VIRTUAL SCHOOL VICTORIA (VSV)
By ROB MASON
As the Team Leader, Social Worker – Student Wellbeing at Virtual School Victoria (VSV), I’m excited to share our school’s unique history, mission, and significant role in Victoria’s education landscape. VSV, formerly the Correspondence School, then the Distance Education Centre Victoria, is now the state’s leading virtual school. While we educate over 6,000 students annually, our story began more than a century ago with a determined mother named Mabel Prewett.
In 1915, Mabel was determined to give her three children in the Otway Ranges the same educational opportunities as those in the city. She wrote to the Director of Education seeking help, which led to the establishment of The Correspondence School, the predecessor to VSV.
Back then, primary lessons were mailed to students every two weeks, and completed work was posted back to teachers for feedback. Although providing helpful feedback to students remains central to our approach, the way we deliver education has evolved significantly. Today, we use an online learning platform that provides both teacher-led learning experiences and access to self-directed course modules for students. We also use email rather than traditional mail! Our teachers are not just subject experts but also leaders in digital learning, designing programs that integrate best practices and user feedback to create a dynamic, flexible learning environment.
Students come to VSV from public, independent, and Catholic schools when they can’t access mainstream education. They may be:
- Attending another school that doesn’t offer the subjects they need
- Professional athletes, performing artists, or others with demanding schedules
- Experiencing physical or mental health difficulties
- Living in rural or remote areas
- Traveling with family
- Previous home schoolers.
Many are surprised to learn that VSV has physical campuses in Thornbury and Gippsland, which host in-person events such as Connect Week, science experiments, parent meetings, and student club activities.
Access and choice have always been at the heart of VSV’s mission, which is why we offer around 100 VCE subjects—the most of any school in Victoria. VSV also proudly delivers the Victorian High Ability Program, a vital part of the Department of Education’s Student Excellence Program. Over five years, more than 90,000 students have participated in the program—almost the capacity of the MCG!
At VSV, wellbeing is at the core of everything we do. The team behind the learner—including wellbeing and inclusion staff, teachers, parents, carers, and support services—works together to provide holistic support, addressing each student’s mental, emotional, and social needs. By fostering connection and belonging, we empower students to overcome challenges and grow, guided by our values of respect, empathy, collaboration, and personal growth.
CONTACT VSV – https://www.vsv.vic.edu.au/contact/
