Work Type: Ongoing - Full-time
Salary: Salary not specified
Grade: Learning Specialist - Range 3
Occupation: Learning specialist
Location: Melbourne - Northern suburbs
Reference: 1489182
Dear Applicant,
Thank you for your interest in the advertised position at Essendon North Primary School. At a time of exciting growth and continuous school improvement, this is an excellent opportunity for highly motivated, dynamic professionals to be part of our community. This is a classroom based Learning Specialist position with a focus on modelling, demonstrating and supporting school wide exemplary practice across the curriculum and year levels.
At Essendon North Primary School, our vision is to be `Global learners and leaders, exceeding expectations.' Our mission is `We maximise the potential of all; empowering independence, excellence, innovation and critical engagement with the world.' We believe in our Guiding Statements, and as a learning community, are committed to embedding these within the fabric of our school. We are Brave, Bold and Connected. Our school has an International membership with the Council of International Schools (CIS) and is authorised as an International Baccalaureate (IB) World School, offering the Primary Years Programme (PYP). This is reflective of our commitment to high quality, challenging, international education that Essendon North Primary School believes is important for our students.
The entire school community is actively involved in the life of the school and shares a commitment to being an innovative leader in education. The School Council and the Executive Team are partners in providing a unified purpose and direction for achieving a quality education for every child. Parent involvement and engagement in student learning is valued and actively promoted. Parents are encouraged to assist with classroom programs and are involved in regular whole school events.
Our school officially opened on September 9th, 1920 and is located on Keilor Road in the suburb of North Essendon, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. In 2020, we celebrated our school's centenary and continue to be very proud of our rich history and community connections.
Essendon North Primary School is approximately 12 km north-west from Melbourne's Central Business District and our Local Government area is the City of Moonee Valley. A total of 620 students are enrolled in 2025. Our evolving demographic now boasts 36 percent of students with English as an Additional Language (EAL). In 2025 we have twenty-eight grades from Foundation to Year Six.
In 2026, our school will be in the final year of a four year strategic plan (2023 to 2026). The goals of our strategic plan are:
Our school continues to offer a broad curriculum and an extensive co-curricular program that enables our students to experience new challenges and opportunities beyond the classroom. From Foundation to Year Two, our focus is on establishing solid foundations in Literacy and Numeracy, and from years Three to Six our focus builds breadth and depth. This approach, complemented by a clear focus on student achievement, provides solid foundations for students to access rich and diverse learning experiences. The focus on an inquiry-based curriculum that utilises and extends the application of contemporary learning technologies in collaborative learning environments provides engaging and stimulating opportunities for students to extend themselves and maximise their potential. These learning opportunities and improvements are supported through a lens of wellbeing.
Our school offers a range of specialist and extracurricular programs including languages education in Chinese (Mandarin), Visual and Performing Arts, Physical and Sport Education, Health and Wellbeing, interschool sport, Perceptual Motor Program (PMP), choir, instrumental music tuition, student agency, leadership and voice, Buddy Program, Lunch Clubs, Camping Program, incursions and excursions, and an Out of School Hours Care Program. We have developed a comprehensive program and service structure for students with additional and complex needs including participation in the Victorian Student Excellence Program and external opportunities (Gateways, ICAS, Science Talent Search) and comprehensive support for students with disabilities (DI) and students at risk.
Our school has four principal class members, three Learning Specialists and nine Professional Learning Communities (PLC). The Executive Team and all nine Professional Learning Communities regularly plan and evaluate teaching effectiveness and student learning outcomes, and participate in team based professional learning. The organisation of the school remains fluid and flexible so that our school's resources (human, physical and financial) can be strategically aligned to cater for the emerging learning needs of all our students.
At the very heart of our purpose is to provide every child with the best possible education. We recognise that this will be achieved by our staff, and are committed to delivering high quality teaching practice so that every child learns and achieves high standards. High quality professional learning is one of the cornerstones of our school. In 2026, our school will continue a commitment to the Department of Education's initiatives including curriculum reviews, the Victorian Teaching and Learning Model 2.0, School Wide Positive Behaviours, the Professional Learning (PLC) Communities, Respective Relationships, and the Transforming the First Years of Teaching initiatives.
Our Performance and Development Program (PDP) is viewed as an investment in the growth and development of our staff. With clear links to the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL) standards, regular review of goals (individual and collective) and active support in the achievement of these professional goals is valued. Our model for Professional Learning prioritises coaching, peer observation and feedback.
Please visit our school website at www.enps.vic.edu.au for further information about our school. Applicants are invited to contact Kate Barletta (Principal) at [email protected] or on 9379 3979 for further information.
Applicants should include a curriculum vitae detailing relevant qualifications and experience, responses to the selection criteria, and the names and contact details of three professional referees. Following receipt of your application and shortlisting process, you may be contacted for an interview.
Thank you again for your interest in the position available at our school.
Yours sincerely,
Kate Barletta
Principal
SC1 Demonstrated expert knowledge of the relevant curriculum. Demonstrated ability to model exemplary teaching practice, including the teaching of literacy and numeracy skills across the curriculum, and implement school priorities.
SC2 Demonstrated expertise in the implementation and modelling 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 model the monitoring and assessment of student learning. 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 communication skills. Demonstrated ability to engage in collaborative relationships with students, colleagues, parents and the broader school community to support student learning, agency, wellbeing and engagement.
SC5 Demonstrated ability to model behaviours and attitudes consistent with Department values. Demonstrated ability to support others to reflect on their practice and facilitate school-based professional learning.
Learning Specialists will be highly skilled classroom practitioners who continue to spend the majority of their time in the classroom delivering high-quality teaching and learning and have a range of responsibilities related to their expertise, including teaching demonstration lessons, observing and providing feedback to other teachers and facilitating school-based professional learning. Learning Specialists are expected to have deep knowledge and expertise in high quality teaching and learning in delivering improved achievement, engagement and wellbeing for students. The role of the Learning Specialist will be to model excellence in teaching and learning through demonstration lessons and, mentoring and coaching teachers in improving the skill, knowledge and effectiveness of the teaching workforce.
The Learning Specialist role is aimed at building excellence in teaching and learning within the Teaching Service.
In recognition of the importance of exemplary practice for improved student learning outcomes, the key roles of the Learning Specialists 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.
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.
The Department of Education is committed to the principles of equal opportunity, and diversity and inclusion for all. We value diversity and inclusion in all forms - gender, religion, ethnicity, LGBTIQ+, 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 family friendly, supportive, safe and harassment free workplaces is essential to high performance and promotes flexible work, diversity and safety across all schools and Department workplaces. It is our policy to provide reasonable adjustments for persons with a disability (see Workplace adjustment guidelines).
Additional support and advice on the recruitment process is available to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islanders from the Koorie Outcomes Division (KOD) via [email protected]
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 a person must have provisional or full registration from the Victorian Institute of Teaching. In addition, from 3 August 2020, to be eligible for employment in the principal class or teacher class, a person who graduated from a Victorian Initial Teacher Education program after 1 July 2016, must 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 Initial Teacher Education program completed by the person.