Work Type: Fixed-term - Full-time
Salary: Salary not specified
Grade: Classroom Teacher
Occupation: Classroom teacher
Location: Melbourne - Inner South East suburbs
Reference: 1487703
Small in size. Big in impact.
Ripponlea Primary School is a vibrant, inclusive government school located in East St Kilda, just 10 kilometres from Melbourne¿s CBD. Established in 1922, our school has a proud legacy of delivering high-quality education in a safe, welcoming, and diverse community. With a current enrolment of 267 students from Foundation to Year 6, Ripponlea is a school where every child is known, nurtured, and challenged to achieve their full potential.
We respectfully acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the land, the Boon Wurrung (Bunurong) people of the Kulin Nation, and celebrate our commitment to reconciliation through our Indigenous garden, House names, and the development of our Reconciliation Action Plan.
At the heart of Ripponlea Primary School is a clear vision: to grow global and creative thinkers who care, create and connect. Our school values, Community, Creativity, Integrity, Open-mindedness, Resilience, and Respect, are woven into everything we do.
We are proud of our strong culture of learning, safety, collaboration and trust. Students are at the centre of all decisions, and staff are empowered to work together in an environment built on respect, shared responsibility, and mutual support. These elements are foundational to the way we lead, teach, and care for every learner.
We believe that high impact learning cannot occur without psychological safety and a deep sense of belonging. Our community embraces open communication, restorative practices, and collective efficacy, ensuring both students and staff thrive.
We have a strong focus on English and Mathematics, delivering a carefully sequenced and rigorous curriculum aligned to the Victorian Curriculum. In 2025, we will undertake a School Review, a reflective and collaborative process that will shape our next Strategic Plan and guide our future direction.
Our instructional model is aligned to the Victorian Teaching and Learning Model (VTLM 2.0). We implement explicit teaching, guided by the Gradual Release of Responsibility (I Do, We Do, You Do). Instruction is clear, intentional and evidence-based, supported by formative assessment and feedback to maximise student growth.
Our literacy approach is grounded in the Structured Literacy framework, ensuring all students develop a strong foundation in the Big 6 of Reading.
We have introduced PhOrMes, a systematic phonics program focused on orthographic mapping, to build fluent, confident readers. Targeted small group instruction supports decoding, fluency, and meaning-making with high-quality texts.
In writing, we use mentor texts and modelled lessons to explicitly teach the craft of writing. Our program is structured around the Six Traits + 1 ¿ Ideas, Organisation, Voice, Word Choice, Sentence Fluency, Conventions, and Presentation. Students participate in daily structured writing sessions, rich conferencing, and publishing for real-world audiences.
At Ripponlea, student wellbeing is essential to academic success. We implement:
We actively promote inclusion, with tailored support for LGBTIQ+ students, students with disability, and those requiring additional intervention or extension. Students are given authentic opportunities to lead, influence, and shape their learning and environment.
Equally, staff wellbeing is recognised as vital. We invest in collaboration, professional learning, and a culture of care to sustain a motivated and effective team.
Students participate in a rich specialist program including Performing Arts, Visual Arts, Physical Education, Japanese, and Digital Technologies. A wide range of extracurricular activities includes choir, band, lunchtime clubs, inter-school sport, and after-school programs in STEM, coding, drama and sport.
Our multi-age classroom structure (1/2, 3/4, 5/6) supports peer learning, mentoring and personalised teaching. Families are active partners in learning through School Council, Ripper Families, community events, fundraising, sustainability projects and volunteering.
Our facilities are also used by the wider community, fostering partnerships that extend the school¿s positive impact.
Ripponlea Primary School is committed to nurturing the whole child ¿ academically, socially, and emotionally ¿ within a connected, inclusive and forward-thinking learning community.
We may be small in size, but the quality of our teaching, the strength of our relationships, and the scale of our aspirations are truly big.
SC1 Demonstrated knowledge of the relevant curriculum, including the ability to incorporate the teaching of literacy and numeracy skills. Demonstrated experience in responding to student learning needs.
SC2 Demonstrated experience in planning for and implementing high impact teaching strategies, guided by how students learn, and evaluating the impact of learning and teaching programs on student learning growth.
SC3 Demonstrated experience in monitoring and assessing student learning. Demonstrated experience in using data to inform teaching practice and providing feedback on student learning growth and achievement to students and parents.
SC4 Demonstrated interpersonal and communication skills. Demonstrated experience in establishing and maintaining collaborative relationships with students, parents, colleagues and the broader school community to support student learning, agency, wellbeing and engagement.
SC5 Demonstrated behaviours and attitudes consistent with Department values. Demonstrated experience in reflecting upon practice and engaging in professional learning to continually improve the quality of teaching.
SC6 Demonstrated capacity to work collaboratively in a Professional Learning Community (PLC) using data-informed practices, inquiry cycles, and collective responsibility to improve student learning and contribute to whole-school improvement.
The classroom teacher classification comprises two salary ranges- range 1 and range 2. The primary focus of the classroom teacher is on the planning, preparation and teaching of programs to achieve specific student outcomes. The classroom teacher engages in critical reflection and inquiry in order to improve knowledge and skills to effectively engage students and improve their learning.
As the classroom teacher gains experience his or her contribution to the school program beyond the classroom increases. All classroom teachers may be required to undertake other duties in addition to their rostered teaching duties provided the responsibility is appropriate to the salary range, qualifications, training and experience of the teacher.
Classroom teacher Range 2
Range 2 classroom teachers play a significant role in assisting the school to improve student performance and educational outcomes determined by the school strategic plan and state-wide priorities and contributing to the development and implementation of school policies and priorities.
A critical component of this work will focus on increasing the knowledge base of staff within their school about student learning and high quality instruction to assist their school to define quality teacher practice.
Range 2 classroom teachers will be expected to:
- Have the content knowledge and pedagogical practice to meet the diverse needs of all students
- Model exemplary classroom practice and mentor/coach other teachers in the school to engage in critical reflection of their practice and to support staff to expand their capacity
- Provide expert advice about the content, processes and strategies that will shape individual and school professional learning
- Supervise and train one or more student teachers
- Assist staff to use student data to inform teaching approaches that enable targets related to improving student learning outcomes to be achieved.
Classroom teacher Range 1
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.
The role of classroom teacher may include but is 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
This vacancy is to replace an employee on parental absence and is for a period of seven years or until the employee absent on leave returns to duty at the school.
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.