Graduate Teacher Program - Specialist School

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 2025 year with approximately 125 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 Behavior 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 - Graduates SC1 Demonstrated knowledge of the relevant curriculum, including the capacity to incorporate the teaching of literacy and numeracy skills. Demonstrated capacity to respond to student learning needs. SC2 Demonstrated capacity to implement high impact teaching strategies, guided by how students learn, and evaluate the impact of learning and teaching programs on student learning growth. SC3 Demonstrated capacity to monitor and assess student learning. Demonstrated capacity to use data to inform teaching practice and to provide feedback on student learning growth and achievement to students and parents. SC4 Demonstrated interpersonal and communication skills. Demonstrated capacity to establish and maintain collaborative relationships with students, parents, colleagues and the broader school community to support student learning, wellbeing and engagement. SC5 Demonstrated behaviours and attitudes consistent with Department values. Demonstrated capacity to reflect upon practice and engage in professional learning to continually improve the quality of teaching. SC6 A demonstrated commitment to special education and an understanding of intellectual disability and the implications for teaching and learning. Program Benefits - Graduates Role - Graduates The primary focus of the range 1 classroom teacher is on further developing skills and competencies to become an effective classroom practitioner with structured support and guidance from teachers at higher levels and the planning, preparation and teaching of programs to achieve specific student outcomes. These teachers teach a range of students/classes and are accountable for the effective delivery of their programs. Range 1 classroom teachers are skilled teachers who operate under general direction within clear guidelines following established work practices and documented priorities and may have responsibility for the supervision and training of one or more student teachers. At range 1, teachers participate in the development of school policies and programs and assist in the implementation of school priorities. The focus of a range 1 classroom teacher is on classroom management, subject content and teaching practice. New entrants to the teaching profession in their initial teaching years receive structured support, mentoring and guidance from teachers at higher levels. Under guidance, new entrants to the teaching profession will plan and teach student groups in one or more subjects and are expected to participate in induction programs and other professional learning activities that are designed to ensure the integration of curriculum, assessment and pedagogy across the school. Teachers at range 1 are responsible for teaching their own classes and may also assist and participate in policy development, project teams and the organisation of co-curricula activities. Responsibilities - Graduates Core responsibilities include: Planning and implementing a range of teaching programs or courses of study Teaching an area of the curriculum or a general curriculum to a year level Monitoring, evaluating and reporting student progress in key learning areas Implementing strategies to achieve targets related to student learning outcomes Maintaining records of class attendance and recording student progress Implementing effective student management consistent with the school charter. Working with a mentor to participate in professional development planning, implementation and reflection developing a professional portfolio Additional responsibilities may include but are not limited to: Supervising a range of student activities including support and welfare programs Contributing to a range of co-curricular programs Who May Apply - Graduates To be eligible to apply for a position advertised through the Teacher Graduate Recruitment program, a teacher must: have completed their course requirements and graduated in the last 4 years, and not be employed as a teacher by the department at the time the advertised position is to commence Applicants must also be currently registered or eligible for registration with the Victorian Institute of Teaching. 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 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 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: 0356231 EMAIL: education.vic.gov.au 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. Eligibility for incentive payments: The successful candidate is committing to a minimum of 1 year employment at this school The successful candidate will not be a Graduate Teacher Incentive recipient from a previous vacancy The successful candidate must not be employed as a teacher by the Department at the time the advertised position is to commence 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: Traralgon, Victoria, AU

Posted Date: 11/16/2025