Overview

Work Type: Ongoing - Full-time

Salary: Salary not specified

Grade: Learning Specialist - Range 3

Occupation: Learning specialist

Location: Gippsland - Baw Baw

Reference: 1547306

Location Profile

Warragul and District Specialist School is situated in the regional town of Warragul in West Gippsland, an hour and a half east of Melbourne. The school commenced the 2026 year with approximately 130 students aged between 5 and 18 years. All students at the school have an intellectual disability with a large percentage having multiple disabilities including Autism, sensory and physical impairments and associated conditions. Students travel to the school from a broad geographic area, including Drouin, Neerim District, Yannathan / Poowong, and Trafalgar. At Warragul and District Specialist School we believe that all students can and will learn, and grow in self-esteem, through fostering a climate of care, dignity and respect, using deliberate positive reinforcement, and recognition of achievement. The school promotes a curriculum that develops skills that its graduates will utilize as adults. We believe that graduates should be actively involved in work/further education, participate in managing their own homes, and are active participants in their own local community.

The whole school commitment to build teacher capacity and improve student learning outcomes is reflected in the key improvement strategies in the schools Strategic Plan which are:

- To maximise student learning growth.
- To improve student voice and agency.
- To improve the personal and social responsibilities of students.

In 2018 the school reviewed its values in line with the School Wide Positive Behaviour Supports initiative. All components of the school community were consulted coming up with 3 values. The school's School Wide Positive Behaviour Support Values are:
- Be a Learner

- Be Safe

- Be Respectful

These values are strongly embedded into the school community and provide a framework from which the school community monitor's expectations and norms across school programs, activities and events. Our school currently has achieved a Schoolwide Positive Behaviour Supports (SW-PBS) bronze award status.

At Warragul & District Specialist School we believe in in the principles behind our school motto, "Celebrating Difference". Acknowledging and celebrating individual difference in all students and members of the school community.

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 capacity to provide strategic leadership in Disability Inclusion and build the capability of colleagues to create an inclusive, high-quality learning workplace for all students.

Role

Learning Specialists will be highly skilled classroom practitioners who continue to spend the majority of their time in the classroom delivering high-quality teaching and learning and have a range of responsibilities related to their expertise, including teaching demonstration lessons, observing and providing feedback to other teachers and facilitating school-based professional learning. Learning Specialists are expected to have deep knowledge and expertise in high quality teaching and learning in delivering improved achievement, engagement and wellbeing for students.



The role of the Learning Specialist will be to model excellence in teaching and learning through demonstration lessons and, mentoring and coaching teachers in improving the skill, knowledge and effectiveness of the teaching workforce. The Learning Specialist role is aimed at building excellence in teaching and learning within the Teaching Service.

Responsibilities

In recognition of the importance of exemplary practice for improved student learning outcomes, the key roles of the Learning Specialists may include but are not limited to:

- Demonstrating high-level expertise in teaching and learning practice
- Modelling exemplary classroom practice including through teaching demonstration lessons
- Working with the school leadership team to develop a shared view of highly effective teacher practice
- Leading and modelling the implementation of whole-school improvement strategies related to curriculum planning and delivery
- Playing a key role in the provision of professional learning, including through developing processes and protocols for observation and feedback of teacher practice and peer collaboration
- Modelling effective learning practice and supporting teachers to seek, analyse and act on feedback and on their practice
- Providing evidence-based feedback to teaching staff to inform their effectiveness and development
- Providing expert advice about the context, processes and strategies that will shape individual and school qualified learning
- Supervising and training one or more student teachers and mentoring and/or coaching teachers
- Modelling exemplary use of student data to inform teaching approaches
- Developing and promoting school-wide professional learning structures, processes and protocols through Professional Learning Communities
- Modelling exemplary professional learning practice included through seeking feedback from other teachers and leaders on their own classroom practice as part of critical reflection and inquiry to improve practice

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 (see Workplace 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 [email protected]

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 Safe 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: https://www2.education.vic.gov.au/pal/child-safe-standards/policy

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:





https://www2.education.vic.gov.au/pal/values-department-vps-school-employees/overview

Other Information

School visits are available by appointment. Address: 55 Burke St (PO BOX 959) WARRAGUL VIC 3820

Phone: (phone hidden)

EMAIL: [email protected]

Please ensure that your application includes:

- a resume including relevant experience as well as personal details (name, address and contact numbers, business and home)
- a section addressing the selection criteria and the requirements for application under the Who May Apply section
- names and contact numbers (telephone and email if possible) of two referees

Please note that the selection panel may seek additional referees beyond those you name. Consistent with policy, we shall advise you if we will take this action. Special settings In addition to the registration requirements set out above, principal and teacher class employees in special settings and visiting teachers are required to have completed an approved year of study in an appropriate special education discipline for ongoing employment in special settings or as a visiting teacher.

Where an ongoing teaching position in a special school or setting (or a visiting teacher position) is advertised:

- 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

Teachers who do not have an approved special education qualification should continue to be encouraged to undertake and complete a further 1 year of study in an appropriate special education discipline.

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 http://www.education.vic.gov.au/hrweb/Pages/default.aspx

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 at Recruitment in Schools.

Apply now

Applications close Thursday 22 October 2026 at 11.59pm

Posted

9 October 2026

📌 SPECIALIST SCHOOL - LEARNING SPECIALIST - TRANSITION, INCLUSION & PATHWAYS - 3 YEAR TENURE - Flexible commencement/time fraction (Baw Baw)
🏢 Victorian Government
📍 Baw Baw