Work Type: Fixed-term - Full-time
Salary: Salary not specified
Grade: Classroom Teacher
Occupation: Classroom teacher
Location: Melbourne - Southern suburbs
Reference: 1537996
Chelsea Primary School is a thriving and inclusive government school located in the established bayside suburb of Chelsea in Melbourne's south-east. We currently have approximately 410 students enrolled across 20 classes, supported by a dedicated team of over 60 staff.
Established in 1912, our beautiful two-storey heritage red-brick building sits alongside modern learning facilities, including specialist Art, Performing Arts (Music), STEM and Physical Education spaces, a BER flexible learning building, intervention spaces and extensive outdoor play areas. Conveniently located near Chelsea Railway Station, Chelsea Library, Bicentennial Park and the local shopping precinct, our school is proudly at the heart of the Chelsea community.
Our vision is simple:
Every Child Matters Every Day.
Teaching & LearningGrounded in the Science of LearningAt Chelsea Primary School, we know that simply attending school does not guarantee learning. What matters most is how children are taught.
Our teaching is grounded in the Science of Learning, drawing on decades of research from cognitive science, educational psychology and neuroscience to inform every classroom practice.
Research tells us that attention is the gateway to learning. Before information can be stored in long-term memory, students must first attend to it. Because working memory has a limited capacity, our classrooms are intentionally designed to minimise unnecessary distractions and reduce cognitive load, allowing students to focus on the most important learning.
This is why visitors to Chelsea Primary School will notice classrooms that are calm, orderly and purposeful. Students are seated in rows where appropriate, lessons are carefully sequenced, classroom routines are highly predictable, and teachers use explicit instruction to maximise student attention and engagement. These practices are based on strong evidence showing that reducing unnecessary cognitive load improves learning outcomes for all students.
Our teachers understand not only what to teach, but also how the brain learns.
Explicit TeachingLearning at Chelsea begins early and with purpose.
In the junior years, we implement Explicit Direct Instruction (EDI) to establish strong foundations in literacy and numeracy. Lessons are carefully sequenced, teacher-led and include regular checks for understanding, ensuring students master essential knowledge before progressing to more complex concepts.
Students participate in daily, systematic instruction in:
As students move into the middle and senior years, explicit teaching remains the foundation of instruction while opportunities for inquiry, collaboration and problem-solving are gradually increased.
We believe students can only think critically when they possess the background knowledge and automatic skills needed to do so.
Across every classroom, consistency matters. Students benefit from familiar routines, common instructional practices and low-variance teaching, allowing them to focus their attention on learning rather than adapting to different classroom expectations.
Students also enjoy a rich specialist program including:
Chelsea Primary School is committed to developing the whole child.
Academic success and wellbeing go hand in hand, and our wellbeing programs are designed to create a safe, predictable and supportive learning environment where every child feels known, valued and successful.
We implement the Department of Education's School-Wide Positive Behaviour Support (SWPBS) framework through our own school model, SWAPS.
Students learn and practise clear behavioural expectations centred around our four school values:
Our wellbeing approach includes:
A calm, orderly and predictable classroom is essential for learning. By establishing consistent routines, explicit behavioural expectations and evidence-based classroom management strategies, we maximise student attention, minimise distractions and create the conditions where every child can succeed.
Staff ExcellenceChelsea Primary School is proud to have a highly skilled and dedicated workforce.
Since 2019, our staffing has grown significantly, reflecting the growth and transformation of our school. Our team includes classroom teachers, education support staff, intervention teachers, learning specialists, wellbeing professionals and school leaders who work collaboratively to improve student outcomes.
Professional learning is a cornerstone of our culture.
Staff engage in:
We believe the quality of the teacher has the greatest in-school influence on student achievement, and we invest heavily in developing exceptional teaching practice.
A Culture of High ExpectationsChelsea Primary School is a high-expectation, high-support school.
We believe every child can succeed when provided with:
Our classrooms are characterised by purposeful learning, respectful relationships and students who understand what success looks like.
We are proud to be recognised as a school that values excellence, consistency and continuous improvement.
Our CommunityChelsea Primary School has strong partnerships with families and the wider community.
We believe parents are their child's first teacher, and that education is most successful when schools and families work together with mutual trust, respect and shared expectations.
We encourage open communication, celebrate student success and value the important role families play in supporting learning both at school and at home.
Together, we are building confident learners, resilient young people and engaged citizens who are well prepared for secondary school and beyond.
Chelsea Primary SchoolEvery Child Matters Every Day"Creating calm classrooms, confident learners and a culture of excellence through evidence-informed teaching and strong community partnerships."
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.
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.
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.
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:
Details of qualification requirements as updated from time to time can be found at Recruitment in Schools.