Rise to the top with ches
CHES offers an exciting head-start into university studies for high-ability senior students across Victoria.
We specialise in Higher Education Studies, which are first-year university subjects that allow students to potentially gain ATAR points and university credits while they are completing their VCE studies.
CHES also specialises in VCE Extended Investigation, VCE Algorithmics, VCE English Language and VCE Specialist Mathematics as these subjects are designed for high-ability students and provide a solid foundation for future university studies.
Students who undertake a Higher Education Study or a VCE subject at CHES will also have access to the CHES Student Enrichment Series, which includes extension workshops, masterclasses, seminars and mentoring through universities.
Students participating in CHES programs will remain enrolled at their school and are supported to undertake a course at CHES as part of their overall VCE program. In close partnership with the home school of students, CHES enrols students in courses for a fraction of their timetable (generally one subject or 20% of their timetable), with the remainder of their timetable reflecting the subjects being completed at their school.
Students enrolled at CHES are offered:
- an orientation program before commencement
- ongoing and focused support and attention from CHES staff
- mentoring with university students and academics
- the opportunity to learn independently and also in small collaborative groups
- access to the exclusive CHES masterclasses and expos.
CHES is a hub for high-ability students
CHES is the physical hub for Higher Education Studies and for VCE Extended Investigation and VCE Algorithmics across Victoria. The $27 million state-of-the-art centre is designed to reflect the nature of a mature, tertiary learning environment, while providing senior secondary students with the comfort and familiarity of a dedicated centre and a team of specialist teachers and support staff. At CHES we recognise and celebrate the achievements of high-ability senior secondary students from government schools.
Our partner universities use the specialist spaces and innovative technology in CHES to successfully deliver synchronous on-site and virtual learning of their Higher Education Studies (HES) programs to students across Victoria.
Supporting students state-wide
Engagement & Support
Engagement and Wellbeing Support
CHES teachers and program coordinators aim to work closely with base-schools to support the wellbeing and engagement of all students, including those who are learning online. We share a joint responsibility with base schools to support the social and emotional wellbeing of students, and we partner with universities and base schools to support the academic needs of students.
Individual Achievement Plans
The study arrangements of each CHES student are considered and agreed between the student, parent/carer, base school, and CHES upon enrolment and induction. Once enrolled in a CHES program, we get to know each student through the establishment of an Individual Achievement Plan to support a successful transition, and this includes:
- study arrangements (CHES program and delivery mode: face to face, virtual, or combination)
- timetable schedule
- travel arrangements (if applicable)
- agreed communication methods between student, base-school, universities and CHES (who, what, when and how)
- reasonable adjustments to meet the learning and wellbeing needs of students
- student health care needs including asthma management, administration of medication and individual anaphylaxis management.
All CHES policies are designed to reflect our unique operating environment (physical and virtual), our program offerings, our partnerships with universities and our shared responsibility with students’ base schools to ensure students’ social and emotional wellbeing and academic needs are supported.
As CHES is a senior secondary centre for high-ability senior secondary students, the students enrolled at CHES will be granted further and broader responsibilities, reflecting their age and levels of maturity and our commitment to nurturing the development of responsible young adults.
reaching students from regional, rural and remote areas
One of the main aims of CHES is to engage and enrol students from regional, rural and remote areas of Victoria in our curriculum programs and our extension and enrichment opportunities. We recognise that students in regional, rural or remote areas have been at risk of exclusion from a number of extension opportunities, including Higher Education Studies, in the past and we aim to ensure inclusion through our hy-flex approach to curriculum, teaching and learning.
Our hybrid and flexible approach to learning enables all students to participate in our programs, regardless of location.
Our aim is for all students to enjoy an equitable learning experience through the use of our sophisticated educational technologies.
As a state-wide provider for high-ability students, CHES offers subjects that complement the curriculum already offered at schools and our programs are accessible through virtual platforms as well as on-site.
The CHES virtual learning environment enables students to study a CHES program from home or from their base school, regardless of location in Victoria.
We use a hy-flex (hybrid and flexible) approach to teaching and learning to enable students to learn online or on-site or a mix of both. This will reduce the need for frequent travel and reduce clashes with other VCE classes.
Students from regional and rural areas will have the opportunity to attend our orientation program in Melbourne to make new friendship groups and build connections with peers, teachers and academics in person before commencing a CHES program. There will also be the option to study on-site for dedicated seminar days throughout the year for our VCE subjects and for our Higher Education Studies through our university partners, in order to access and use the specialist facilities that CHES has to offer.