Mastery Schools uses an explicit teaching approach and longer school days to allow students with learning difficulties to meet literacy and numeracy requirements under the Australian curriculum.
La Trobe will use the school to gain critical practical placement experience for training teachers and other allied health professionals.
Mastery’s lessons are grounded in the Science of Learning, an approach based on cognitive psychology and neuroscience and spearheaded by La Trobe’s School of Education.
Mastery Schools are already established in Queensland, with five campuses as far north as Cairns.
Fifty students are already enrolled at the Bundoora campus and there are plans for more campuses throughout the state.
Mastery Schools Victoria, which is classified as a specialist assistance school, caters to children with a range of learning difficulties. Students are already travelling up to three hours each day to attend.
Mastery Schools Managing Director Michael Roberts said La Trobe’s strong focus on Science of Learning was the driving force behind the partnership.
“La Trobe is the only university in Australia that has fully embraced the principles of the Science of Learning and Mastery Schools is excited at the opportunities that this partnership will create.”
The Bundoora campus – which opened to students in term one this year – will initially cater to students in years 4 to 9. Year 10 students will be introduced in 2026.
Students will work in multi-age "core" classes (years 4 to 6 and 7 to 9) where their needs are met through differentiated instruction and evidence-based intervention programs.
Professor Joanna Barbousas, La Trobe’s Dean of Education and Pro-Vice Chancellor of Education, Impact and Innovation, said Mastery linked well with the Science of Learning focus at La Trobe and the school would provide practical benefits to La Trobe Education students.
“We look forward to collaborating with Mastery Schools and providing opportunities for our pre-service teachers to develop their knowledge and skills of structured literacy and mathematics education,” Professor Barbousas said.
“The collaboration will also allow us to develop impactful research to transforming learning approaches and provide evidence to inform future policy changes.”
Mastery Schools opened its first campus in Varsity Lakes in 2021. The Bundoora campus is the group’s first outside Queensland.
Media enquiries
Robyn Grace – r.grace@latrobe.edu.au, 0420 826 595
