Melbourne's oldest girls' school uses the city as classroom and playground
Sherryn Groch Their blue uniforms are a regular sight on city streets; they exercise in the city's parks and gardens, sketch in the towering cathedrals and study in the libraries, museums and galleries. Meet the girls from the Academy of Mary Immaculate.
Latest education news
Centrelink 'auto-rejects' tens of thousands of claims
![Centrelink has a massive backlog of applications for Austudy and Youth Allowance.](/web/20160505013323im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/o/5/e/9/s/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.goiarp.119yj2.png/1462137050140.jpg)
Noel Towell Tens of thousands of Student Payment claims "auto-rejected", government insiders allege.
Meet the woman teaching medical students about family violence
![Trailblazer: Monash University associate professor Dr Jan Coles has pioneered the teaching of medical students and GPs ...](/web/20160505013323im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/o/f/n/d/n/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.god4r2.119yj2.png/1462088233978.jpg)
Kathy Evans Doctors see it all but they need specialised training in medical school to identify where family violence – directed at adults, children and elders – is occurring. A former GP now leads a ground-breaking program at Monash University.
Education news in brief
![The best and brightest maths and science students are vying to compete in the international Olympiads.](/web/20160505013323im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/j/d/l/p/6/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.gogufg.119yj2.png/1461908558628.jpg)
Students vie for maths and science Olympiads; time to apply for training awards; Camberwell High student wins innovation award; Premier's VCE award winners announced; an oration on the future of legal services; after-school coding classes prove popular; an animation educates about menstruation and what about recycling stationery?
"Is there a special needs teacher on board?"
![Special needs teacher Sophie Murphy](/web/20160505013323im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/o/j/a/p/o/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.goj8k7.119yj2.png/1462140911182.jpg)
Konrad Marshall When she first boarded Flight JQ527 from Sydney to Melbourne three weeks ago, Sophie Murphy felt an "awful tension" and bitterness in the cabin.
Little people thinking big
![Preshil kids let their imagination fly.](/web/20160505013323im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/o/c/w/2/g/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.goh2kg.119yj2.png/1462023554749.jpg)
John Elder While small children are busy learning the names of things, they are also capable of putting together the big picture. John Elder reports.
VCE cheating scandal rocks elite school
![Caulfield Grammar School has been hit by allegations that a VCE student hacked into a teacher's computer in order to ...](/web/20160505013323im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/i/1/g/o/p/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.gogw13.119yj2.png/1461822534356.jpg)
Timna Jacks Caulfield Grammar School has been hit by allegations that a VCE student hacked into a teacher's computer in order to cheat on high-stakes assessments.
'Spend money on education or build more jails'
![Students student in class, secondary college Friday 20 August 2004. Picture by Craig Abraham The Age education schools ...](/web/20160505013323im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/o/f/i/g/y/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.gofrz5.119yj2.png/1462344675032.jpg)
Eryk Bagshaw The economy will be $72 billion worse off if one key education outcome isn't improved, says new report.
Education news in brief
![Awakened: Melbourne Symphony Orchestra's Education Week is designed to expose children to the joys and wonder of ...](/web/20160505013323im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/g/y/5/q/2/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.go8xdm.119yj2.png/1461287747210.jpg)
MSO's Education Week nears; dairy research centre established; ACMI offers intensive course for years 10-12; personalised maths teaching works; engineering scholarship lures cutting-edge researchers and legal centres demand restoration of youth legal aid budget
Respectful relationships curriculum aims to change a generation
![Campaigning for change: Rosie Batty has been at the forefront of educating the community about family violence.](/web/20160505013323im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/o/1/q/d/4/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.go1iwl.119yj2.png/1460690948160.jpg)
Josh Jennings Victoria is leading the way in educating students about respectful relationships, gender differences and family violence but it's a minefield of sensitivities about definitions and levels of responsibility.
University inter-library lending scheme rewrites e-book trend
![What would you like: an inter-library loan scheme has 7.5 million books and journals available.](/web/20160505013323im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/o/8/z/b/q/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.go8xg7.119yj2.png/1461708776240.jpg)
Glenn Mulcaster A trans-Tasman inter-varsity library loan scheme has now 7.5 million books and journals available for borrowing by staff and students at 15 institutions. It's a surprising trend in the age of the e-book.
Second Victorian school embroiled in drug scandal
![<p>](/web/20160505013323im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/o/b/8/8/r/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.gob3tc.119yj2.png/1461143047483.jpg)
Henrietta Cook, Timna Jacks A second Victorian school is embroiled in a drug controversy, with the bust filmed as part of a new TV series which has sent the Education Department into a spin.
Writing is on the fall for senior school students
![Leibler Yavnel college head of senior school English Rachel Kafka with year 12 students using pens and paper.](/web/20160505013323im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/o/b/2/t/3/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.goaytq.119yj2.png/1461144020564.jpg)
Henrietta Cook It's called the "middle years slump" and it's punctuated by sloppy writing.
TAFE enrolments drop amid financial turnaround
![Although Victorian TAFEs have had a financial turnaround, their enrolments have declined up to 27 per cent in the past year.](/web/20160505013323im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/o/7/v/h/e/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.go7as5.119yj2.png/1460868864245.jpg)
Henrietta Cook Enrolments at Victorian TAFEs have plummeted up to 27 per cent, despite their finances improving under the Andrews government.
More Koori students finish high school
![Different paths: Koori students celebrate graduation.](/web/20160505013323im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/o/3/h/g/c/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.go4l4a.119yj2.png/1460450815630.jpg)
Henrietta Cook, Education Reporter Christopher Saunders admits that dropping out would have been easy. But the Koori student from St Patrick's College in Ballarat pushed on – and last year became the first person in his family to complete high school.
Law student wins her fight to kill off 'creepy' Facebook page ranking hot Melbourne University students
![Laura Blandthorn, a law student, is campaigning to get a Facebook page taken down, called 'Hotties of Melbourne ...](/web/20160505013323im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/o/7/5/7/b/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.go7hid.119yj2.png/1460757452487.jpg)
Timna Jacks, Henrietta Cook Social media page that rated students' appearance has been taken down, four days after the launch of a petition calling for its removal.
Leaky, cramped and forgotten. Specialist schools receive urgent funding boost
![Acting Principal David Newport and students at the Mornington Special development School. Holding his hand LEFT is ...](/web/20160505013323im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/o/9/7/7/u/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.go968v.119yj2.png/1461034284388.jpg)
Henrietta Cook, Timna Jacks Every building at Mornington Special Developmental School contains asbestos, and there's holes in the walls and a leaky roof.
Melbourne Girls Grammar students 'busted with ecstasy at formal'
![Ecstasy, marijuana and alcohol were reportedly found at the Melbourne Girls Grammar year 12 formal.](/web/20160505013323im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/o/7/8/h/r/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.goaezw.119yj2.png/1461307587197.jpg)
Patrick Hatch A Melbourne Girls' Grammar student has reportedly been expelled and two others suspended from the exclusive school after they were caught with drugs including ecstasy at a year 12 formal.
Liberals lash out at domestic violence curriculum over 'sexy freak out' ad
![education](/web/20160505013323im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/n/4/7/7/0/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.go63ul.119yj2.png/1460603729381.jpg)
Timna Jacks, Henrietta Cook The Victorian Liberals have criticised changes to the curriculum to combat domestic violence because they will involve Year 8 students studying ads that refer to "sexy freak outs".
App tackles teenage mental health via gaming
![Players develop an avatar who undertakes a series of challenges.](/web/20160505013323im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/o/3/b/m/h/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.go1zi6.119yj2.png/1460344267057.jpg)
Andrew Masterson A game-playing app is designed to help mid-teenage students develop skills and strategies for positive thinking that may help keep depression at bay.
Education news in brief
![How to grow an entrepreneur: Victorian students are growing seedlings to learn about business.](/web/20160505013323im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/n/v/r/c/i/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.go3e5t.119yj2.png/1460605443608.jpg)
Entrepreneurship program develops in north east; competition to design and construct a model bridge; Essendon players work with schools on bullying; regional arts fundraising drive begins and an exhibition on the Vietnam War opens at the Shrine of Remembrance.
Victoria's schools of the future: a work in progress
![A work in progress: there is huge demand for new schools on Melbourne's rapidly growing fringe while in the inner-city ...](/web/20160505013323im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/n/n/9/m/y/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.gnn2ie.119yj2.png/1460285467552.jpg)
Kathy Evans Victoria will need to accommodate almost another 200,000 students in the next decade and architects and planners are at the heart of this expansion that is going up and out.