Work Type: Ongoing - Part-time
Salary: Salary not specified
Grade: Classroom Teacher
Occupation: Classroom teacher
Location: Barwon South West - Glenelg
Reference: 1549465
Heywood & District Secondary College is a small rural school located 30 km north of Portland and approximately 72 km from the South Australian border. Our students travel from surrounding communities, including Condah, Dartmoor, Bessiebelle and Tyrendarra.
Situated near Budj Bim National Park, the Heywood community has a strong connection to Country and a rich Gunditjmara cultural heritage. We are committed to strengthening these connections through Cultural Understanding and Safety Training (CUST) for our staff. Our valued partnership with Winda Mara brings local Elders into close collaboration with the College, supporting Aboriginal students and enriching our Gunditjmara Language and Culture Program.
We aspire to be an innovative and outstanding College that fosters strong partnerships between students, families, staff and the wider community. We empower students to take responsibility for their personal and academic growth, providing a safe, inclusive and supportive learning environment where every student is encouraged to reach their full potential. We pride ourselves on knowing every student as an individual and building positive, meaningful relationships between students and staff.
Student wellbeing and positive behaviour are central to our school culture. Our approach is guided by the Positive Behaviours for Learning framework, with staff trained in the Berry Street Education Model. We continually embed our core values of Growth, Respect, Integrity and Pride (GRIP) into everyday learning and interactions. Our commitment to positive school culture has been recognised through achieving Gold Standard in School-Wide Positive Behaviour for two consecutive years (2024 and 2025).
Agriculture and horticulture play an important role in the local economy, and we are continuing to develop a strong curriculum focus on primary industries to reflect the opportunities and strengths of our region. Our thriving school farm provides hands-on learning experiences, with students involved in caring for chickens and sheep. The Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden further enriches student learning, growing fresh vegetables and providing opportunities to connect with nature, develop practical skills and explore sustainable food production. Our garden has received regional and state recognition through the Victorian Schools Garden Program, including the Kevin Heinze Perpetual Award.
At Heywood & District Secondary College, we offer staff the opportunity to make a meaningful difference in a close-knit rural community, contribute to a supportive and values-driven school culture, and inspire students through authentic, hands-on learning experiences.
SC1 Demonstrated knowledge of the Health and Physical Education curriculum, including the ability to incorporate the teaching of literacy 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 experience in reflecting upon practice and engaging in professional learning to continually improve the quality of teaching.
SC6 Demonstrated capacity to show initiative, contribute to a positive school culture and commitment to the vision and values of Heywood & District Secondary College.
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
Please ensure that your application includes:
Please note that the selection panel may seek additional referees beyond those you name. Consistent with policy, we shall advise you if we will take this action.
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.