Department of Education Victoria – Macedon Ranges VIC

19h ago , from Department of Education & Training Victoria

Sunbury and Macedon Ranges Specialist School

Sunbury and Macedon Ranges Specialist School (SMRSS) is a dual-campus P¿12 specialist school providing an inclusive, supportive and engaging learning setting for students with mild, moderate or profound intellectual disability. The school recognises that each student has unique strengths, interests and learning needs, with a number of students also presenting with additional needs including Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), behavioural challenges, mobility considerations and complex medical needs.

SMRSS is committed to providing high-quality, evidence-based educational practices that support student engagement, communication, wellbeing and independence. School-wide approaches include School-Wide Positive Behaviour Support (SWPBS), Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) and Zones of Regulation, which provide consistent frameworks to support students across learning and social environments.

Teaching and Learning

SMRSS has a well-established curriculum, supported by developed scope and sequences aligned with the Victorian Curriculum and Victorian Pathways Certificate (VPC). Teaching and learning programs are designed to respond to the individual strengths, interests and needs of each student, with a strong focus on functional learning, communication, wellbeing, independence and preparation for life beyond school.

Students are supported by a highly skilled multidisciplinary team that includes classroom teachers, learning specialists, leading teachers, allied health professionals, careers staff and wellbeing staff. This collaborative approach ensures that students receive targeted support across academic, social, emotional, communication, behavioural and vocational domains.

Each student has an Individual Education Plan (IEP) developed through assessment and in consultation with families as part of the Student Support Group (SSG) process. This collaborative planning ensures that individual learning goals are meaningful, achievable and responsive to each student's needs, aspirations and future pathways.

Co-Curricular and Enrichment Opportunities

SMRSS prides itself on providing students with rich and varied opportunities to develop their skills, interests, confidence and independence beyond the classroom. These opportunities include:

- A varied specialist program, providing students with opportunities to develop skills and interests across a range of curriculum and specialist areas.
- Community access programs, supporting students to develop independence, social skills and functional skills within authentic community settings.
- Camps and specialised experiences, including unique opportunities such as the Alpine Ride, which challenge students, build resilience and promote independence.
- Vocational Education and Training (VET) programs, aligned with student interests, strengths and future career aspirations.
- Biannual Debutant Ball and Senior School Production, providing opportunities for students to develop confidence, social skills, creativity and performance skills while celebrating their achievements.
- Whole-school celebrations and events, including sports days, 100 Days of Prep, Book Week and other community-building activities.
- Enrichment programs, including opportunities such as driver education, CFA engagement and first aid, supporting students to develop practical life skills and greater independence.

Preparing Students for the Future

- A key focus of SMRSS is preparing students for successful transitions into adulthood and life beyond school. Through personalised learning, community access, vocational opportunities and strong connections with families and external agencies, students are supported to develop the skills, knowledge and confidence required for their preferred future pathways.
- The school's commitment to individualised learning, evidence-based practice and collaborative partnerships ensures that every student is supported to participate, achieve and experience success. SMRSS celebrates the diversity and strengths of its students and strives to create meaningful opportunities for every young person to develop their independence, build positive relationships and contribute to their community.

Sunbury and Macedon Ranges Specialist School is a Dual Campus P-12 School. Staff may be required to work across both campuses.

Selection Criteria

SC1 Demonstrated expert knowledge of the relevant curriculum. Demonstrated ability to lead and manage the implementation of school priorities, and the teaching of literacy and numeracy skills across the curriculum.





SC2 Demonstrated ability to lead the planning and implementation of high impact teaching strategies that respond to student learning needs. Demonstrated ability to support teachers to evaluate the impact of learning and teaching programs on student learning growth.

SC3 Demonstrated exemplary ability to monitor and assess student learning at a class, cohort or whole-school level and use this data to lead improvement initiatives. Demonstrated ability to support others in using data to inform teaching practice and to provide feedback on student learning growth and achievement to students and parents.

SC4 Demonstrated exemplary interpersonal and leadership skills. Demonstrated ability to lead collaborative relationships with students, colleagues, parents and the broader school community focused on student learning, agency, wellbeing and engagement.

SC5 Demonstrated ability to model behaviours and attitudes consistent with Department values and support colleagues to adopt these behaviours and attitudes. Demonstrated ability to reflect upon their own, others and whole-school practice and contribute to the provision of whole-school professional learning.

SC6 Demonstrated commitment and experience in the field of Special Education.

Role

Leading teachers will be highly skilled classroom practitioners and undertake leadership and management roles commensurate with their salary range. The role of leading teachers is to improve the skill, knowledge and performance of the teaching workforce in a school or group of schools and to improve the curriculum program of a school.

Typically, leading teachers are responsible for coordinating a number of staff to achieve improvements in teaching and learning which may involve the coordination and professional support of colleagues through modelling, collaborating and coaching and using processes that develop knowledge, practice and professional engagement in others.

Leading teachers are expected to lead and manage a significant area or function within the school with a high degree of independence to ensure the effective development, provision and evaluation of the school's education program.

Leading teachers will be expected to make a significant contribution to policy development relating to teaching and learning in the school. A leading teacher has a direct impact and influence on the achievement of the school goals.

Leading teachers are usually responsible for the implementation of one or more priorities contained in the school strategic plan.

Responsibilities

In recognition of the importance of leadership and management combined with exemplary teaching practice for improved student learning outcomes, the key roles of the leading teachers may include but are not limited to:

- Leading and managing the implementation of whole-school improvement initiatives related to the school strategic plan and school priorities
- Leading and managing the implementation of whole-school improvement strategies related to curriculum planning and delivery;
- Leading and managing the provision of professional development and developing individual and team development plans for teaching staff within the priorities of the school;
- Leading and managing staff performance and development (review of staff);
- Teaching demonstration lessons;
- Leading and managing the development of the school's assessment and reporting policies and practices;
- Leading and managing the implementation of the school operations and policies related to student welfare and discipline;
- Leading the development of curriculum in a major learning area and participating in curriculum development in other areas;
- Responsibility for general discipline matters beyond the management of classroom teachers;
- Contributing to the overall leadership and management of the school;
- Contributing to the development of proposals for school council consideration;
- Developing and managing the school code of conduct.

Who May Apply

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.

Diversity and Inclusion

The department is committed to diversity and inclusion and developing a workforce that is representative of the community we service. We value diversity and inclusion in all forms - culture, gender, religion, ethnicity, LGBTIQA+, 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 safe, respectful and inclusive workplaces is essential to high performance and promotes flexible work and diversity across all schools and Department workplaces.It is our policy to provide reasonable adjustments for staff with disability (seeWorkplace adjustment guidelines).

Additional support and advice on the recruitment process is available to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander candidates from the Koorie Outcomes Division (KOD) via*******@education.vic.gov.au

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.

Child Secure Standards

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:

DE Values

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:

Other Information

Special Settings

- an ongoing teacher who does not hold an approved special education qualification may be offered permanent transfer to the school if the teacher has completed 3 or more years continuous employment in the teaching service in a special setting, and is assessed by the principal (in respect of positions in special settings) or regional director (in respect of visiting teacher positions) as suitable for ongoing employment in a special setting.
- an external applicant, including an existing fixed term employee, who does not hold an approved special education qualification, but who holds provisional or full registration with the Victorian Institute of Teaching, may be offered ongoing employment if the teacher has completed 3 or more years of continuous employment as a teacher in the teaching service in a special setting and is assessed by the principal (in respect of positions in special settings) or regional director (in respect of visiting teacher positions) as suitable for ongoing employment in a special setting.

Other than set out above, a teacher who does not have an approved special education qualification can only be offered:

- temporary transfer for a period not exceeding 3 years where the successful applicant is an ongoing employee, or
- fixed term employment for a period not exceeding 3 years where the successful applicant is not an ongoing employee

Conditions of Employment

- 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

Qualification Requirements

To be eligible for employment, transfer or promotion in the principal or teacher class:

- The person must have provisional or full registration approved by the Victorian Institute of Teaching; and
- if the person completed an Australian postgraduate level initial teaching program or course of study on or after 1 January 2024, they must demonstrate that they have satisfactorily completed a postgraduate level accredited initial teacher education program that has been accredited by an Australian State or Territory Teacher Regulatory Authority as satisfying the requirements of the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership 'Accreditation of initial teacher education programs in Australia: Standards and Procedures'; and
- a person who graduated from a Victorian Initial Teacher Education (ITE) program after 1 July 2016 must also 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 ITE program completed by the person).

Details of qualification requirements as updated from time to time can be found atRecruitment in Schools.

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📌 Leading Teacher - Specialist School (Macedon Ranges Shire)
🏢 Department of Education Victoria
📍 Macedon Ranges Shire