Principal-Range 3

Heathcote Primary School is located in an attractive rural setting on the Northern Highway approximately 100 km north of Melbourne. The Heathcote area continues to grow as people seek out a `tree change¿ and settle amidst the rolling countryside around Heathcote. The school has a total of 134 enrolments and 12.6 staff, including 1 principal class, 7.2 teaching staff and 4.4 ES staff. The school population has been steadily growing over the past eight years. Our rural setting includes garden areas, shaded playground equipment, a fenced basketball court, oval and passive recreation areas which support a range of playing styles at break times. We have our own mountain bikes and smaller bikes which can be accessed at break times by our students; they are welcome to bring their own bikes to ride around our walking/riding track.

The school has an administration block, Digital Technology room, Art room, Stephanie Alexander Kitchen, Library and Music classes are taught in a multipurpose room known as `The Gallery¿ along with a visiting Gym program each year. Currently there are six classrooms, each has the capacity to open up with the room next door to allow for teaching and learning teams to work together at various times. In 2023 we have implemented weekly STEM, Library and Art specialist teaching programs across Foundation to Year 6. Our school has a well-resourced Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden program, where classes engage in the program for students in Years 3-6. As our enrolment has continued to grow this program is shared on a semester basis with the Year 4-5 and Year 5-6 classes. The Year 3-4 class attends weekly for the year, providing the opportunity to support developing skills needed for participation. The Stephanie Alexander program has classes participate in a fortnightly hour-long garden/curriculum class and a two-hour kitchen class supported by staff and parent/community volunteers. Our F-2 students participate in the program once a term. The Kitchen Garden program is a much-loved component of our school curriculum. Auslan is taught across the school via an online teacher and has been received positively by our school community.

In 2023 the school has implemented the DE Respectful Relationships (RR) curriculum to support student wellbeing; this supports a continued focus on gratitude, empathy and an awareness of others. The RR curriculum supports our young people to develop habits that increase their capacity to deal with challenges, changes and stressors in the future. A great way of supporting our students to take on their future roles in the broader community. Our school has a close connection with the Heathcote Kindergarten, Jenny¿s Early Learning Centre and Heathcote Health, welcoming visits to our school to support strengthening our ties with our local community. We recognise the importance of continuing to develop our connections with the Heathcote community to ensure a sense of belonging for all. Our Year 5-6 class has participated in the DASH program this year, the program has a strong focus on local community, encouraging students to be connected. Our Year 6 students participate in the Bendigo-based Passions and Pathways program. This is aimed at students developing an understanding of further education options, OH&S in the workplace and visiting a range of workplaces in the broader community. Our students enjoy the opportunities this program provides.

Our Core Purpose

The core purpose of Heathcote Primary School is to provide a caring and engaging learning environment, developing links with the wider Heathcote community, and preparing students to become lifelong learners and respectful community members in a constantly changing world.

Our Values

The following values are central to the philosophy of our school:

Respect - recognising and accepting individual differences and valuing our environment

Learning - developing the skills, values and attitudes to become a lifelong learner

Teamwork - learning together to achieve the best possible outcomes for all

Responsibility - being accountable for our own actions, what we say and what we do

Additional information for potential applicants is available on the school¿s website at www.heathcoteps.vic.edu.au or by contacting the school.

(a) Vision and values

Demonstrated capacity to create a shared vision, define and gain acceptance of school goals and set and communicate expectations for effective performance.

(b) Teaching and Learning

Demonstrated ability to manage the quality of teaching and create a positive culture of challenge, support and collaboration.

(c) Improvement, Innovation and Change

Demonstrated capacity to produce and implement clear, evidence-based improvement plans and policies and lead innovation and change.

(d) Management

Demonstrated capacity to ensure that the school¿s human, physical and financial resources are efficiently allocated and managed.

(e) Development

Demonstrated capacity to create a professional learning community that is focused on the continuous improvement of teaching and learning, supporting all staff to achieve high standards and commitment to their own learning and wellbeing.

(f) Engagement

Demonstrated capacity to develop positive relationships with students, parents/families and the local community and participate in and contribute to system-level activities.

(g) Community Criterion

Demonstrated capacity to work in partnership with families and the wider rural community, ensuring a positive culture and high expectations based on our core values of Learning, Responsibility, Respect and Teamwork, enabling all students to reach their full social, emotional and academic potential.

The role of the principal is to lead and manage the planning, delivery, evaluation and improvement of the education of all students in a community through the deployment of resources provided by the Department and the school community.

At the same time, the principal, as executive officer of the school council, must ensure that adequate and appropriate advice is provided to the council on educational and other matters, that the decisions of the council are implemented and that adequate support and resources are provided for the conduct of council meetings.

The principal is accountable for the overall management and development of the school within statewide guidelines and Government policies. A clear set of accountabilities, which distinguish their work from other members of the Teaching Service and the education community are set out in detail in the contract of employment.

The core accountabilities of all principals are to:

• ensure the delivery of a comprehensive education program to all students
• be executive officer of the school council.
• establish and manage financial systems in accordance with the Department and school council requirements.
• represent the Department in the school and the local community.
• implement decisions of the school council.
• contribute to system-wide activities, including policy and strategic planning and development.
• manage and integrate the resources available to the school.
• appropriately involve staff, students and the community in the development, implementation and review of school policies, programs and operations.
• report to the Department, school community, parents and students on the achievements of the school and of individual students as appropriate.

Appropriately qualified individuals currently registered or eligible for registration with the Victorian Institute of Teaching.

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.

To be eligible for appointment as a principal a person must either already be a Principal or have met the Victorian Aspiring Principal Assessment (VAPA) requirement as follows:

• For principal positions advertised between 1 August 2021 and 31 December 2021 a person will be required to have registered to undertake the VAPA before being appointed to a principal position.
• For principal positions advertised on or after from 1 January 2022 a person must have completed the VAPA and be provided with a statement of readiness before they can be appointed to a principal position.