Celebrating teaching excellence: Teaching Excellence Program (TEP) 2025 graduation

TEP graduation snapshot

Number of 2025 graduates: 449 teachers across Victoria  

Sectors represented: government, Catholic and independent schools

Purpose: celebrating teaching excellence—our 2025 graduates completed a year-long advanced professional learning program, demonstrating extraordinary commitment to elevating their teaching practice and improving student outcomes.

Event highlights:

• TEP 2025 ambassador reflections
• Keynote from Associate Professor Amanda McGraw
• Teaching Impact Fellow reflection: pathways, impact and connection  

TEP 2025 ambassador reflections

Over the 2-day celebration 4 TEP 2025 ambassadors shared their stories and reflected on the program’s impact on their practice.  

‘TEP has been a balm to the soul, where like-minded individuals who just cannot help caring too much about their work and students, come together and encourage each other through collaborative inquiry and intellectual investigation with the Academy’s nurturing and critical Expert Teachers in Residence.’ Rhoda Fu, TEP ambassador.  

‘I want you to think about the fire in your bellies after those discipline days and Teaching Excellence Learning Community days. Those moments when you felt inspired and ready to lead change. Every single one of us has the capability to be a leader within our school and within our system. We have the privilege to inspire, to build excellence and to bring communities together. We are lifelong learners.’ Adriana Tavares Green, TEP ambassador. 

‘One of the greatest highlights of the TEP has been the people. The generosity, intellect, and curiosity of these groups have reshaped how I think about collaboration.  It reminded me that professional growth is not an individual pursuit. It’s something that happens in conversation, in challenge, in shared thinking, and in the courage to reflect openly.’ Christine Blake, TEP ambassador. 

‘I am leaving the TEP rejuvenated and ready to step back in to the classroom and my school with new energy’ Julian Stickland, TEP ambassador. 

Keynote from Associate Professor Amanda McGraw

Our TEP graduates were celebrated in a powerful keynote about the small stories that reveal the enduring impact of education. 

‘Sharing small stories enables the everyday work to be acknowledged and that’s really important in relation to raising the status of teaching. Small stories are incredibly valuable and rich. They draw attention to what is compelling, what is contextual, and what is highly engaging for students and for teachers. What engages us has a big impact on how we operate in the classroom. Small stories have the potential to nourish the teachers’ soul.’  

Teaching Impact Fellow reflection

TEP 2023 alumna, and current Teaching Impact Fellow Mak Bulte encouraged continued learning through the Academy Alumni Program.  

‘If you thought TEP was transformative, let me assure you the real learning, connection and development comes beyond today. Being an Academy Alumni member builds on your TEP learning in ways you may not expect. The great thing about the Academy is it provides us with a professional, collaborative space to gain insights into different practices and approaches across the state.’

Impact of the TEP

• Overwhelmingly, 99% of graduates reported the TEP had a positive impact on their teaching practice.
• Another 98% reported a highly significant or significant impact on their students’ learning outcomes.
• Almost all graduates, 99%, agreed or strongly agreed that their engagement with the TEP enabled them to create an inclusive, safe, orderly and stimulating environment for learning.

TEP 2025 graduate reflections:

‘It has made me realise that what I am doing day-to-day in my classroom is excellent, which I would previously not have recognised. TEP offers you the opportunity to stop and congratulate yourself on a job well done, whilst also learning how to further improve your practice.’  

‘It has opened up pathways and thoughts that I hadn't had before. Education in all its broad parts have been looked at and a whole new world has opened.'  

These results demonstrate the extraordinary impact the TEP has on skilled educators, and we look forward to the transformative impact they will continue to have in their classrooms and communities. Congratulations again to our TEP graduates for 2025! 

Learn more about the Teaching Excellence Program.