Overview
Work Type: Ongoing - Full-time
Salary: Salary not specified
Grade: Leading Teacher - Range 3
Occupation: Leading teacher
Location: Grampians - Ballarat
Reference:
Location Profile
Location
Ballarat Specialist School caters for students aged from 3 to 18 years who have a diagnosed intellectual disability ranging from mild to profound. Ballarat Specialist School is a dual-campus K-12 school organised around four stages of learning - Early Learning (Ages 3-5), Primary School (Ages 5-12), Middle School (Ages and Senior School (Ages Our Early Learning to Middle School students are accommodated at our main Gillies Street Campus. Our Senior School students are located at our 8.09 hectare FARM Campus in Norman Street. Our current enrolment is approximately 430 students.
Our school's mission is "Achieving Personal Success Together". We strive to enable our students and staff to reach their full potential in a safe, stimulating and flexible learning environment. Our educational programs provide a balanced and personalised curriculum where student achievement is acknowledged and celebrated.
Ballarat Specialist School provides an inclusive and rigorous learning program that challenges and engages students to grow as passionate learners. The school's teaching and learning programs are underpinned by the Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework and The Victorian Pathways Certificate. A comprehensive curriculum, with a strong focus on Literacy and Numeracy, is embedded into curriculum maps for each of the mini-schools within the school. Each curriculum map is designed to meet the learning needs of students at their individual stages of learning. This is supported by Individual Education Plans for all students. Communication is a keystone of all learning and curriculums within the school. The school's pedagogy reflects current research, and best practice is enacted to maximise student learning outcomes. Our teaching and learning programs are anchored in a gradual release of responsibility model to enable our students to become independent and lifelong learners. Through Professional Learning Communities, Ballarat Specialist School Staff invest in the collective application of curriculum, assessment, shared learning, reflection and they engage in inquiry about student work.
Our specialist programs include: Science, Performing Arts, Visual Arts, Physical Education (PE) and Hospitality. The school also operates the Vintage Soul Op Shop and a café at our Gilles St and Norman street FARM campus. Through these enterprises, we can offer students pathways to future employment as these school-based work areas and programs are connected to the specific delivery of Certificate I in life skills and Certificate II Courses through local TAFE institutes. The courses conducted onsite are Kitchen Operations, Retail, Horticulture, Visual Arts, Sport & Recreation, Music Industry and Work skills.
Our supermarket, ¿Mini `Woolies¿ provides an onsite and real life supermarket experience for our primary and middle school students at Gillies Street.
Individual Educational Plans (IEP¿s) are developed by the Student Support Group, which comprises parents and carers, outside agencies, and school staff. The IEPs are then implemented by school staff, including Classroom Staff, Education Assistants and supported by the Integrated Service Team.
Selection Criteria
SC1 Demonstrated expert knowledge of the relevant curriculum. Demonstrated ability to model exemplary teaching practice, including the teaching of literacy and numeracy skills across the curriculum, and implement school priorities.
SC2 Demonstrated expertise in the implementation and modelling of Victorian teaching and learning model that responds to student learning needs. Demonstrated ability to support teachers to evaluate the impact of learning and teaching programs on student learning growth
SC3 Demonstrated exemplary ability to model the monitoring and assessment of student learning. Demonstrated ability to support others in using data to inform teaching practice and to provide feedback on student learning growth and achievement to students and parents.
SC4 Demonstrated exemplary interpersonal and communication skills. Demonstrated ability to engage in collaborative relationships with students, colleagues, parents and the broader school community to support student learning, agency, wellbeing and engagement.
SC5 Demonstrated ability to model behaviours and attitudes consistent with Department values. Demonstrated ability to support others to reflect on their practice and facilitate school-based professional learning.
SC6 Demonstrated ability to support the implementation of the MTSS Model, to support students with a disability access the curriculum.
Role
Leading Teachers are highly skilled classroom practitioners and undertake leadership and management roles commensurate with their salary range. The role of leading teachers is to improve the skill, knowledge and performance of the teaching workforce in a school or group of schools and to improve the curriculum program of a school. Leading teachers are responsible for coordinating a number of staff to achieve improvements in teaching and learning which may include the coordination and professional support of colleagues through modelling, collaborating and coaching and using processes that develop knowledge, practice and professional engagement in others.
Leading teachers are expected to lead and manage a significant area or function within the school with a high degree of independence to ensure the effective development, provision and evaluation of the school¿s education program. Leading teachers will be expected to make a significant contribution to policy development relating to teaching and learning in the school. A leading teacher has a direct impact and influence on the achievement of the school goals.
Responsibilities
* Leading teachers are usually responsible for the implementation of one or more priorities contained in the school strategic plan. At Ballarat Specialist School, Leading Teachers::
* Lead and manage the implementation of whole-school improvement initiatives related to the school strategic plan and school priorities.
* Lead and manage the implementation of whole-school improvement strategies related to curriculum planning and delivery.
* Lead and manage the provision of professional learning and developing individual and team performance and development plans for teaching staff within the priorities of the school.
* Lead and manage staff performance and development (review of staff).
* Teach demonstration lessons.
* Lead and manage the implementation of the school operations and policies related to student welfare and discipline.
* Responsible for general discipline matters beyond the management of classroom teachers.
* Contribute to the overall leadership and management of the school.
* Contribute to the development of proposals for school council consideration.
* Develop and manage the school code of conduct.
* Collaborate with leaders to build relational trust, self-awareness and leadership skills that develop collective efficacy through a culture of high expectations for all.
* Communicate relevant information to teams after meetings.
* Provide teachers non face-to-face teaching time by teaching classes throughout the week when applicable.
* Supervise and train one or more pre-service teachers, and mentoring and/or coaching teachers.
* Support the Disability Inclusion process when appropriate.
* Through the MTSS framework, work with the Integrated Services Team, deepen understanding of how to implement effective classroom observation and feedback.
* Delegate administrative tasks and upskill teachers, through distributive leadership across the team to maintain professional learning.
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:
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
Days Required:
Monday - Friday. 8:30am to 4:30 pm
What Can You Expect From Our School?
Our school has a strong focus on assisting our students to reach their full potential. We are committed to the development of our teachers with professional development programs offered in learning, teaching and leadership.
You will be part of a vital, stimulating and challenging learning environment. The skills you bring to this environment will be accepted and used.
Our school has an excellent School Council and we share a good relationship with our broader school community.
Preparing Your Application:
Your application should persuade us that you are the best person for this position. It does not need to be long but should help us to decide if you would fit easily into our school philosophy and learning and teaching team. Your application should clearly state any history that you have working with children. If you are submitting hardcopies of your application, please provide the school with three copies.
Applicants must respond to the Key Selection Criteria for this position in their application. If you do not address the selection criteria you will not be offered an interview.
You are also requested to name two confidential referees that we can contact for further information regarding your suitability for employment and who can verify your child-safe bona-fides.
Our Selection Process:
After the closing date, our appointments committee will meet and consider the material forwarded by applicants. The committee will short list applicants for interview, interviews will be conducted and referees contacted prior to a decision being made.
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, 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.
Applications close Thursday 26 February 2026 at 11.59pm
Posted
13 February 2026