Teacher Aide

Ballam Park Primary School is located in the southeast suburbs of Melbourne, approximately 30 kilometres from the Central Business District. It is in parkland behind Ballam Park Reserve, bordered by McClelland Secondary College and close to Naranga Special Development School and Ballam Park Kindergarten.

The school grounds include five main buildings with three separate adventure playgrounds, two basketball/netball courts and an oval. There are two undercover outdoor areas for student recreation and a hall where we hold assemblies and can be used for indoor PE sessions. The 2024 enrolment number is currently 155 students. We have some families with English as an Additional Language and celebrate diversities amongst the school community.

The school provides an approved curriculum framework differentiated to meet student needs. Throughout the school, classes are grouped according to Victorian Curriculum levels with teachers working together for curriculum planning and professional development.

In 2022 we began the Berry Street Education Model (BSEM) professional learning and this work underpins all that we do at BPPS. Our school works closely with the Area Officer for School Wide Positive Behaviour Support (SWPBS) that brings together the school community to create a positive, safe, supportive learning culture. This initiative has helped the school develop its values: respectful, responsible, kind and safe. Our purpose is to provide our students with the opportunity, motivation, environment and programs to each reach their full potential as healthy individuals and contributing members of the community; emotionally, socially, creatively and academically. 

Coinciding with SWPBS and Berry Street Education Model is the Resilience, Rights and Respectful Relationships initiative (RRRR). Ballam Park Primary has a strong commitment to support this setting and to promote and model respect, positive attitudes and behaviours and have recently been awarded a certificate from the Bayside Peninsula Area for our outstanding commitment of RRRR during COVID-19. We are a leading school in this initiative. 

Ballam Park strives to provide a positive and nurturing environment for students to develop confidence, social skills and healthy life habits. By building high resilience, we are dedicated to equipping students with the skills and strategies they need to tackle current and future challenges to their wellbeing and mental health.

The schools¿ mission is to create reflective, self-regulating and independent learners for life through a learning community that provides a challenging and secure environment, responsive to individual learning needs. 

Ballam Park staff believe that effective learning occurs when outstanding and innovative teachers provide a variety of tasks that actively engage students who are encouraged to take responsibility for their own learning.

Ballam Park staff have high expectations, a skill set to develop positive relationships and a strong moral purpose to the school. Our staff are dedicated and provide our student population with engaging classes and programs that are both successful and enriching. Building the capacity of every staff member is paramount to establishing quality teaching. 

The Department¿s Values underpin how we interact with colleagues, learners and families, members of the community, suppliers and government. We are all required to uphold and demonstrate the Department¿s Values in our work.  This is reflected at Ballam Park Primary where we have a shared responsibility to uphold these values.

The school has extensive and beautiful grounds which we hope to continue to develop to include workable vegetable gardens and sensory areas. 

The school  faces the Karingal Football, Netball and Cricket Clubs plus the surrounding parkland and access to car parking for parents and visitors is off Naranga crescent.  

Ballam Park Primary works with McClelland Secondary College and Ballam Park Kindergarten and Naranga Special School as part of our Community of Practice.

SC1  Demonstrated capacity to perform duties consistent with established guidelines and frameworks, including coordinating and supporting others in respect to specific work functions relevant to the role.

SC2  Demonstrated capacity to work and collaborate with others in a team environment.

SC3  Demonstrated capacity to communicate effectively in a team environment, including high level oral and written communication skills.

SC4  Possess the technical knowledge and expertise relevant to the position.

SC5  Demonstrated capacity to provide advice and support to management and other school staff in respect to the work area.

SC6  A commitment to professional learning and growth for both self and others.

Attendance onsite is required for this position.  The successful candidate will work Monday to Friday from 8.50am  til 2pm.

An education support class position at this range will perform tasks that are carried out in accordance with guidelines, accepted practice, and school policy under supervision and direction. This may include coordination of other education support class staff within the work area or educational program.

An education support class position supports the educational services being provided to students but must not include duties of a teacher as defined in clause 2.6.1 of the Education and Training Reform Act 2006 (Vic) or its successor. Supervision of students can be required individually or in groups up to 4 in controlled circumstances and where the responsibility for students remains clearly with a teacher.

Certification and/or qualifications of up to three years can be required at this level (noting that Registered Nurse is not included at this level, the first level for which is Level 1 range 3).

A role at this range may include:

• Specific support tasks to achieve outcomes. Typically, this will involve accountability for a single function, (e.g. ensuring data is properly maintained) or the co-ordination of a work area under the direction of the principal or a manager.
• Assisting teachers, within an educational program, by undertaking specific support tasks or the coordination of the support function.
• Supervised health and wellbeing support tasks, medical intervention support tasks, or other specialised student/teacher support roles (e.g. enrolled nurses performing the role as described in schedule 3). These roles require specific qualifications and/or training, including roles where further training must be undertaken from time to time. The role is for a specific purpose, for which there will be direct accountability as opposed to support roles that are carried out by a range of staff performing routine tasks under direction.
• Technical tasks that require a sound knowledge of basic technical and/or scientific principles that are used to develop and adapt work methods and make judgements where there are clear guidelines and limited options. Routine technical support in libraries, science, and information technology would be typical examples.

An education support class position at this range commencing at the base will initially be limited to undertaking routine tasks that are carried out under close supervision and direction. Work that carries some degree of independence will generally involve a limited number of tasks performed on a regular basis where priorities are clear, procedures are well established, and direction is readily available. Subject to any specific qualification and/or training requirement, an education support class employee employed in this range may be progressively required to undertake coordination, specialised student/teacher support tasks, or technical tasks as experience in the role is gained.

• Provides routine support for teachers including assisting with planning of student routines
• Supports communication between teachers and parents
• Communicates with teachers on routine matters related to students and/or other responsibilities
• Provides basic physical care and wellbeing support for students such as toileting, meals, and lifting
• Communicating with student/s to support comprehension of basic tasks and information
• Addresses immediate behavioural presentations relating to specific students within a classroom setting aligned to school policy and procedure
• Provides basic support and supervision for individuals or groups of up to 4 students within a classroom setting
• Supports teachers in the coordination of educational programs independently or under minimal supervision, including rostering and organising the work of a team of aides, providing routine co-ordination, guidance, and support to other student support staff, liaising with external providers of support services about clearly defined support needs and resources, assisting teachers with the communication of student outcomes and educational programs
• Provides medical intervention support to a student/s, under specific conditions, with appropriate training and guidance
• Provides specialised communication support for students and teachers in areas such as AUSLAN and braille

Individuals with the aptitude, experience and/or qualifications to fulfill the specific requirements of 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