Overview
Work Type: Ongoing - Full-time
Salary: Salary not specified
Grade: Leading Teacher - Range 3
Occupation: Leading teacher
Location: Melbourne - CBD and Inner Metro suburbs
Reference: 1519971
Location Profile
The Centre for Higher Education Studies (CHES) is a vibrant centre-of-excellence for high-ability senior secondary students from government schools across Victoria. We warmly welcome new members to our leadership team through comprehensive induction, professional learning and transition supports.
CHES Curriculum
We specialise in these four VCE subjects for high-achieving students across Victoria:
- VCE English Language 1 - 4
- VCE Algorithmics 3 & 4
- VCE Extended Investigation 3 & 4
- VCE Specialist Maths 1 - 4
We also offer Year 10 Enrichment Electives that introduce students to these subject areas.
- Critical Thinking for Creative Minds
- Research Matters
- Lingolab: Unveiling the Wonders of Real-World Language
- Introduction to Algorithmics
- Maths Investigations
The capacity to teach one or more of these subjects - or to learn to teach them - is important.
In addition, we support up to 30 first-year university courses (Higher Education Studies) for students across Victoria through university partnerships. These courses are taught and assessed by university academics and tutors.
Background to the Statewide Maths Camps
As the Department's leader in system-wide excellence in high ability education, CHES will play a collaborative and advisory role in supporting the successful supplier of the Maths Camps.
Important details:
Number of Maths Camps: 24 in total from 2026 ¿ 2028.
Student places: 960 places (approximately 40 students participating per camp).
Scheduling: Maths Camps will run from Term 2 school holiday period/Term 3 2026 to the end of Term 4 2028. The first camp is anticipated during the Term 2 school holidays (Saturday 27 June to Sunday 12 July 2026) with 4 camps in 2026 and 10 camps each in 2027 and 2028.
Locations: Both metropolitan and regional locations in Victoria.
Duration: Each Maths Camp is a 5-day (4-night) residential program.
Timings: Maths Camps will occur during school terms and school holidays.
Specifically, the main responsibilities of CHES are:
Collaborating and advising on the development of Maths Camp curriculum: Contributing to effective development and refinement of the Maths Camp program¿s curriculum plan and activities, in collaboration with the appointed supplier.
Supporting connections: Supporting the appointed supplier in the engagement of mathematical and STEM experts to enable students to explore advanced mathematics and STEM pathways.
Consulting on effective provision for high-ability students: Ensuring that the academic, social, and emotional needs of the high-ability student cohort are met through the Maths Camps.
The main responsibilities of the external supplier leading and implementing the Maths Camps are:
Scheduling and Promotion: Organise and maintain a schedule of Maths Camps from mid-2026 to end of 2028 across metro and regional locations, and develop promotional materials in collaboration with the Department of Education.
Registration and Communication: Provide an accessible registration service that collects participant details and consent, handles personal data securely, confirms registrations promptly, responds to queries, and communicates camp information to participants and parents/carers.
Program Development and Delivery: Collaborate with CHES to develop an advanced mathematics curriculum and engaging Maths Camp activities for high-ability students, including hands-on learning and career exploration; engage relevant academic and industry experts to contribute to the program.
Residential Camp Logistics: Manage all logistics related to overnight accommodation, catering (meeting dietary and nutritional needs), transportation during the camp, after-hours activities promoting social interaction, and supervision with required staff-to-student ratios.
Administration and Reporting: Handle invoicing and provide reports on outcomes in line with department directives, including survey data.
Compliance and Safety: Ensure child safety through personnel screening and adherence to Child Safe Standards, manage environmental and physical safety including health matters like anaphylaxis, maintain appropriate insurance, and comply with data privacy and security requirements.
Further background to CHES: The Centre for Higher Education Studies
CHES has been established by the Victorian Government to engage and meet the needs of high-ability students in the senior secondary years and to promote extension, enrichment and early access to university courses. We commenced programs in 2023 as a purpose-built co-educational school where high-achieving and high-ability students can find the support, structure and space to extend their learning beyond a mainstream program.
To access our programs, students are enrolled part-time from government schools across Victoria. CHES provides a suite of programs through our state-of-the-art facility and learning management systems. At CHES all teaching staff have responsibilities for the delivery of high-quality VCE programs and to actively support the wellbeing, engagement and academic progress of students.
Substantial professional learning opportunities and supports are provided to all new teachers on their appointment to a position at CHES. Our school values are Reach, Connect, Understand and Think Ahead, and we pride ourselves on our collegiality, collaboration and support - and our excellent relationships with partner schools and universities.
Please contact Stewart Milner, Principal of CHES, for more information and to discuss this exciting role further or to arrange a visit to the CHES facility: [email protected] or 0411 615 786 or 03 9063 1170.
Our website: https://ches.vic.edu.au/
CHES is a hub to enrich and celebrate student learning
The state-of-the-art CHES facility is a four-storey building located at 669 Chapel Street in South Yarra and features a state-of-the-art classrooms, auditorium for masterclasses and seminars, university-standard science laboratories, small group tutorial rooms, a professional learning space, and rooftop terrace. These learning spaces reflect the CHES hybrid approach to teaching and learning with the capacity to easily teach students on-site and online at the same time so that students can access our subjects from anywhere in Victoria.
In 2026 there are more than 800 students Years 10 to 12 enrolled (part-time) in CHES subjects with over 20% participating from rural and regional Victoria.
Our unique curriculum programs - and our enhanced focus on comprehensive enrichment opportunities
Students who undertake a HES or VCE subject through CHES also have access to other student enrichment opportunities, which include seminars, masterclasses and networking with universities and industry leaders.
Students participating in CHES programs remain enrolled at their base secondary school and are supported to undertake a program through CHES as part of their VCE program. Working in close partnership with their schools, students are enrolled in a CHES course for a fraction of their timetable (students typically study just one or two subjects with CHES) with the remainder of their enrolment and timetable reflecting the subjects being completed at their base school.
Local network partnerships
CHES has established partnerships with a foundation network of five local schools (Mac.Robertson Girls High School, Melbourne Girls College, Melbourne High School, Prahran High School and Richmond High School) and those schools are also able to deliver their own VCE classes within the CHES facility when our spaces are not fully utilised for CHES programs.
CHES also leads professional learning for teachers in schools around Victoria on meeting the needs of high-ability students.
Modes of curriculum delivery
To enable students across Victoria to access CHES programs, including rural and regional students, CHES programs are accessible online through our virtual platforms as well as on-site. CHES uses a hy-flex delivery mode, so that classroom delivery, discussion and collaboration opportunities are available to those students who are engaging online. Comprehensive orientation programs and enrichment opportunities are available to students.
CHES hours - innovative hy-flex arrangements
In terms of scheduling and work hours, please note that while most of our lessons are scheduled during a normal school day, we also hold a 90-minute live lesson for each of our VCE subjects from 4.30pm to 6.00pm on one afternoon per week and one 60-minute `live lesson' for each Year 10 Enrichment Elective once per week 3.45pm - 4.45pm, to enable as many students as possible to join the class after their regular school day. On those days, teaching staff commence work at 10.00am and finish at 6.00pm. Please note that this Leading Teacher role is likely to involve attendance at some of the Maths Camps.
Additional flexible working arrangements are available for staff through discussion and negotiation with the principal, including opportunities to work from home and part-time work.
Access to CHES
CHES is an award-winning 4 storey state-of-the-art facility with university-standard laboratories, contemporary classrooms, and comfortable workspaces. We are located centrally on Chapel Street in South Yarra. Consistent with other inner city vertical schools, there is no staff car parking available on-site but there is convenient access through a range of public transport options nearby.
Selection Criteria
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.
Role
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.
Responsibilities
Leading Teacher of High-Ability Enrichment Programs: Maths Camps
This new Leading Teacher will provide curriculum leadership, expert advice and program oversight for the statewide Maths Camps initiative (2026 ¿ 2028). Responsibility for the operational delivery, logistics, compliance and risk management of camp programs rests with the Department of Education¿s SPD and the appointed supplier - so the responsibilities of the Leading Teacher include:
Role responsibilities
Program Leadership
- Lead CHES¿s curriculum advisory role in relation to the establishment and ongoing refinement of Maths Camps.
- Coordinate the CHES contribution to camp planning, timelines and deliverables in collaboration with the appointed Maths Camps supplier and SPD.
- Ensure alignment between Maths Camp programs and contemporary research and best practice in high-ability mathematics education.
- Act as the primary point of contact between CHES and the supplier for curriculum-related matters.
- In discussion with CHES, SPD and the supplier, deliver or co-deliver aspects of the Maths Camps program.
Curriculum Design & Quality Assurance
- Co-design and refine Maths Camp curriculum plans, learning sequences and activities with the supplier, ensuring appropriate challenge and depth for high-ability Year 9 and 10 students.
- Provide expert advice on pedagogical approaches that support advanced mathematical thinking, problem-solving and inquiry.
- Regularly monitor and review program effectiveness through feedback and data from students, facilitators, base schools, and other key stakeholders, to inform continuous improvement, communicate or report concerns, and recommend refinements.
High-Ability Student Wellbeing & Inclusion
- Provide expert guidance on the academic, social and emotional needs of high-ability students participating in the Maths Camps, including priority cohorts.
- Advise on inclusive and supportive practices to support student wellbeing in intensive, residential environments.
- Promote and support responsive and differentiated teaching and learning strategies to meet diverse learner profiles and promote wellbeing in a camp environment.
Building Partnerships
- Facilitate and support engagement with mathematicians, STEM professionals and academic experts to contribute to Maths Camp programs, together with the supplier and SPD.
- Advise on the effective integration of expert contributions into coherent, student-centred learning experiences.
Governance and Professional Advice
- Provide professional advice to the supplier regarding educational considerations related to wellbeing and engagement.
- Support clear delineation of responsibilities between CHES, the supplier and the SPD, particularly in relation to delivery, compliance and risk management, noting that the supplier will be responsible for actual delivery of the Maths Camps.
- Escalate concerns promptly when program quality or student welfare is at risk.
System Contribution
- Provide insights and recommendations to CHES and SPD in the ongoing development and refinement of Maths Camps and broader mathematical enrichment opportunities for high ability students.
- Contribute to any required reporting and documentation, demonstrating CHES¿s statewide role.
- Represent CHES in statewide enrichment forums and contribute to strategic development of mathematics enrichment initiatives.
Professional Learning and Outreach in Mathematics
Lead and contribute to high-quality professional learning in Mathematics within and beyond CHES, including:
- Consulting with and advising government secondary schools on effective mathematics teaching and learning practices aligned with the Victorian Teaching and Learning Model (VTLM 2.0);
- Contributing to outreach initiatives that support schools ¿ including schools in rural and regional Victoria ¿ to strengthen mathematics capability and student outcomes.
The ability or willingness to learn to teach VCE Specialist Mathematics and/or VCE Algorithmics would also be highly valued for this new leadership position.
We anticipate that this role would commence, at latest, by the start of Term 2, 2026 but the start date can be negotiated with the successful candidate. This is a full-time Leading Teacher position with tenure from 20.04.2026 to 28.01.2029. Approximately half the allotment of this Leading Teacher will be dedicated to support of the Maths Camps.
Background to the Maths Camps
As the Department's leader in system-wide excellence in high ability education, CHES will play a collaborative and advisory role in supporting the successful supplier of the Maths Camps.
Important details:
Number of Maths Camps: 24 in total from 2026 ¿ 2028.
Student places: 960 places (approximately 40 students participating per camp).
Scheduling: Maths Camps will run from Term 2 school holiday period/Term 3 2026 to the end of Term 4 2028. The first camp is anticipated during the Term 2 school holidays (Saturday 27 June to Sunday 12 July 2026) with 4 camps in 2026 and 10 camps each in 2027 and 2028.
Locations: Both metropolitan and regional locations in Victoria.
Duration: Each Maths Camp is a 5-day (4-night) residential program.
Timings: Maths Camps will occur during school terms and school holidays.
Specifically, the main responsibilities of CHES are:
Collaborating and advising on the development of Maths Camp curriculum: Contributing to effective development and refinement of the Maths Camp program¿s curriculum plan and activities, in collaboration with the appointed supplier.
Supporting connections: Supporting the appointed supplier in the engagement of mathematical and STEM experts to enable students to explore advanced mathematics and STEM pathways.
Consulting on effective provision for high-ability students: Ensuring that the academic, social, and emotional needs of the high-ability student cohort are met through the Maths Camps.
The main responsibilities of the external supplier leading and implementing the Maths Camps are:
Scheduling and Promotion: Organise and maintain a schedule of Maths Camps from mid-2026 to end of 2028 across metro and regional locations, and develop promotional materials in collaboration with the Department of Education.
Registration and Communication: Provide an accessible registration service that collects participant details and consent, handles personal data securely, confirms registrations promptly, responds to queries, and communicates camp information to participants and parents/carers.
Program Development and Delivery: Collaborate with CHES to develop an advanced mathematics curriculum and engaging Maths Camp activities for high-ability students, including hands-on learning and career exploration; engage relevant academic and industry experts to contribute to the program.
Residential Camp Logistics: Manage all logistics related to overnight accommodation, catering (meeting dietary and nutritional needs), transportation during the camp, after-hours activities promoting social interaction, and supervision with required staff-to-student ratios.
Administration and Reporting: Handle invoicing and provide reports on outcomes in line with department directives, including survey data.
Compliance and Safety: Ensure child safety through personnel screening and adherence to Child Safe Standards, manage environmental and physical safety including health matters like anaphylaxis, maintain appropriate insurance, and comply with data privacy and security requirements.
Who May Apply
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.
Diversity and Inclusion
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.
Child Safe Standards
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
DE Values
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
Conditions of Employment
- All staff employed by the Department and schools have access to a broad range of employment conditions and working arrangements.
- Appointment of successful applicants will be made subject to a satisfactory pre-employment conditions check.
- A probationary period may apply during the first year of employment and induction and support programs provided.
- Detailed information on all terms and conditions of employment is available on the Department's Human Resources website at http://www.education.vic.gov.au/hrweb/Pages/default.aspx
Qualification Requirements
To be eligible for employment, transfer or promotion in the principal or teacher class:
- The person must have provisional or full registration approved by the Victorian Institute of Teaching; and
- if the person completed an Australian postgraduate level initial teaching program or course of study on or after 1 January 2024, they must demonstrate that they have satisfactorily completed a postgraduate level accredited initial teacher education program that has been accredited by an Australian State or Territory Teacher Regulatory Authority as satisfying the requirements of the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership 'Accreditation of initial teacher education programs in Australia: Standards and Procedures'; and
- a person who graduated from a Victorian Initial Teacher Education (ITE) program after 1 July 2016 must also 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 ITE program completed by the person).
Details of qualification requirements as updated from time to time can be found at Recruitment in Schools.