Classroom Teacher

School Profile

Colac South West Primary School is a caring and welcoming school, where parents, children, staff and the broader community work together to create a positive learning environment in which confident and happy children develop a love of learning and sense of their value as individuals and members of our community. 

Established in 1959, Colac South West Primary School is situated within a stable urban and rural population in the Colac and District area.  With a current enrolment of 130 students, the school is situated in Wilson Street, Colac.  A stimulating environment exists with modern and updated facilities, fabulous flexible learning spaces, a wonderful open library and a contemporary administration and entrance area. Our school community consists of a partnership between teachers, parents, students and local community members.

School Vision

At Colac South West Primary School we will provide opportunities for our students to maximise their potential in a supportive, challenging and engaging environment where all members proudly display the values of Respect, Engage, Achieve, Care and Honesty in order to equip them with the necessary skills and values to prepare them for the future.

Educational

The curriculum framework at Colac South West Primary School reflects the requirements of the Victorian Curriculum.  Our school is committed to providing quality education in all curriculum areas with a strong emphasis on literacy and numeracy.  Within a caring, friendly environment, students are encouraged to grow in confidence and self-discipline as they develop skills, values and attitudes. The school caters for differing student needs with intervention and extension programs across the school. The school offers specialist programs in Visual Arts, Physical Education (P.E.), AUSLAN and Music. Our extra curricula activities include annual camping programs from Grade 3 to 6, swimming, interschool sports, excursions and incursions related to the areas of study.

The school is structured into two Professional Learning Communities (PLC), with teachers currently working within a Junior (Prep to Year 2), and Senior (Years 3-6) PLC. Teachers within each PLC plan collaboratively to ensure that the curriculum is effectively differentiated. This ensures that students are engaged, challenged and supported in their learning. This focus on teacher collaboration and collective responsibility ensures that the teaching is responsive to the specific needs of our students.  The school has a strong commitment to student wellbeing, health and safety and continues to commit significant resources to support this area.  The approach to student wellbeing is well resourced with a dedicated Welfare Officer and Chaplain who successfully collaborates with teachers, parents and allied professionals to develop individual learning plans for children who have particular social, emotional or academic learning needs.

Colac South West has established clear links between Curriculum and Welfare.  The core of the school is centred on the School Wide Positive Behaviour Framework.  We promote and live by the following behaviours through our school values of Respect, Engage, Achieve, Care and Honesty (R.E.A.C.H.) and this provides the basis of which all groups within our community are expected to work and learn together.  Initiatives such as the weekly Breakfast Club, Better Buddies Framework, and SWPB (School Wide Positive Behaviour) continue to enhance our focus on the development of the whole child. Our staff members work together to ensure our students are supported and challenged and that they have a voice in the development of the school. It is expected that the successful applicant use these approaches in their learning programs.

Child Safe Standards

Colac South West Primary School is committed to the safety and wellbeing of all children and young people. This will be the primary focus of our care and decision-making. Colac South West Primary School has zero tolerance for child abuse.

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.

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

This vacancy is to replace an employee on parental absence and is for a period of seven years or until the employee absent on leave returns to duty at the school.

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.