Academy impact: lifting students’ English and maths, and teacher capability and leadership

To support educators in improving student outcomes in English and Mathematics, the Academy offers a suite of professional learning programs, including: 

• Facilitator Training: Literacy Pedagogy and Practice¹
• Facilitator Training: Numeracy Pedagogy and Practice²
• Literacy Pedagogy and Practice³
• Numeracy Pedagogy and Practice
• Leading Literacy⁴
• Leading Mathematics.

These evidence-informed programs of effective professional learning build the capability of teachers and leaders to support improvements in literacy and numeracy instruction at the classroom, school-wide and system levels. This offering is unique within the professional learning landscape and supports career progression for educators. The offering also aligns to explicit teaching approaches, consistent with the Victorian Teaching and Learning Model (VTLM) 2.0 for government schools. Deloitte Access Economics is evaluating this suite of programs over 2024-2025 and has confirmed the evidence base underpinning these programs, as well as providing independent evaluation of the quality and impact of the programs.

Preliminary insights from 2024 are shared below.

Key insights

Positive impact

90% of program participants agreed or strongly agreed the Academy program they completed contributed or will contribute to improved student learning outcomes.

86% of participants reported they were satisfied or highly satisfied with the program quality.

85% of participants reported the program had a significant or highly significant impact on their development and practice. This included making changes to their practice or within their school while still completing the program, demonstrating the practicality and application of program learnings.

‘The program has taught me excellence in literacy and how to implement this school wide as well as in my own classroom. The main impact has been improved student outcomes.’ Leading Literacy participant

Equity and access

In addition to the programs being available in metropolitan Melbourne, the Academy supports regional and rural educators to participate in our programs through one of our regional centres, with online and blended learning opportunities also available.

Capability and confidence

According to the independent evaluation undertaken, the program suite improves teaching practice and leadership quality, supporting career progression at all levels.

91% of participants reported improving their capability to develop self, others and teams.

88% of participants reported improving their capability to lead school improvement, innovation and change.

90% of participants reported improving their capability to lead teaching, wellbeing and learning.

84% of participants reported improving their capability to lead the management of their school. 
 

‘…I feel like a different teacher, who still has so much room for growth but my own confidence in maths has certainly developed.’ Leading Mathematics participant

‘It has supported my growth as a leader. I have felt better equipped with knowledge, research and resources to guide my team in the development of literacy programs.’ Literacy Pedagogy and Practice participant

Best-practice program design

Academy numeracy and literacy programs are delivered using vertical school team models and innovative Facilitator preparation, which are explained below.

Leading Literacy and Leading Mathematics

These programs are designed for school teams of teachers and leaders and support learning application through applied research projects at participants’ schools, promoting school-wide literacy and numeracy improvement. The attendance of school teams is known as the vertical school team model.

‘The program enabled protected time with our literacy team with high scaffolding and supports to build common understandings and knowledge to drive the change needed for our school context.’ Leading Literacy participant 

‘There were lots of opportunities to work with my team… The prompts allowed quality discussions and team building to align our vision/values together.’ Leading Mathematics participant

Facilitator preparation

Based on a ‘train-the-trainer' model, teacher leaders are prepared and coached by the Academy to deliver literacy and numeracy programs in their local areas.

Participant experiences

Effective delivery, engaging content and activities

‘I think the course was well done, taught well and had clear goals. It was great to have the days so clearly separated out to allow for some good reflection to occur.’ Numeracy Pedagogy and Practice participant

Expert facilitators

‘The course was well delivered with a range of excellent presenters. I learned a lot myself and was well equipped to facilitate the Pedagogy and Practice course.’ Numeracy Facilitator Training participant

Collaboration and networking

‘The opportunity to collaborate with staff from other schools has been a wonderful opportunity. I have increased confidence in leading aspects of literacy and leading whole school improvement in reading, writing, vocabulary and spelling.’ Literacy Pedagogy and Practice participant

Relevant, evidence-informed and high quality 

‘I found the information presented to be insightful and innovative. The concepts were easy to integrate into my teaching practice and opened my eyes to strategies backed by science to support the growth and development of learners at my school.’ Literacy Pedagogy and Practice participant

What’s ahead

The Academy is collaborating with Department of Education stakeholders to ensure our programs continue to meet government school teacher and leader needs as the VTLM 2.0 is implemented. These include program changes to reflect the increased focus on explicit teaching and a systematic synthetic phonics approach to the teaching of reading.

The Academy is embedding even more opportunities for participants to put into practice the knowledge they have learned.

Find out more and register your interest in participating in a 2025 literacy and numeracy program using the following links: 

• Facilitator Training: Literacy Pedagogy and Practice
• Facilitator Training: Numeracy Pedagogy and Practice
• Literacy Pedagogy and Practice
• Numeracy Pedagogy and Practice
• Leading Literacy
• Leading Mathematics

Deloitte Access Economics will continue to evaluate the Academy’s literacy and numeracy programs.

¹ Previously known as Literacy Master Trainers
² Previously known as Numeracy Master Trainers
³ Previously known as Literacy Local Leaders
⁴ Previously known as Numeracy Local Leaders