Overview

Work Type: Ongoing - Full-time

Salary: Salary not specified

Grade: Leading Teacher - Range 3

Occupation: Leading teacher

Location: Grampians - Ararat

Reference: 1549206

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 strengthen whole-school wellbeing, behaviour and inclusion through cooperative, practice-focused leadership, building staff capability, improving classroom practice.

Other Information

The Role:

The Leading Teacher - Wellbeing, Behaviour & Inclusion will commence in Term 1, 2027. The position may be appointed at a time fraction between 0/6 and 1.0 FTE, negotiated with the preferred candidate. It includes the school's nominated Mental Health and Wellbeing Leader (MHWL) function. Responsibilities and allocation will reflect the successful applicant's time fraction, expertise and the evolving needs of our growing school. At 1.0 FTE, the role may include a small teaching allocation of less than 0.4 FTE where this directly supports identified wellbeing needs, targeted intervention or modelling of effective practice.

This is a Leading Teacher role for someone who enjoys being on the floor in classrooms, alongside teams and learners. While the role carries school-wide leadership responsibility, its impact will come primarily through observing, modelling, coaching, co-planning, collaboration and practical support rather than managing from a distance. We are looking for someone who wants to help teams translate evidence and learner needs into effective everyday practice.

You will:

- Lead the implementation, monitoring and refinement of Ararat West Primary School's multi-tiered approach to wellbeing, behaviour and inclusion, strengthening universal practice while ensuring targeted and individual supports are purposeful, coherent and reviewed for impact.
- Lead Tier 1 behaviour and positive-climate practice, including explicit routines and expectations, pre-correction, behaviour-specific positive feedback, logical consequences, regulation, re-entry and repair; through professional learning, modelling, coaching and feedback.
- Serve as the school's nominated MHWL, leading whole-school mental health promotion, staff capability, early intervention and clear internal and external care pathways.
- Lead Disability Inclusion in partnership with the Principal and DI Team, strengthening reasonable adjustments, SSG's and support plans, Disability Inclusion Profiles, NCCD evidence and moderation, and the consistent implementation and review of adjustments in everyday practice.
- Coordinate and review Tier2 and Tier 3 supports for learners with complex wellbeing, behaviour or inclusion needs, including behaviour support, de-escalation and re-entry planning, with clear goals and review points.
- Provide day-to-day on the ground, responsive leadership and coordination for Inclusion Support and work collaboratively with learners, relevant staff, families, allied health professionals and external agencies to translate advice into coordinated, practical educational supports.
- Analyse students, implementation and intervention data to identify priorities, evaluate impact, contribute to school improvement and policy development, and refine whole-school systems and practice.

This is not a case-management-only or therapeutic position. The role is deliberately practice-facing, but its purpose is to strengthen the capability of the adults and the systems around learners. You will work closely with the Principal, Assistant Principal and wider staff to make inclusive practices stronger across Ararat West Primary School.

Who We're Looking For:

We are looking for an excellent teacher and leader who brings both character and competence. You will have strong research informed professional knowledge, sound critical judgement, relational capability and the ability to turn great thinking into effective practice.

You'll thrive in this role if you:

- Are an excellent classroom practioner with strong instructional credibility who enjoys working alongside teachers, education support staff and learners.
- Bring strong knowledge of evidence-informed wellbeing,



behaviour and inclusion practice, with the ability to translate policy, evidence and learner needs into effective everyday practice.
- Can move confidently between strategic thinking and practical, on-the-ground support, using a multi-tiered lens to distinguish when stronger universal practice, explicit skill teaching, targeted intervention, reasonable adjustments or intensive individualised support is required.
- Build capability in others through modelling, co-planning, coaching, feedback, collaboration and constructive professional dialogue.
- Bring strong knowledge of Disability Inclusion, reasonable adjustments, SSG's, IEP's and support planning, NCCD and multidisciplinary collaboration.
- Exercise calm, proportionate and sound judgement in complex situations, with a strong focus on safety, dignity, learning and successful re-entry.
- Build strong, authentic relationships with learners, colleagues and families and are humble, curious and open to learning while maintaining high expectations.
- Are organised, proactive and implementation-focused and able to establish systems, monitor impact, adjust course and strengthen the work of the school.

Why This Role Matters:

At Ararat West Primary School, wellbeing, behaviour and inclusion are not separate from learning; they are part of how we ensure every learner is seen, known, valued and challenged. Our core practices are established. This role is about helping them live consistently and powerfully across the school: working alongside staff and learners, strengthening capability, and ensuring high expectations, belonging and support are evident in every classroom.

As our Leading Teacher - Wellbeing, Behaviour & Inclusion; you will have genuine scope to influence school-wide practice and learner experience, strengthening the systems and everyday practices that help all learners participate successfully and thrive.

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, including responsive support.
- 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 versatile 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

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.

Location Profile

Ararat West Primary School is situated in the Rural City of Ararat, approximately 200km west of Melbourne. The school is set in expansive grounds, creating a relaxed, natural environment. Our purpose is to provide a secure and inclusive learning environment that is caring, challenging, and equips children with strong reading, writing, spelling and maths skills to enable them to have choice and opportunity in the future. Our school used a structured literacy approach focussed on the Big 6 of reading. Our Instructional Model is aligned with the VTLM 2.0 and informed by research about how students learn. We use a School Wide Positive Behaviour approach to support student social development. Our school values of Aspiring, Respectful and Resilient underpin all our actions. Students have the opportunity to receive additional support in speech and language development through our on-site Speech Language Pathologist. Specialist programs include Art, LOTE, Science and Physical Education. We offer students a range of leadership opportunities and extra-curricular activities including choir, a whole-school performance, a range of sports including our long-standing skipping team, recess clubs, and we have strong links to the local community, through initiatives such as visits to local aged care facilities. In 2026 our school has 12 classrooms, with specialist staff and Education Support Staff supporting teachers in administration and classroom support roles. The Ararat West Primary School community has a long and proud tradition of achievement, setting high standards for all.

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.

Apply now

Applications close Monday 2 November 2026 at 11.59pm

Posted

20 October 2026

📌 Leading Teacher - Wellbeing, behaviour support (Ararat)
🏢 Victorian Government
📍 Ararat