Policy
This policy explains the department’s requirements on students repeating a year level.
Summary
- Students should progress to the next year level with their peer group, unless there are exceptional circumstances and the principal and the student’s parents/carers agree that repeating the year is in the best interest of the student.
- Research indicates that repeating a year level can be associated with poorer student wellbeing, achievement and school completion.
- If a family makes a request for their child to repeat a year, the principal or their delegate must follow a 3-step process:
- meet with the student’s parents/carers
- consider all relevant factors
- communicate the final decision to the parents/carers, and the student where appropriate.
Details
Schools should progress students to the next year level with their peer group, unless there are exceptional circumstances.
Impact of repeating a year
Repeating a year level can be associated with poorer student wellbeing, achievement and school completion, including loss of confidence, development of negative attitudes towards school and learning, and challenging behaviour. Students who repeat a year are unlikely to catch up with peers, on average make about 3 months’ less progress than their peers who don’t repeat, and are more likely to disengage and leave school prior to completion.
Relevant research can be found in the Resources tab.
Decision making
Principals must use their professional expertise and judgement about individual student progression. A decision for a student to repeat a year of school will only be made in exceptional circumstances, and with parent or carer consent. When making this assessment, principals must consider:
- the student’s social, emotional and academic needs
- whether repeating a year may prevent the student from ultimately being able to complete a senior secondary or foundation secondary school certificate at the school because of maximum school age limitations
- research findings on the impact of repeating a year level (refer to the Resources tab).
A student may repeat a year level only in exceptional circumstances, and with agreement of both the principal and the family that this is in the best interest of the student.
Responding to a family request for their child to repeat a year level
A family may make a request to the school for their child to repeat a year.
If a family makes such a request, the principal or their delegate must:
- meet with the family and discuss the student’s progress, emotional and academic needs, existing and potential future supports, any supporting documentation, and the summary of research on repeating a year level – refer to Repeating a year level information for principals
- following the meeting, reach a decision considering all the factors listed in step 1. Principals are encouraged to seek support and input from their senior education improvement leader and other area and regional colleagues, for example, Student Support Services (SSS)
- communicate the decision to the family, outlining all the considerations and next steps to support the student.
Principal initiated decision to repeat a year
A principal may, on the advice of their staff or as a result of their own observations, form the view that, in exceptional circumstances, it would be in the best interest of a student for them to repeat the year.
The principal must meet with the parents/carers and the student where appropriate, and set out the reasons for their view.
Parent/carer agreement must be received. If a parent/carer does not agree, the principal cannot require a student to repeat a year.
A principal must not pressure or coerce parents/carers to agree to a student repeating a year.
Requests for students to transfer to another school to repeat a year
Where a parent requests that their child transfer from one government school to another government school with the purpose of repeating a year level, the decision about which year level the student will be enrolled in rests with the principal of the enrolling school.
When making this decision, the principal of the enrolling school must consult with the parent or carer and if appropriate, the student, to understand the basis of the request to repeat a year level. Where the enrolment has been accepted (but the year level not decided upon yet), the principal may also consult with the principal of the transferring school on the appropriate year level to place the student.
Where the parents do not want the enrolment to proceed until a decision is made about year level, the principal must seek parent/carer consent before consulting with the student’s current principal. For student transfers refer to Student transfers between schools.
Parent/carer complaints
If parents or carers have requested that their child repeat a year level and are not satisfied with the principal’s decision, they can lodge a complaint following the school’s Complaints Policy. To view the department’s complaints policy, refer to Complaint Resolution.
Senior secondary school
Most students complete the VCE through 16 to 20 units over a period of 2 years; however, students may accumulate units over any number of years. For more information, visit the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority .
Related policies
Contacts
For support with specific queries relating to students repeating a year level, schools may contact their senior education improvement leader.
For general queries about this Repeating a Year Level Policy please contact the department’s Partnerships and Priority Cohorts Branch on:
Reviewed 06 October 2025