AddressWestgarth Primary School is located in the inner-city suburb of Northcote approximately eight kilometres north of the city. The school was founded in 1924 and is located on two adjacent sites. The Prep/1/2 classes and administration centre are located at the Brooke Street site and the 3 ¿ 6 classes and specialist facilities are at the Clarke Street site.
Buildings include refurbished open planned learning spaces, studio learning spaces, modular five portables, a kitchen garden centre, STEM centre and an indoor gymnasium. School grounds include a kitchen garden, playgrounds at both sites and areas for passive play and seating.
There are approximately 600 students enrolled. The Student Family Occupation Education (SFOE) index is 0.07.
The staffing profile of Westgarth Primary School includes a Principal and Assistant Principal, a leading teacher, a numeracy and English learning specialist, 25 Classroom Teachers, 6 specialist teachers, 13 Education Support (ES) staff in various roles.
Our school values are:
¿ Respect: We appreciate diversity and the worth in others
¿ Integrity: We aim to be consistently honest and trustworthy
¿ Excellence (Being your best): We accept the challenge of new learning and always try our best
¿ Working together: We work with others to achieve and promote the involvement and contribution of all
¿ Responsibility: We recognise we are accountable for our actions towards ourselves, others and the environment
It is our aim to:
¿ Improve learning growth in literacy and numeracy
¿ Empower all students as learners and leaders
¿ Enhance student collaboration, inclusion and positive relationships in a supportive community
Our Focus is on:
¿ Excellence in teaching and learning - Building practice excellence / Curriculum planning and assessment / Evidence-based high impact teaching strategies
¿ Professional leadership - Instructional and shared leadership / Vision, values and culture
¿ Positive climate for learning - Empowering students and building school pride / Intellectual engagement and self-awareness / Setting expectations and promoting inclusion
¿ Community engagement in learning ¿ Parents and carers as partners
Our school provides an approved curriculum framework aligned to the Victorian Curriculum. There are specialist classes in performing arts (music), visual arts/Spanish, physical education, Spanish language, and a kitchen garden program.
Our school provides an accredited Out of School Hours Care Program and an array of extra-curricular programs including, clubs such as chess and sporting opportunities such as triathlon.
Our school has a visiting psychologist, speech therapist and links with allied health services to meet the needs of students and families. External consultancy services are available for families on site.
The school community supports the school through partnerships in school programs, fund raising events and social events.
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.
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.
Classroom teacher Range 2
Range 2 Classroom Teachers play a significant role in assisting the school to improve student performance and educational outcomes determined by the school strategic plan and state-wide priorities and contributing to the development and implementation of school policies and priorities.
A critical component of this work will focus on increasing the knowledge base of staff within their school about student learning and high quality instruction to assist their school to define quality teacher practice.
Range 2 Classroom Teachers will be expected to:
- Have the content knowledge and pedagogical practice to meet the diverse needs of all students
- Model exemplary classroom practice and mentor/coach other teachers in the school to engage in critical reflection of their practice and to support staff to expand their capacity
- Provide expert advice about the content, processes and strategies that will shape individual and school professional learning
- Supervise and train one or more student teachers
- Assist staff to use student data to inform teaching approaches that enable targets related to improving student learning outcomes to be achieved.
Classroom teacher Range 1
The primary focus of the range 1 Classroom Teacher is on further developing skills and competencies to become an effective classroom practitioner with structured support and guidance from teachers at higher levels and the planning, preparation and teaching of programs to achieve specific student outcomes. These teachers teach a range of students/classes and are accountable for the effective delivery of their programs. Range 1 Classroom Teachers are skilled teachers who operate under general direction within clear guidelines following established work practices and documented priorities and may have responsibility for the supervision and training of one or more student teachers.
At range 1, teachers participate in the development of school policies and programs and assist in the implementation of school priorities.
The focus of a range 1 Classroom Teacher is on classroom management, subject content and teaching practice. New entrants to the teaching profession in their initial teaching years receive structured support, mentoring and guidance from teachers at higher levels.
Under guidance, new entrants to the teaching profession will plan and teach student groups in one or more subjects and are expected to participate in induction programs and other professional learning activities that are designed to ensure the integration of curriculum, assessment and pedagogy across the school.
Teachers at range 1 are responsible for teaching their own classes and may also assist and participate in policy development, project teams and the organisation of co-curricula activities.
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.
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.
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.
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 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 *******@education.vic.gov.au
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://www2.education.vic.gov.au/pal/child-safe-standards/policy
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
- 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://www.education.vic.gov.au/hrweb/Pages/default.aspx
To be eligible for employment, transfer or promotion in the principal or teacher class a person must have provisional or full registration from the Victorian Institute of Teaching. In addition, from 3 August 2020, to be eligible for employment in the principal class or teacher class, a person who graduated from a Victorian Initial Teacher Education program after 1 July 2016, must 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 Initial Teacher Education program completed by the person.
