Please note: This policy replaces the Specialism Schools and Programs policy.
Policy
The purpose of this policy is to define designated purpose settings (DPS), outline the different types of DPS available to students, and describe their role within the Victorian government education system. The policy also provides overarching guidance for establishing and modifying special entry criteria at these settings.
Summary
- A DPS is a school, campus or program that specialises in a specific subject or activity or supports a particular student cohort.
- These settings typically do not have a school zone and enrol or admit students under department approved special entry criteria aligned to their purpose.
- Principals of DPS must publish their special entry criteria on their school’s website, either by uploading a school-level enrolment, selection or referral policy or by linking to a related department policy or webpage with the relevant information.
- Principals of DPS must follow the guidance in this policy when seeking to establish or modify their setting’s special entry criteria.
Details
Within the Victorian government school system there are 2 overarching categories of educational settings. These are:
- designated neighbourhood schools (DNS)
- designated purpose settings (DPS).
Eligible students have a legislated right to enrol at their designated neighbourhood school. DNSs must follow the department’s Placement Policy when enrolling students.
DPS enrol or admit students who meet the special entry criteria outlined in their enrolment, selection, or referral policy (where there is sufficient accommodation) and have no legal obligation to enrol or admit local students into the DPS. The one exception is DNSs that offer a bilingual program through the department’s Designated Bilingual Program, where locally enrolled students are required to participate in the program.
DPS offer environments that cater to diverse learning needs and provide students with greater choice and flexibility to achieve their education aspirations while at school.
Victorian government DPS include standalone schools, or campuses and programs of DNSs, that:
- specialise in a specific subject or activity, for example, science or performing arts, or
- support a particular cohort, for example high achieving students, students with diverse learning needs, or students with disability and/or high support needs.
These settings must have a designated purpose from one of the following categories:
- Alpine/Seasonal
- Complementary (including Community schools and Flexible Learning Options)
- English language (for newly arrived students)
- Health Services (including Hospital schools and schools working with mental health services)
- High-Ability (including select entry secondary schools, sport, science, and performing arts)
- Language (including Binational and Bilingual)
- Outdoor Education
- Specialist (for students with disability and/or high support needs)
- Virtual
- Youth justice.
DNSs that operate a designated purpose campus or program must continue to apply the Placement Policy for enrolments into all areas of the school outside the designated purpose campus or program.
Some DNSs have a local enrolment policy that contains an adjusted priority order of placement which applies to all enrolments, including enrolments into the DPS campus or program (e.g. DNSs with deaf facility campuses). In these cases, all enrolments into the school must be managed in accordance with the school’s adjusted priority order of placement.
Special entry criteria guidance
Special entry criteria are specific requirements or conditions that students must satisfy to be considered for enrolment or participation in a DPS.
Special entry criteria may include factors such as demonstrated aptitude or talent in a particular area (for example, sport), specific academic achievements, specific diagnoses and support needs, or other relevant attributes that align with the designated purpose (for example, proficiency in spoken languages).
Special entry criteria must be measurable, objective, and clearly defined to ensure transparent and fair decision making when enrolling or admitting students.
Approval of special entry criteria
Special entry criteria must be approved by the Deputy Secretary, Schools and Regional Services or the relevant regional director, as authorised delegates of the Minister for Education (Instrument of Delegation No. 2025/D02 ).
Principals must seek approval to add, remove or change special entry criteria for a DPS (refer to guidance tab for further information).
Where applicable, special entry criteria must also align with any statewide eligibility requirements for certain types of DPS.
Application of special entry criteria
Principals of DPS must ensure that special entry criteria are consistently applied when selecting students. This includes the prioritisation of students where the number of applicants exceeds sufficient accommodation.
Publication of special entry criteria
DPS must detail and publish their special entry criteria on their school website.
This requirement can be met by either:
- uploading an approved school-level enrolment, selection or referral policy outlining the special entry criteria
- providing a link to the special entry criteria that applies to the DPS set out in a related department policy or webpage, for example, the Flexible Learning Options policy for FLO settings.
If additional enrolment requirements for a DPS extend beyond those specified in a related department policy or webpage, an approved school-level enrolment, selection or referral policy detailing the special entry criteria is required and must be published on the school website.
School-level enrolment, selection or referral policies are recommended to be easily accessible and promptly updated if any modifications are made to the special entry criteria (please refer to guidance tab for further information).
The school-level enrolment/selection/referral policy or related department policy/webpage must also outline:
- the minimum and maximum ages for enrolment or participation in the DPS
- how parents or carers appeal a decision not to provide placement.
Department oversight of special entry criteria
The department may initiate reviews of special entry criteria arrangements at any time to ensure continued alignment with educational objectives or to address enrolment challenges within local school networks.
Please refer to the guidance tab for more information on:
- modifying special entry criteria
- establishing a new designated purpose setting
- designated purpose schools in Victoria and the complete list
- designated purpose campuses in Victoria and the complete list
- designated purpose programs in Victoria and the complete list.
Related policies
- Curriculum Programs Foundation to 10
- Designated Bilingual Program
- EAL – Provision for Newly Arrived Students
- Enrolment
- Flexible Learning Options
- Outdoor Education Schools
- Students with Disability
- Supporting High-Ability Students
Relevant legislation
Contact
Schools may contact the relevant Executive Director Area for queries about:
- modifying special entry criteria at a new or existing DPS
- establishing a new DPS in Victoria.
For queries about individual DPS, schools may contact the individual setting or the relevant Executive Director Area. Refer to Office for contact details for each regional office.
For general queries about this policy please contact the Designated Purpose Settings Unit at: designated.purpose.settings@education.vic.gov.au
Reviewed 18 July 2025