Today, Mrs Dunwoody provides an update on the development of the School’s Learning Extension & Enrichment Program (LEEP).
In a CamNews article earlier this year, I provided an update on the development of our Learning Extension and Enrichment Program (LEEP) at Camberwell Girls. We have continued to focus on the development of this program under the leadership of Ms Michele Linossier, our Head of Extension and Enrichment and would like to share an update with you.
Michele is highly regarded in this field of education. She has worked extensively with gifted and talented students throughout her career and has held leadership roles in this area in a number of leading independent schools. She has co-chaired the Boroondara Gifted Network since 2015 with Professor Charlotte Forwood, our Director of Design and Research, and is a Life Member of the Victorian Association for Gifted and Talented Children. As you can see, we have a great leader in Michele.
Please find below, an update from Michele on our LEEP programs.
With best wishes
Debbie Dunwoody
Principal
At Camberwell Girls, we create opportunities for every student to stretch their thinking and explore their interests. Our Learning Extension and Enrichment Program (LEEP) brings this commitment to life. Grounded in the research and model of Francois Gagné, LEEP is a whole-school program that invites students to extend and enrich their learning across school life. Students can find LEEP in the classroom curriculum, in our co-curricular programs and in dedicated LEEP offerings, while highly motivated students also have opportunities to pursue independent learning. In 2026 over 390 LEEP program places were taken up by 250 students from Years 4-12. Students also choose to extend their learning within the strong and diverse Service, Co-Curricular, Leadership, House, Sustainability and Wellbeing opportunities and in departmental curriculum initiatives.
The LEEP Extension Programs are there for students who are ready for, or actively seeking, content beyond their year level. Each program works towards a clear outcome, whether that is a research project, a final exam or a presentation, so that students can see what their learning has achieved. Highlights this year include strong participation in the Ethics, Computational Linguistics and Junior Science (Years 7–10) Olympiad programs, a new mentoring program for the Chemistry Olympiad and a team of 32 students competing in the National Science and Engineering Challenge at Monash University.
LEEP Debating and Public Speaking has broadened with UN Youth’s Student Voice Competition and the introduction for Years 7-11 of British Parliamentary (BP) Debating. Students represented Victoria in the National Final of the UN Youth Competition with one attaining the winning title. Our keen writers have engaged in many writing opportunities with a Year 9 student recently being awarded one of 10 National Honourable Mentions in the prestigious Dorothea McKellar Poetry Program.
Beyond these programs, our students have embraced a number of other substantial extension opportunities. In Mooting, they competed at The Melbourne Moot and in the national Bond University competition. Through Mock Trial Victoria, students with an interest in law and drama joined forces, with the drama students bringing the courtroom to life in witness roles. Students in Years 10 and 11 also gave their time as Reader Buddies in the Smith Family Student to Student Reading (S2S) program over four months, a wonderful reminder of the importance and relevance of community service at Camberwell Girls.
In our Junior School, students have been involved in a range of programs including an introduction to philosophy at Year 4, Science Talent Search for Years 5 and 6, Virtual Debating, the Victorian Primary Schools’ Parliamentary Convention and First Lego League.
LEEP Enrichment experiences give students a lighter, more exploratory taste of new ideas, often drawing on the expertise of guest speakers. This year, a large group of students from Years 7–9 studied Biomimicry at the Royal Botanic Gardens, while others took part in the da Vinci Decathlon, the Kids Lit Quiz and the Academic Challenge Day as part of the Melbourne and Beyond Gifted Network. Our Years 5 and 6 students also had the opportunity to join this year’s da Vinci Decathlon.
We know that learning with a global perspective is vital, and our students experience it in many ways. They take part in Model United Nations simulations and in research projects such as the Global Alliance of Leading Edge Schools for Sustainability, which Camberwell Girls hosted for the third time this year. They also join online experiences such as the International Ethics Olympiad where over 40 teams from six countries discussed a variety of ethical cases connected to AI.
LEEP offers students many pathways to stretch their thinking and pursue what inspires them. While these experiences may sometimes lead to prizes, it is the learning itself that matters most. It is at the heart of a student thriving, enabling her to grow as a confident, curious and fulfilled learner, both in the classroom and beyond.
Michele Linossier
Head of Extension and Enrichment
Today, Mrs Dunwoody provides an update on the development of the School’s Learning Extension & Enrichment Program (LEEP).
It has been a busy fortnight at the Secondary School with multiple LEEP opportunities, excursions and student achievements.
The Year 5 & 6 GSV Swimming & Diving event was a highlight this past fortnight, as well as the Choral & Instrumental Concert.
An excited group of women gathered at the School for the Sapphire Circle Reunion, celebrating women who graduated over 50 years ago.
