Work Type: Fixed-term - Part-time
Salary: Salary not specified
Grade: Education Support - Level 1, Range 2
Occupation: Education and training
Location: Gippsland - Baw Baw
Reference: 1552873
SC1 ¿ Planning and Facilitating Developmentally Appropriate Learning Experiences
Demonstrated ability to plan, organise and facilitate engaging, inclusive and age-appropriate play-based learning experiences for children aged 0¿5 years. Describe the types of activities you would implement to promote children's social, emotional, physical and cognitive development, with a particular emphasis on outdoor exploration, nature-based learning and Bush Kinder principles.
SC2 ¿ Community Engagement and Communication
Demonstrated interpersonal and communication skills, with the capacity to build positive relationships with families and the wider community. Explain how you would promote the playgroup, encourage participation from local families and establish a welcoming, inclusive environment that fosters a sense of belonging and community connection.
SC3 ¿ Building Connections Between Families and the School
Demonstrated capacity to establish and strengthen positive relationships between young children, their families and Neerim District Rural Primary School. Describe how you would promote meaningful connections with the school community, familiarise families with the school's unique bush setting and educational philosophy, and support children's confidence and sense of belonging as they approach school age.
SC4 ¿ Program Coordination, Child Safety and Professional Responsibility
Demonstrated organisational skills and ability to independently coordinate a safe, inclusive and engaging playgroup program in accordance with school policies and Child Safe Standards. Explain how you would manage planning, preparation, resource organisation, outdoor safety considerations and pack-up responsibilities while maintaining effective communication with school leadership and participating families.
Role Description
Neerim District Rural Primary School is seeking an enthusiastic, creative and community-minded Facilitated Bush Playgroup Coordinator to establish and deliver a welcoming, nature-based playgroup for children aged 0¿5 years and their parents or carers.
Embracing our school's unique bush setting, the program will encourage children and families to explore, discover, create and connect through outdoor play and experiences in the natural environment.
The successful applicant will be responsible for planning and facilitating engaging weekly sessions, promoting the playgroup within the local community, fostering positive relationships with families and strengthening connections between young children, their families and Neerim District Rural Primary School.
The position is 4 hours per week, comprising:
The role requires initiative, creativity, strong interpersonal skills and a commitment to child safety, inclusion and the value of nature-based early childhood experiences.
Responsibilities may include:
Individuals with the aptitude, experience and/or qualifications to fulfill the specific requirements of 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
Neerim District Rural Primary School (No. 5394) was established in 1993 at 145 Nayook-Powelltown Road Nayook 3832 resulting from the merger of the (former) Nayook Primary School (No. 3227) and Neerim East Primary School (No. 3158). Declining enrolments resulted in the school being non-operational (previously known as de-staffed) at the end of 2019.
The school had been non-operational since the end of 2019 but was never formally closed.
Following growing community interest, the Department of Education prepared the site for reopening on day 1 term 1 2025.
Staffing consists of a teaching principal, 2 full time teachers, and a 0.5 administration assistant. In 2025 we opened with 15 enrolments, in 2026 grew to 19 enrolments and already have multiple confirmed enrolments for 2027. Our projection is for slow and continual growth.
This is a unique educational setting where students enjoy a small student-centred environment in a beautiful heritage building with a range of learning spaces, extensive playground space, which is shared with a local playgroup. Students are creative independent thinkers. Parents are passionate about their school and the place it fills within their community. This is a school that has a very special family feel ¿ It¿s considerably more than just a job!
Neerim District Rural Primary School is located 124 kilometres southeast of Melbourne in Baw Baw Shire (West Gippsland).