Location Profile
Location ProfileVermont South Special School is located in Vermont South in the Eastern suburbs of Melbourne in an attractive residential area. The school is a primary specialist setting for students with an intellectual disability (Full Scale Intelligence Quotient of between 50 - 70), aged between 5 - 12. Many students also exhibit other diagnosed disabilities and medical conditions, with 65% of students diagnosed on the Autism Spectrum. Students come from seven local government areas and are transported to school by bus. The school currently has 150 students with a maximum enrolment of 180 students. The school has 57 staff members: 2 Principal Class, 27 teachers (FTE 22.06) and 31 Education Support Staff (FTE 21.63).At Vermont South Special School, it is our mission to provide students with the best possible foundation in life through a well-rounded education. Our core values are learning, respect, responsibility, and resilience. We are intent on engaging students in their learning through providing highly qualified teaching staff, proactive leadership, and a safe and inclusive environment.
The school is divided into four sections: Foundation, Juniors, Middles and Seniors. Class sizes are small, ranging from 6 - 7 students in Foundation to 12 - 13 in Seniors. A qualified Special Education teacher, together with a teacher assistant in every class, ensures that students' individual needs are catered for. Students are further supported by specialist subjects; Visual Arts, Performing Arts, Physical Education, and the Healthy Kitchen Program. An occupational therapist, physiotherapist, speech pathologists, nurse and re-engagement officer also support students' additional needs.
The school has a strong commitment to positive parent/school partnerships, and we invite and welcome parent involvement at many levels as we know this leads to enhanced learning outcomes.
Selection Criteria
* Demonstrated high level experience in inclusive education practice (teaching and learning), building school staff capability and developing processes for observation and feedback of teacher practice and peer collaboration.
* Demonstrated experience planning, implementing and evaluating evidence-based intervention strategies for students with disabilities and providing feedback to teaching staff to inform their effectiveness and development.
* Demonstrated ability to input into the development, implementation and evaluation of processes and strategies relating to teaching students with disability and diverse learning needs in a range of school settings.
* Demonstrated ability to provide explicit advice to teaching staff to assess and monitor student achievement and learning progress in line with the Victorian curriculum, and support teaching staff with effective strategies to engage with parents and families, including reporting on student progress.
* Highly developed communication, networking and interpersonal skills including the ability to liaise effectively with a wide range of people.
* Ability to provide leadership, professional learning and coaching that informs and influences the work of others involved in the engagement and wellbeing of children and young people.
Context
The Disability Inclusion reform agenda announced in the 2020/21 State Budget will invest more than $1.5 billion into the Victorian Education system over four years. This investment will support the Department of Education (the Department) to further improve outcomes for schools and students with disability and diverse learning needs. A key initiative under the reform is the Inclusion Outreach Coaching initiative, which supports schools to implement inclusive practices, guided by Inclusion Outreach Coaches (Learning Specialists).
Classification
Teacher Class (Learning Specialist) - Range 3
The successful applicant will be a highly skilled classroom practitioner who continues to spend the majority of their time in schools and classrooms delivering high-quality teaching and learning and have a range of responsibilities related to their expertise, including teaching demonstration lessons, observing and providing feedback to other teachers and facilitating school-based professional learning. Learning Specialist class employees are expected to have deep knowledge and expertise in high quality teaching and learning in delivering improved achievement, engagement and wellbeing for students. The role of the Learning Specialist will be to model excellence in teaching and learning through demonstration lessons, and mentoring and coaching teachers in improving the skill, knowledge and effectiveness of the teaching workforce.
For more information on the responsibilities of a Learning Specialist Range 3 employee, please visit:
Role
Inclusion Outreach Coaches are based in specialist schools and partner with mainstream schools for defined periods, to provide coaching support to school leadership and staff aimed at strengthening inclusive practices. Coaches partner with the schools to increase their capability to implement preventative, evidence-based strategies that benefit all students. Together, the coach and school use data to identify a goal to work towards and plan and monitor for improvement and sustainability. Coaches collaborate with Departmental regional team members in a team-based response to the identified need. There is an emphasis on Tier 1 preventative, system change practices. Coaches do not work directly with students or provide individual student support. Coaches will undertake training to support schools in data-based decision making and using a Multi-tiered System of Supports. Coaches use a hybrid delivery model, so travel will be required.
Responsibilities
1. Demonstrating high-level expertise in teaching and learning practice and modelling exemplary practice and values in inclusive education, to support the development of an inclusive school culture.
2. Delivering high quality, explicit technical advice and coaching support on best-practice for educators to effectively engage students in inclusive classrooms, so that they
Applicants seeking part-time employment are encouraged to apply for any teaching service position and, if they are the successful candidate, request a reduced time fraction. Such requests will be negotiated on a case-by-case basis and will be subject to the operational requirements of the school.
Child Safe Standards
Victorian government schools are child safe environments. Our schools actively promote the safety and wellbeing of all students, and all school staff are committed to protecting students from abuse or harm in the school environment, in accordance with their legal obligations including child safe standards. All schools have a Child Safety Code of Conduct consistent with the department's exemplar available at:
DE Values
The department's employees commit to upholding the department's Values: Responsiveness, Integrity, Impartiality, Accountability, Respect, Leadership and Human Rights. The department's Values complement each school's own values and underpin the behaviours the community expects of Victorian public sector employees, including those who work in Victorian Government Schools. Information on the department values is available at:
Other Information
Inclusion Outreach Coaches are based in specialist schools and partner with mainstream schools for defined periods, to provide coaching support to school leadership and staff aimed at strengthening inclusive practices. Coaches partner with the schools to increase their capability to implement preventative, evidenced-based strategies that benefit all students. Together, the coach and school use data to identify a goal to work towards and plan and monitor for improvement and sustainability. Coaches collaborate with Departmental regional team members in a team-based response to the identified need. There is an emphasis on Tier 1 preventative, system change practices. Coaches do not work directly with students or provide individual student support. Coaches will undertake training to support schools in data-based decision making and Multi-tiered Systems of Support. Coaches use a hybrid delivery model, so travel will may be required. To be eligible to apply you must have a current Working with Children Check and drivers licence.
Conditions of Employment
* All staff employed by the Department and schools have access to a broad range of employment conditions and working arrangements.
* Appointment of successful applicants will be made subject to a satisfactory pre-employment conditions check.
* A probationary period may apply during the first year of employment and induction and support programs provided.
* Detailed information on all terms and conditions of employment is available on the Department's Human Resources website at
Qualification Requirements
To be eligible for employment,