Math/Science Classroom Teacher

Western Port Secondary College is a dynamic learning community located in a beautiful rural setting on the Mornington Peninsula. It is a smaller sized secondary school with approximately 680 students.  The College is currently undergoing a $11.6M major refurbishment which will include a dedicated wellbeing centre.

The College ethos is based upon the commitment of staff, students and parents working cooperatively to provide the best possible curriculum in a safe and welcoming environment. The College’s Core Values are Community, Achievement, Respect, Engagement (CARE), which are embedded into programs and practices within the College community. Our College places a great emphasis on pastoral care and a very positive approach to student wellbeing. We believe the best environment for students to learn is one that is safe, inclusive, respectful, caring and purposeful, and one where personalised and individual learning programs can be achieved. Each and every student is known and has a place in our school.

The current strategic plan focusses on our core business of Teaching and Learning and Accountability. We have initiated a 21st Century Education approach which ensures our students complete their schooling and leave equipped with the skills and knowledge to be successful in their futures and careers. We have implemented a number of changes so all students are accurately mapped on the Victorian Continuum in all learning areas, and then explicitly taught at the level they are at in order to progress along the continuum. This growth is then measured, recorded and reported on. We have developed similar measures for our senior VCE and VM programs. We have shifted from solely relying on Teacher Judgments for assessment and instead using a range of tools to more accurately and independently measure and map students learning growth and academic outcomes. Teachers continue to work hard developing differentiated curriculum and associated assessment.

The College was selected as a Department of Education STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) Catalyst school and our specially trained staff are delivering a core STEM program including digital technologies, coding and robotics to Year 7 and 8 students, elective program to year 9 and 10 and a cluster initiative project with students in Grade 5 and 6 from feeder primary schools.

The College is a partner school with the Mitchell Institute on the ‘Entrepreneurial Learning in Schools’ project. The College is recognised for its excellence in pathway provision and is an Alumni member of Beacon, supporting young people in exposure to further education, training and employment.

The College is a Monash University SAM school and provides a program promoting and facilitating tertiary pathways. The VCAL and VET completion rates are now at or close to the state average, with these improving each year over the last 4 years and our retention at school is close to the state mean.

The College has implemented the Southern Youth Commitment policy and is involved in the Youth Partnerships Frankston Mornington Peninsula demonstration site. Through this involvement with the ‘Wrap Around Care’ model, the school has been involved in implementing a number of projects and policies across the College that support vulnerable youth and keep young people retained and engaged in educational pathways. The College is working to reinstate its 5 Star Sustainability Accreditation, receiving numerous environmental awards over the last few years. This supports the work of the student led Environmental Action Group.

The school maintains a strong music and performing arts program and regularly holds concerts and productions.

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.

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).

Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander applicants can contact Brett West, Yamatji man, in the Koorie Outcomes Division to talk about the recruitment process, the Department and supports for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people in the Department. Mobile: 0477 726 *** or email on: **********@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 http://www.education.vic.gov.au/about/programs/health/protect/Pages/childsafestandards.aspx

The Department’s employees commit to upholding DET’s Values: Responsiveness, Integrity, Impartiality, Accountability, Respect, Leadership and Human Rights. DET’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 DET values is available at http://www.education.vic.gov.au/hrweb/workm/Pages/Public-Sector-Values.aspx

• 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.