Work Type: Ongoing - Full-time
Salary: Salary not specified
Grade: Learning Specialist - Range 3
Occupation: Learning specialist
Location: Melbourne - Western suburbs
Reference: 1493128
School vision
At Springside, we are committed to delivering excellence through evidence-informed practices. Our community works in harmony to develop confident thinkers who think, act, and adapt positively to an ever-changing world.
Learning Today, Leading Tomorrow.
School values
At Springside, our values of Respect, Optimism, Responsibility, and Excellence guide everything we do. These values:
- Provide a foundation for evidence-informed decision-making and action.
- Shape the way we work together, in harmony, by fostering shared high expectations and norms.
- Keep our school community focused on what truly matters, ensuring a supportive and high-achieving learning environment with the student at the centre of all decision making.
Context challenges
Student Learning Outcomes
Numeracy: Improvement was evident, with most students performing at or above expected levels.
Literacy: Progress was less consistent, though most students remained at expected levels. Targeted intervention through the Tutor Learning Initiative (TLI) supported students requiring additional assistance.
High-ability students: The review highlighted a need for more responsive and adaptive teaching to extend students achieving above expected levels.
Students with disabilities: The Disability Inclusion process was introduced in 2024, with growing role clarity and structured support mechanisms in place.
Student Engagement & Wellbeing
Engagement: Some Attitudes to School Survey (AToSS) indicators declined over the review period, despite the introduction of classroom engagement norms and student agency strategies.
Connectedness: While the school established a tiered wellbeing support framework and a positive behaviour strategy, student connectedness remained a challenge. Attendance data showed an increase in students with more than 20 days of absence, prompting a need for strengthened attendance strategies and family engagement.
Koorie & Refugee students: The review noted the importance of continuing to embed culturally responsive practices and targeted support to ensure equitable outcomes for all students.
School Practices & Teaching Approaches
The school implemented a whole-school instructional model, incorporating evidence-based teaching strategies through professional learning. However, the consistent use of student data to inform differentiation and individual support remains a key area for development.
Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) were established, but further refinement is needed to ensure data-driven decision-making extends student learning.
Intent, rationale and focus
Strategic Direction & Priorities
Intent: What is the school striving to achieve?
Springside Primary School is committed to embedding an evidence-informed instructional model across the curriculum, ensuring high-quality teaching and learning practices. We aim to enhance teacher expertise in English and Mathematics, strengthen the use of student learning data for planning and differentiation (responsive and adaptive teaching), and deepen student cognitive engagement to maximise learning outcomes for all students.
Rationale: Why is this important?
A strong, consistent instructional approach ensures that every student receives high-quality teaching tailored to their needs. Strengthening teacher knowledge and data-informed practices will lead to improved student outcomes. Additionally, deepening student cognitive engagement fosters independent, motivated learners who can apply their skills in an ever-changing world.
Wellbeing is foundational to learning success. While the school has implemented a positive behaviour framework and wellbeing practices, there is an opportunity to further embed consistent social and emotional learning approaches. The transition to Disability Inclusion in 2024 presented an important opportunity to enhance inclusive practices, ensuring all students have the necessary support to thrive.
Building strong partnerships with families is key to student success. Raising awareness of teaching and wellbeing strategies within the wider community and refining attendance strategies will strengthen school-home connections and improve student engagement.
Focus: What are the school¿s priorities over the next four years?
- Teaching & Learning Excellence: Fully embed the instructional model, deepen teacher understanding of curriculum, and enhance the use of student data to drive differentiation (responsive and adaptive teaching) and impact.
- Professional Learning Communities (PLCs): Strengthen the use of evidence to measure and extend student learning outcomes. Increase collaboration, content and pedagogical knowledge of staff across the school.
- Student Engagement & Wellbeing: Further embed the positive behaviour framework and social-emotional learning approaches to support student wellbeing.
- Disability Inclusion & Inclusive Practices: Provide ongoing professional learning to support inclusive teaching and ensure appropriate adjustments for students.
- Family & Community Partnerships: Increase awareness of school strategies within the community and refine attendance processes to strengthen student engagement.
This strategic direction ensures Springside Primary continues to foster Respect, Responsibility, Optimism, and Excellence, creating a thriving learning environment for all students.
History
Springside Primary School is located in Caroline Springs in the western suburbs of Melbourne, approximately 34 kilometres from the Melbourne Central Business District. The school was originally founded in 2009 as a campus of Caroline Springs College before establishing itself as Springside P-9 College in 2012. Springside College was a Kindergarten to Year 9 educational setting that was constructed in two stages. Stage 1 opened in 2009, catering for students from Kindergarten to Year 4 with a total of 154 enrolments. Stage 2 followed in 2010, catering for students from Kindergarten to Year 9 with a total of 570 enrolments. In 2017 a further transition occurred with the opening of a local secondary college. In 2020, the school opened as the newly named Springside Primary School. Current enrolments are approximately 968 students and steadily increasing.
Facilities
School facilities include the Springside Kindergarten complex, over 40 air-conditioned classrooms, full-size gymnasium and performing arts learning area, library, canteen, food and materials technology spaces, two science rooms, art room and the administration area. Outside, students have open synthetic grass spaces, two playground areas, two basketball courts and many passive playing areas. Information Technology is available throughout the school, with all children having access to mobile computing via wireless internet. There are TVs installed in all learning areas and in Years Prep - 6 there is a range of ICT devices and resources allocated to each year level. In 2025, students in grades 3-6 will be participating in a `Bring Your Own Device (iPad) program. Environmentally sustainable, the school's design features cathedral ceilings and louvre windows that provide natural ventilation throughout the campus. The school also has an impressive Stephanie Alexander Kitchen-Garden program, and primary students access the Science lab weekly.
SC1 Demonstrated expert knowledge of the relevant curriculum. Demonstrated ability to model exemplary teaching practice, including the teaching of literacy and numeracy skills across the curriculum, and implement school priorities.
SC2 Demonstrated expertise in the implementation and modelling 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 model the monitoring and assessment of student learning. 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 communication skills. Demonstrated ability to engage in collaborative relationships with students, colleagues, parents and the broader school community to support student learning, agency, wellbeing and engagement.
SC5 Demonstrated ability to model behaviours and attitudes consistent with Department values. Demonstrated ability to support others to reflect on their practice and facilitate school-based professional learning.
SC6 Demonstrated ability to coach and build teacher capacity in evidence-based practice to improve student outcomes aligning with VTLM 2.0, including Elements of Teaching and Positive Classroom Management Strategies.
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.
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:
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.
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 [email protected]
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
To be eligible for employment, transfer or promotion in the principal or teacher class a person must have provisional or full registration from the Victorian Institute of Teaching. In addition, from 3 August 2020, to be eligible for employment in the principal class or teacher class, a person who graduated from a Victorian Initial Teacher Education program after 1 July 2016, must 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 Initial Teacher Education program completed by the person.