Professional learning reimagined: Victoria’s new Teaching Excellence Approach for early learning

The Victorian Department of Education has launched a landmark investment in Victoria’s early childhood professionals to enhance teaching practice in early childhood education through offering tailored, evidence-informed professional learning supports.

Under the newly introduced Kindergarten Teaching Excellence Approach, early childhood educators, teachers and leaders across Victoria now have access to a comprehensive, fully funded system of professional learning designed to meet diverse needs, career stages and service contexts.

This initiative marks a significant shift in how practice development is designed and delivered, moving toward an accessible, practitioner-led model that builds on existing sector expertise and promotes continuous improvement. It also reflects a deeper alignment with the goals of the Best Start, Best Life reforms, which continue to reshape the early years landscape through expanded access to Free Kinder for three and four year olds.

A strategic approach to improving teaching and learning

The Kindergarten Teaching Excellence Approach is underpinned by two core objectives:

• To foster rich, responsive interactions between educators and children within warm, respectful learning environments.
• To support intentional, play-based teaching informed by current subject matter knowledge and evidence-based pedagogy.

To achieve these aims, the initiative directs investment across five priority areas:

1. Improving continuity through aligned learning progressions and stronger collaboration.
2. Building the sector’s evidence base and improving access to high-quality research.
3. Expanding educator content and pedagogical knowledge.
4. Embedding assessment as a tool for reflection and continuous growth.
5. Strengthening leadership to prioritise teaching and learning at every level.

This integrated approach is designed to enhance outcomes for children by supporting educators in building the skills, confidence and knowledge they need to deliver high-quality practice consistently.

Tiered, flexible learning through Build, Embed and Innovate

To ensure supports are meaningful and practical across all career stages, the Kindergarten Teaching Excellence Approach includes three tiers of professional learning support:

• Build: Offers on-demand, foundational resources focused on core skills and practice essentials.
• Embed: Provides in-service, team-based supports that promote shared leadership, culture and pedagogical alignment.
• Innovate: Delivers advanced support for experienced professionals leading service-wide improvements.

Each category is grounded in current research and adult learning principles, with an emphasis on reflective practice, collaboration and evidence-informed decision-making.

Early Childhood Hub: a central platform for professional growth

The Early Childhood Hub is a new online platform that enables educators to enrol in, complete and track their learning over time. Designed to support flexible delivery and accessibility, the Hub offers:

• Courses tailored to different levels of experience and expertise.
• Varied learning modes to suit different preferences and work contexts.
• Content that is regularly updated in line with emerging research and sector needs.

The Hub also features a dedicated research area, ensuring that early childhood professionals have direct access to the latest knowledge and evidence to support ongoing development.

Lifting quality through systemic support

By providing high-quality, structured and responsive learning opportunities, the Kindergarten Teaching Excellence Approach aims to elevate the professional experience of educators while strengthening teaching and learning outcomes for children across Victoria.

The initiative reflects a broader commitment to quality, equity and continuous improvement in early childhood education and recognises that meaningful reform must include sustained investment in the people who deliver it.

For more information, visit earlychildhoodhub.vic.gov.au or contact the Early Childhood Hub Helpdesk via email at [email protected]