Location Profile
Western Heights College is a government co-educational single campus secondary college located in the heart of the Hamlyn Heights, Herne Hill and the Geelong West region just a short drive from the Geelong city centre, the Geelong Ring Road and nearby rural towns. The college is located within state-of-the-art modern buildings which connect learning, to our community and reflects our leading-edge work in curriculum design and delivery for our community.
The college¿s purpose is to empower students to strive for success and excellence in their educational journey with a focus on learning growth, high expectations, holistic well-being, creativity and innovation reflected strongly in the schools 3 values courage, responsibility and inclusivity. Stage 3 planning/building has commenced for the school to complete its masterplan which will see the college state of art gymnasium constructed on-site to enable a highly specialised sports and physical activity program to grow. The college offers flexible indoor and outdoor learning spaces as well as an array of educational opportunities to empower students to strive for success and excellence in their educational learning journey.
The college has a strong focus on literacy and numeracy across the college. Global learning and thinking are a priority for the College with the school inclusive of cultural diversity, offering EAL and Chinese mandarin as it¿s language. The college has sister schools based in China.
Leadership, interpersonal development and student voice and agency in learning are a focus for the school with its offerings of exceptional dance, music, theatre studies, technology, STEM, outdoor education, and art programs on offer. The college has an exciting camps and excursions program with opportunities to include local, interstate and international experiences to places like Mount Buller, Kokoda, Central Australia, China, New Zealand, the USA and Europe. The College is also involved regularly in the School for Student Leadership Opportunities across all its campuses for Year 9 students.
All students belong to learning communities with developmental personal learning goals and pathways plans, supported by a daily mentoring program. Years 7 and 8 students are supported in their learning communities by a teacher team focused on building key skills, knowledge and understanding. An innovative personalised program for Year 9 and 10 students includes access to VCE, the Head Start Program, School Based Apprenticeships (SBA¿s) and Vocational Education Training (VET) studies. Years 11 and 12 students choose from a wide range of studies, combining academic VCE, vocational and applied learning programs and certificates (VET/VCAL). Western Heights College has an active and fully engaged College Council, establishing strong links with the local community, including partnerships with the City of Greater Geelong, Vines Road Community Hub, the Geelong Regional Library, Vines Road Senior Citizens and many local and elite sports groups co-located on site. The school has a growing enrolment of 1150 students in 2026.
Selection Criteria
SC1 Demonstrated knowledge of the relevant curriculum, including the ability to incorporate the teaching of literacy and numeracy skills. Demonstrated experience in responding to student learning needs.
SC2 Demonstrated experience in planning for and implementing high impact teaching strategies, guided by how students learn, and evaluating the impact of learning and teaching programs on student learning growth.
SC3 Demonstrated experience in monitoring and assessing student learning. Demonstrated experience in using data to inform teaching practice and providing feedback on student learning growth and achievement to students and parents.
SC4 Demonstrated interpersonal and communication skills. Demonstrated experience in establishing and maintaining collaborative relationships with students, parents, colleagues and the broader school community to support student learning, agency, wellbeing and engagement.
SC5 Demonstrated behaviours and attitudes consistent with Department values. Demonstrated experience in reflecting upon practice and engaging in professional learning to continually improve the quality of teaching.
Role
The classroom teacher classification comprises two salary ranges- range 1 and range 2. The primary focus of the classroom teacher is on the planning, preparation and teaching of programs to achieve specific student outcomes. The classroom teacher engages in critical reflection and inquiry in order to improve knowledge and skills to effectively engage students and improve their learning.
As the classroom teacher gains experience his or her contribution to the school program beyond the classroom increases. All classroom teachers may be required to undertake other duties in addition to their rostered teaching duties provided the responsibility is appropriate to the salary range, qualifications, training and experience of the teacher.
Responsibilities
The role of classroom teacher may include but is not limited to:
* Direct teaching of groups of students and individual students;
* Contributing to the development, implementation and evaluation of a curriculum area or other curriculum program within the school;
* Undertaking other classroom teaching related and organisational duties as determined by the School Principal;
* Participating in activities such as parent/teacher meetings; staff meetings; camps and excursions;
* Undertaking other non-teaching supervisory duties.
Who May Apply
Teachers currently registered or eligible for registration with the Victorian Institute of Teaching and qualified to teach and/or have demonstrated experience in the curriculum area(s) specified for the position.
Diversity and Inclusion
The department is committed to diversity and inclusion and developing a workforce that is representative of the community we service. We value diversity and inclusion in all forms - culture, gender, religion, ethnicity, LGBTIQA+, disability and neurodiversity. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for roles within the Department. The Department recognises that the provision of safe, respectful and inclusive workplaces is essential to high performance and promotes flexible work and diversity across all schools and Department workplaces. It is our policy to provide reasonable adjustments for staff with disability (see Workplace adjustment guidelines).
Additional support and advice on the recruitment process is available to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander candidates from the Koorie Outcomes Division (KOD) via *******@
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:
https:///pal/child-safe-standards/policy
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:
https:///pal/values-department-vps-school-employees/overview
Other Information
Graduates welcome to apply
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 http:///hrweb/Pages/default.aspx
Qualification Requirements
To be eligible for employment, transfer or promotion in the principal or teacher class:
* The person must have provisional or full registration approved by the Victorian Institute of Teaching; and
* if the person completed an Australian postgraduate level initial teaching program or course of study on or after 1 January 2024, they must demonstrate that they have satisfactorily completed a postgraduate level accredited initial teacher education program that has been accredited by an Australian State or Territory Teacher Regulatory Authority as satisfying the requirements of the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership 'Accreditation of initial teacher education programs in Australia: Standards and Procedures'; and
* a person who graduated from a Victorian Initial Teacher Education (ITE) program after 1 July 2016 must also demonstrate that they have passed the literacy and numeracy test for initial teacher education (LANTITE) requirements (this condition is satisfied where the LANTITE requirement is part of the Victorian ITE program completed by the person).
Details of qualification requirements as updated from time to time can be found at Recruitment in Schools.