22 January 2021

Kolbe Catholic College, Greenvale Lakes, will use some of its state government ‘COVID catch-up’ funding of around $200,000 to provide a free ‘summer school’ opportunity to assist students coming into Year 7 to get up to speed following long periods of remote learning in 2020.

Around 50 students are expected to attend the small group sessions from 10.00 am – 2.00 pm over four days next week (Monday 25 – Friday 29 January).

Principal Nick Scully said the remote context of learning in 2020, and its potential to have created gaps in student growth and development, had been a cause of concern for some families.

‘The optional summer school program aims to assist students with their literacy and numeracy development, as well support their transition into secondary school here at Kolbe’, Mr Scully said.

‘The sessions have been designed to enable students to engage in skill-building and develop their knowledge and understanding in a safe and supportive environment.’

Kolbe Catholic College will also provide students across Years 7–12 with access to multiple tuition pathways throughout 2021.These will be subject-specific, as well as focus on literacy and numeracy.

Mr Scully said the college has formed a partnership with Australian Catholic University (ACU) to assist with the delivery of the various tuition pathways on offer.

‘This will enable the programs in operation to continue to be informed by evidence-based, best practice research, and also provide placement opportunities for pre-service teachers at both a bachelor and master level of study’, he said.

The Catholic education sector in Victoria has been allocated around $23 million in state government funding to assist students who may have fallen behind during remote learning to get back up to speed in 2021.