TIME FRACTION: 1.0 (negotiable)
CLASSIFICATION: ES Level 1, Range 5
JOB TITLE: Psychologist
EMPLOYMENT PERIOD: 25/08/2025 – ONGOING
JOB OPENING NO: 1484014
APPLY BY:6/8/2025
BALLARAT HIGH SCHOOL
School Profile
Ballarat High School is a learning community where every person is valued, respected, and challenged as a learner.
We are entering into the next exciting phase of our journey as a school, and we aim to be leaders in education in order to secure the best possible outcomes for all of our students.
Ballarat High School commenced in 1907 as Agricultural High School and today has a student population of 1500 students. Ballarat High School has a long history and tradition of providing a quality education to the youth of Ballarat. While the school has changed physically over its hundred-year history, what has not changed is the significant contribution it makes to many young lives.
We endeavour to provide an inclusive, positive, respectful learning environment for all students.We believe in educating the whole person and acknowledge the correlation between student wellbeing, connectedness, and academic achievement.Our mission is to provide the right supports to the right students at the right time.
Our values of Pride, Respect and Responsibility under the motto of Duty Always ensure we build and maintain strong and positive relationships.We focus on teaching and learning improvement strategies that will raise standards and outcomes for all individuals in a culture of high expectations, collaboration, shared values and trust.
Ballarat High School is incredibly fortunate to have high quality facilities for all faculty areas and we fully utilise these spaces to ensure that all students find their passion and their time with us is enriched with excellent learning opportunities both within and beyond the classroom.
Please visit www.ballaraths.vic.edu.aufor additional information, including the following key documents
·BHS Strategic Plan
·BHS Annual Implementation Plan
·Annual Report to the School Community
·Vision for School Improvement
·Policies and other resources
Role Description
Ballarat High School recognises the vital role of the School Psychologist in supporting students’ mental health, learning and overall wellbeing. This role is essential in providing psychological services to students, ensuring they have the support needed to succeed academically, socially and emotionally. The School Psychologist will work closely with students, families and staff to assess and address learning, emotional and behavioural challenges. They will play a key role in fostering a supportive and inclusive school environment, developing tailored wellbeing strategies, and guiding staff on best practices for student support. Collaboration with school leaders, external specialists and support services will be essential in ensuring a proactive approach to student wellbeing.
The successful candidate will be a registered psychologist with experience in adolescent mental health and wellbeing. A strong understanding of school-based psychological interventions and inclusive education is essential. This position offers the opportunity to shape and enhance student wellbeing practices at Ballarat High School, ensuring all students feel supported and empowered to reach their full potential.
Education Support class level 1 range 5
An education support class position supports the educational services being provided to students, but must not include duties of teaching as defined in clause 2.6.1 of the Education and Training Reform Act 2006 (Vic) or its successor. Supervision of students cannot be required except where it is an integral part of the employee’s position or involves supervision of students individually or in small groups, in controlled circumstances, where the responsibility for students remains clearly with a teacher.
Attendance during some school holiday periods may be required and would be compensated through Leave Purchase or Time in Lieu arrangements.
Responsibilities
The key responsibilities of the position may include, but is not limited to:
1.Providing recommendations and evidence for Disability Inclusion Profiles.
2.Providing advice and professional learning programs to others, including teachers and other school wellbeing staff, to build capacity and improve students’ wellbeing, learning and developmental outcomes.
3.Deliver and facilitate professional support services within the school, including mental health prevention and early intervention practices (including short-term counselling) that promote student social, emotional and educational development and the mental health and wellbeing of students.
4.Planning and implementing evidence-based intervention strategies for students with complex needs including collaborating with families, other professionals and agencies when appropriate to effectively manage risk.
5.Facilitating effective working relationships and partnerships with parents, school staff and external support agencies, involving a multidisciplinary approach to prove comprehensive support, case management and a referral service that optimises students’ access to and engagement in educational programs. Undertaking necessary prioritisation and triage of referrals and service requests.
6.Collaborating with staff to develop intervention strategies that enhance student learning, behaviour and mental health outcomes.
7.Working collaboratively to enhance mental health prevention and promotion across the school by ensuring policy and procedures for student protection, educating students with disabilities, behaviour support, the containment of critical incidents and mandatory record keeping are implemented. This may include the development, monitoring and review of individual student plans with teachers, staff and families.
8.Providing leadership and support in response to student protection issues and complex mental health incidents and emergencies, including the development and implementation of responsive programs for school and student needs. For example: anxiety and stress management, grief and loss, incident responding, risk management and behaviour support planning for students.
9.Assessing presenting issues and conduct activities such as intakes, student observation and psychoeducational assessment to determine the nature of student learning difficulties, disability, developmental levels, or psychological and emotional status to make recommendations for educational adjustments and interventions.
10.Balancing the ethical issues of consent, privacy and confidentiality for each student with appropriateness of sharing information with others and maintain a comprehensive and professional record-keeping system that complies with policy and the legal requirements for access to these official records.
11.Meeting relevant policies and legislative requirements in relation to student health information, privacy, consent, inclusion and Child Safety Standards.
12.Maintaining professional competence through continued participation in regular professional supervision sessions and relevant professional development.
Please note: Continued professional development is a registration requirement under the National Law, which governs the operations of the National Boards and Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA).
Key Selection Criteria
Applicants are requested to present a written response to the key selection criteria below:
1.Demonstrated ability to implement a range of small group and whole-school mental health prevention and promotion activities aimed at improving student mental health and wellbeing, including the delivery of capacity building and awareness raising activities for staff and students on key mental health and wellbeing issues relevant to the school community.
2.Experience contributing to the development, implementation and evaluation of evidence-based strategies aimed at enhancing mental health promotion, prevention and early intervention within a school setting.
3.Demonstrated experience in conducting and analysing wellbeing/educational/behavioural assessments and providing evidence-based recommendations and documentation to support applications under the DE Disability Inclusion model.
4.Proven ability to coordinate appropriate supports for students with complex needs, including timely referrals to specialist and external services, while working collaboratively with staff and families.
5.Highly developed communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build strong relationships and effectively collaborate with students, school staff, families and allied health professionals.
6.Thorough understanding of relevant legislation, including privacy health laws, the Disability Discrimination Act and Child Safe Standards, and the ability to apply these in maintaining ethical, safe and inclusive practices.
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 Child Safe Standards: Policy | education.vic.gov.au
EEO and OHS Commitment
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.
The Department of Education (the department) is committed to the principles of equal opportunity, and diversity and inclusion for all. We value diversity and inclusion in all forms - gender, religion, ethnicity, LGBTIQ+, 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 family friendly, supportive, safe and harassment free workplaces is essential to high performance and promotes flexible work, diversity and safety across all schools and department workplaces.It is our policy to provide reasonable adjustments for persons with a disability (see Workplace adjustment guidelines).
Additional support and advice on the recruitment process is available to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islanders from the Koorie Outcomes Division (KOD) via marrung@education.vic.gov.au.
Who May Apply
Required
* Applicants must hold current AHPRA registration as a psychologist.
* Demonstrated direct counselling experience with adolescents.
* A current Working with Children Check.
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 https://www.education.vic.gov.au/hrweb/Pages/default.aspx
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://www2.education.vic.gov.au/pal/values-department-vps-school-employees/overview
Applications
Enquiries regarding the position can be directed to Mr. Tim Davey on 03 5338 9000.
Applications should be submitted via School Jobs Vic (formally Recruitment Online)
https://www.education.vic.gov.au/hrweb/careers/Pages/advacsSch.aspxor a copy of your application can be emailed to Mrs. Tracey Ginn, Personnel Manager, ballarat.hs@education.vic.gov.aumarked Confidential – Psychologist, by 4.00pm on the closing date.
Responses to the Key Selection Criteria and a Resume including the names of three referees, their contact numbers and email addresses must be included in the application.