Work Type: Ongoing - Full-time
Salary: Salary not specified
Grade: Leading Teacher - Range 3
Occupation: Classroom teacher
Location: Melbourne - Western suburbs
Reference: 1551675
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.
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.
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:
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.
Our School
Dharra School is a growing Foundation¿Year 12 specialist school located in Aintree, in Melbourne's western suburbs. Since opening our doors in 2024, we have established a strong sense of community, a clear commitment to student learning and an exciting future ahead.
Our school caters for students with intellectual disabilities and associated disabilities, including autism. We recognise that every student brings their own strengths, interests and abilities, and we are committed to creating a learning environment where every student feels safe, connected, challenged and supported to achieve.
At Dharra, we believe that every student deserves a high-quality education and the opportunity to experience success. Our approach is grounded in evidence-informed teaching, individualised learning and a strong commitment to School-wide Positive Behaviour Support (SWPBS). Our values of Respect, Responsibility and Safety guide how we learn, interact and support one another every day.
Relationships are at the heart of our school. We invest time in getting to know our students, their families and the people who support them. We recognise that meaningful learning happens when students feel understood, when families are valued as partners and when staff work together with a shared purpose.
As a developing school, we have a unique opportunity to shape our culture, strengthen our practices and build the systems that will support Dharra for years to come. We are committed to creating a school where high expectations are matched by high levels of support, where staff are encouraged to reflect, collaborate and grow, and where every member of our team understands the difference they can make.
Our approach to school improvement is built around three connected priorities:
Ready to Learn ¿ Creating safe, supportive and engaging environments where students develop positive relationships, regulation and the confidence to participate.
Access to Learning ¿ Ensuring every student has the communication tools, individualised adjustments and support they need to meaningfully access their education.
Learning & Achievement ¿ Delivering high-quality curriculum, evidence-informed instruction and assessment that supports meaningful learning growth for every student.
These priorities are not separate areas of our school. They reflect our belief that student engagement, access and achievement are deeply connected, and that improving outcomes requires collective responsibility across every classroom and every team.
Our purpose-built learning environment includes Junior and Senior learning neighbourhoods, specialist learning spaces, a library and community hub. Students benefit from a broad range of learning opportunities, including physical education, the arts, STEAM, kitchen and garden programs, and community-based learning experiences. As our school continues to grow, so too do the opportunities we create for our students, including the Victorian Pathways Certificate and programs that build independence, confidence and connections beyond school.
We are proud of the people who make Dharra what it is. Our teachers, Education Support staff, allied health professionals and school leaders work collaboratively to understand student needs, celebrate progress and continually improve our practice. We value staff who bring curiosity, initiative, a willingness to learn and a genuine commitment to making a difference.
We also believe that schools should be positive and enjoyable places to work. We set high expectations, support one another through challenges, celebrate achievements and recognise that building a great school takes the collective effort of great people.
Above all, we want Dharra to be a place where students are known, families feel connected and staff are proud of the work they do together.
Who This Role Will Suit
Dharra School is at an exciting point in its development. Having opened in 2024, we are continuing to build the practices, programs and culture that will shape our school for years to come. We are looking for a Leading Teacher who wants to play a meaningful role in that journey.
This position will suit a thoughtful and capable educational leader who is passionate about high-quality teaching, meaningful student learning and developing the people around them. Someone who understands that learning and achievement look different for every student, but that high expectations, purposeful teaching and opportunities for success should remain consistent.
Our next Leading Teacher will play an important role in shaping the next stage of teaching and learning at Dharra. Working closely with the Principal Class team, Leading Teachers, Learning Specialists, PLC Leaders and allied health professionals, they will strengthen curriculum design, instructional practice and assessment, build staff capability and translate evidence-informed approaches into meaningful improvements across our classrooms.
Central to this role will be the ongoing development and implementation of the Dharra Instructional Model, ensuring that our approach to teaching is consistent, purposeful and responsive to the diverse needs of our students. We want a leader who can work alongside staff to strengthen instructional practice, support curriculum implementation and evaluate the impact of teaching on student learning.
We are looking for someone who understands that student engagement, positive behaviour support, communication, curriculum and high-quality teaching are deeply connected. Whether developing curriculum, strengthening assessment, supporting individualised adjustments or improving classroom practice, the focus must always be on how our work improves student participation, learning and achievement.
We want a leader who can see both the bigger picture and the everyday details that make a difference. Someone who contributes to whole-school improvement while remaining visible in classrooms, working alongside teachers and Education Support staff, modelling effective practice, providing coaching and feedback, and supporting teams to implement and evaluate agreed approaches.
We also want someone who brings fresh thinking and is excited by the opportunity to innovate. As a growing specialist school, we can develop coherent learning pathways, strengthen our instructional model, and build consistent, engaging, and appropriately challenging learning experiences across Foundation¿Year 12.
This role will particularly suit someone who:
is passionate about high-quality teaching and has a strong understanding of curriculum, assessment and evidence-informed instructional practice;
understands the relationship between student engagement, regulation, communication and learning, and how effective teaching responds to individual student needs;
is excited by curriculum design, innovation and the opportunity to strengthen coherent learning pathways across a Foundation¿Year 12 specialist school;
believes that effective leadership goes beyond developing plans and processes, and involves modelling practice, coaching staff and evaluating the impact on student outcomes;
enjoys developing the knowledge, confidence and capability of teachers, Education Support staff and emerging leaders;
can use student learning data, assessment and classroom observations to identify priorities, inform decisions and drive improvement;
values clarity, consistency and evidence-informed practice while respecting the expertise, creativity and professional judgement of others;
can lead collaborative planning, professional learning and school improvement initiatives that strengthen teaching practice across teams;
brings high expectations and equally high levels of support, holding themselves and others accountable for agreed practices and continuous improvement; and
contributes to a leadership team that values collaboration, constructive challenge, shared responsibility and learning together.
At Dharra, we don't see teaching and learning, student engagement and individualised support as separate responsibilities. While Learning & Achievement will be the primary focus of this position, our Leading Teachers work collaboratively across our three connected priorities: Ready to Learn, Access to Learning and Learning & Achievement ¿ to strengthen practice and improve outcomes for every student.
We recognise that educational leaders bring different strengths and experiences. We are not expecting applicants to have led every aspect of curriculum development within a specialist school, but we are looking for people with strong educational foundations, a willingness to broaden their expertise and the capacity to lead improvement beyond their immediate areas of experience.
As a Leading Teacher, this position involves responsibility for significant aspects of curriculum development, instructional improvement, assessment and staff capability building. The successful applicant will work alongside the Principal Class team to translate strategic priorities into consistent classroom practice, support implementation and evaluate the impact of improvement initiatives.
Above all, we are looking for someone who genuinely enjoys teaching, developing people and working collaboratively to strengthen learning across Dharra School.
And One Last Thing¿
At Dharra, we don't believe there's only one way to be a great leader. We value authentic people who bring their own personality, strengths and ideas, while remaining open to learning from others.
Our leadership team is built on trust, collaboration, and collective responsibility. We value different perspectives, encourage open and respectful conversations, and believe in working together toward a shared direction, with high expectations and strong support.
We also believe hard work and fun go hand in hand. We enjoy a laugh, don't take ourselves too seriously and genuinely enjoy the people we work with.
You don't need to lead like us. We want you to lead with us.
If that sounds like the kind of team you'd enjoy being part of, we'd love to hear from you