Challenge.
Think Science!
Think Science! is an exciting opportunity that encourages young scientists to explore the world around them. Working with Miss Smith in small teams of 2 to 4, selected students from Years 3-6 will design and carry out their own science investigation on a topic of their choice. Each team will present their findings in a short video, highlighting both their investigation and their scientific thinking. This is a fantastic chance for students to showcase their curiosity, creativity, and collaboration as budding scientists!
VHAP
Karoo students have been selected to take part in the Victorian High-Ability Program (VHAP) this term, and last term.
VHAP is a Department of Education initiative that provides high-ability students in Years 5–8 with the opportunity to engage in a 10-week online enrichment program in either English or Mathematics. Delivered by expert educators, the program is designed to extend students’ thinking, deepen their understanding, and connect them with like-minded peers across the state.
Congratulations to our selected students—we are thrilled to see you representing Karoo and embracing this opportunity to stretch your thinking and challenge yourselves beyond the classroom.
ICAS
ICAS is an online academic competition that gives students the opportunity to challenge their higher order thinking and problem-solving skills in English, Mathematics, Science, Writing, Spelling Bee, and Digital Technologies. ICAS results are in-depth and meaningful, and ICAS evaluates student performance against other competition entrants across the state and nation. The data reveals student strengths and weaknesses and can help you recognise and support your child's academic journey.
We are proud to be offering ICAS to our students this year and encourage you to consider entering your child. More information can be found on the ICAS newsletter page, and please do not hesitate to contact the school office if you have any questions.