Digital Assessment Library (Insight Platform)

If you are looking for high quality, free assessments that can be embedded across our planning, with multiple data collection points, providing us with authentic formative, diagnostic and summative assessment to unpack at PLC, SIT and team levels, it is work exploring the DAL.

The Insight Platform dashboard can be overwhelming, but if you explore it and have a play, there is a lot of functionality. 

• If students use DAL assessments in Primary School, this follows them through to High School. This data can be valuable for transitions, interventions, and great understanding of our students as they move between stages. In the same vein, if students move between two schools that use DAL assessments, teachers will be able to see their previous results.

• Principals and School Leaders can access data visualisations to prompt rich staff discussions around student achievement and need. You can anonymise the data! 

• You can use an adaptive (branched) assessment for Literacy and Numeracy for the big picture snapshot, but then dig deeper using a wide array of assessment types. You can set each student at their level of ability to accurately understand their knowledge and use for planning at students' point of need.

Please reach out to your EIL if you would like support for your school.

Year 1 Numeracy Check

The Year 1 Numeracy Check is coming to all schools in 2027. Key dates and information is due to be released in Term 4.

14 Central Highlands schools participated in the pilot, providing valuable feedback about the testing process, questions and resources.

Similar to the Year 1 Phonics Check, the Numeracy Check is a universal screener. The short, focused assessment, is designed to identify students who may be; experiencing difficulty learning mathematics; at risk of falling behind; or may benefit from additional support.

The check assesses number representation, number operations and number relations.

There are three components to the Numeracy Check:

There are a range of upcoming Professional Learning opportunities at the Academy in Ballarat, Melbourne and online across Term 4 and into 2027.

Term 3, 2026

Daylesford PS | Moonambel PS | Beaufort Secondary College | Lake Bolac P-12 | Buangor PS | Clunes PS | Trentham PS | Willaura PS

City Network Schools |  Bacchus Marsh College | Balliang East PS | Coimadai PS | Napoleons PS | Pentland PS

daylesford primary school

Money, motives & mysteries 

Daylesford Primary School's Year 5/6 students have been immersed in an authentic classroom economy using ‘SEAbucks’ to explore earning, saving, spending, investing and giving. The experience provides a strong context for students to apply learning in meaningful and practical ways.

The program effectively integrates literacy, mathematics, financial literacy and student agency. Students have applied for classroom jobs through written tenders, managed wages and taxation, participated in a digital stock market challenge, analysed cohort data and developed business plans for a student fete. These experiences require students to make decisions, consider risk and consequences, problem-solve and respond to changing circumstances.

Literacy learning has been connected through The Westing Game, Barefoot Kids and a range of myths and fables, supporting students to explore themes of decision-making, greed, patience and risk. Students have also created and performed their own economics fables for younger students, with their work being developed into a cohort anthology for families.

Student agency was particularly evident through the School and House Captains forming a ‘Leaders’ Union’ and negotiating a 100% pay increase through a structured negotiation process. The upcoming student fete will further extend learning, with students developing and managing their own businesses while engaging families and the wider school community.

From a teaching and learning perspective, this was a highly engaging and worthwhile approach to integrated learning, providing students with authentic opportunities to apply knowledge and skills, exercise agency, collaborate and experience the real-world impact of their decisions.

Term 3, 2026

Exciting Times at Moonambel primary school

From STEM to Spokes

It’s been an exciting Term 3 at Moonambel Primary School, with plenty happening both inside and beyond the classroom.

As part of National Science Week, students travelled to St Arnaud Library to participate in a hands-on Mad Science workshop. Students had the opportunity to ask questions, make predictions and explore scientific concepts through engaging activities. For a small rural school, experiences like this are a wonderful opportunity to learn in different environments, connect with the wider community and bring classroom learning to life.

Back at school, the excitement continued with the completion of a fantastic new bike track, made possible through an Active Schools Grant. The track provides students with opportunities to be active, develop their riding skills and enjoy learning outdoors.

The school has also secured 16 bikes through Ballarat’s Re-Cranked Program, allowing all students to make the most of the new track. The Re-Cranked team have been fantastic to work with, and the school is extremely grateful for their support.

A shipping container will arrive early in Term 4 to provide dedicated storage for the new fleet, completing another exciting addition to the school.

From science, curiosity and discovery to bikes, wheels and active learning – Moonambel students are making the most of every opportunity!

September, 2026

 Beaufort Secondary College 

The Arts, Barista Excellence and a love of Libraries 

Lake bolac p-12 

Fluency, the Arts and Ancient Cities 

Visiting many of our rural schools can certainly be a journey, with potholes and back roads sometimes making the drive an adventure! But at this time of year, the stunning scenery and vibrant canola fields make it well worth the trip.

Students at Lake Bolac P-12 College were keen to share what they have been working on as they head into the holidays. Senior primary students have been investigating Ancient Cities and incorporating their learning into their writing sessions. In the middle years, there is a strong focus on text studies and fluency, while junior students have been creating some amazing animal portrait mosaics in ceramics.

And, of course, no school visit would be complete without learning a few new skills - junior students were also very happy to demonstrate to Regional Director Chris Thompson the correct way to execute a chest pass!

August/September, 2026

buangor ps

Celebrating Term 3

Clunes Primary School 

VTLM Learning Walks and Student Engagement

trentham district primary school

Getting ready to Rock through the Ages for their Term 4 Concert

Students at Trentham District primary school gave us a behind-the-scenes taster of their upcoming concert, rocking out to John Cougar Mellencamp’s R.O.C.K. in the U.S.A. with plenty of energy and verve - they absolutely nailed it!

August, 2026

CITY NETWORK SCHOOLS

Term 3 is for productions, concerts, art shows and more.

This term has seen many schools balance the core curriculum with other endeavours. From productions and concerts, to art shows and book week parades - these additional activities allow opportunities for celebration, connection and the community to come into the school.

Below are some of the highlights from Term 3.

Napoleons Primary School

The Annual Napoleons PS Writer's Festival impressed us, with the whole school covered with creative, meaningful writing pieces from across their school.