Work Type: Ongoing - Full-time
Salary: Salary not specified
Grade: Learning Specialist - Range 3
Occupation: Learning specialist
Location: Melbourne - Southern suburbs
Reference: 1535023
Pakenham Secondary College is a Year 7-12 College located within the Cardinia Shire on Melbourne¿s South East fringe. The school now serves a large and diverse community within a designated urban growth corridor.
The College is committed to providing all students with learning opportunities designed to develop socially responsible citizens and build pathways to their futures. We are committed to continuous improvement. We value growth through connection.
The key values that underpin all our work at the College is based around the acronym SOAR.
S ocial and personal responsibility
This means everyone is accountable for their own actions and share responsibility for the development of a positive learning environment.
O pportunities for all
This means that all members of the school community are provided with a variety of learning opportunities to further develop themselves and participate in the decision-making process of the school.
A chieving personal best
This means there is an expectation that all members of the school community commit to a culture of excellence.
R espectful relationships
This means that the school recognises the importance of productive relationships, with all members of the school community showing respect for themselves, others and the environment.
The school community has become increasingly diverse with students from a variety of ethnic and racial backgrounds creating a diverse school population. It is anticipated that student enrolment numbers will be approximately 1250 in 2027.
We are a great school offering outstanding opportunities to our students in the areas important to our College Community:
The curriculum across Years 7 and 8 is based around a core plus elective model. Students in Years 9 and 10 combine their core subjects with more elective choices in areas of interest to them. Year 10 students also have the opportunity to access a VET or VCE subject. Senior students are able to access the VCE (VCE, VCE Vocational Major and the Victorian Pathways Certificate) and a variety of VET courses and School Based Apprenticeships. The school is committed to supporting students in achieving at least one qualification upon the completion of their Secondary Education.
The school recently completed a new Strategic Plan (2025) which is focused on improving student learning and wellbeing. Key Improvement Strategies include:
Strengthen the Professional Learning Communities approach through collaborative inquiry, improved use of data, feedback and peer coaching.
Develop, implement and embed a whole school approach to formative and summative assessment.
Audit, adjust, monitor and embed the instructional model aligned to the VTLM 2.0.
Embed multi-tiered systems of support that enhance student wellbeing, engagement, and inclusion.
Enhance student voice and agency, a sense of belonging and school pride across the school community.
The College has recently received $11.3 million in funding as part of a Capitol Works Program with works commencing in 2024 ¿ the Program will be completed by the end of 2026.
Our College has also further developed its International Student Program. We view our International Students Program as a further means of adding to our already rich Cultural diersity at the College.
Pakenham Secondary College strives to implement the Child Safe Standards as outlined in Ministerial Order No.870 to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all students at the College and promote an organisational culture that manages the risk of child abuse and neglect. The school has developed policies and procedures specifically aimed at keeping children safe.
¿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 the Child Safe Standards. The school¿s Child Safety Code of Conduct is available on the school¿s website¿
The school's preference is for the successful candidate to work over 5 days per week with a start time of 8.30 a.m. and finish time of 4.30p.m. on afternoons where there are Meetings (typically, Mondays and Tuesdays are our Meeting Days through the week).
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.
Responsibilities
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:
Demonstrating high-level expertise in teaching and learning practice.
Modelling exemplary classroom practice including through teaching demonstration lessons.
Working with the school leadership team to develop a shared view of highly effective teacher practice.
Leading and modelling the implementation of whole-school improvement strategies related to curriculum planning and delivery.
Playing a key role in the provision of professional learning, including through developing processes and protocols for observation and feedback of teacher practice and peer collaboration.
Modelling effective learning practice and supporting teachers to seek, analyse and act on feedback and on their practice.
Providing evidence-based feedback to teaching staff to inform their effectiveness and development.
Providing expert advice about the context, processes and strategies that will shape individual and school professional learning.
Supervising and training one or more student teachers and mentoring and/or coaching teachers.
Modelling exemplary use of student data to inform teaching approaches.
Developing and promoting school-wide professional learning structures, processes and protocols through Professional Learning Communities.
Modelling exemplary professional learning practice included through seeking feedback from other teachers and leaders on their own classroom practice as part of critical reflection and inquiry to improve practice.
Specific Duties:
The holder of this position will be part of the School Improvement Team which is charged with ensuring that the College¿s Strategic Plan is successfully implemented and will have specific responsibility for improving the literacy outcomes of students across all year levels.¿¿They will need to have a strong understanding of the "Literacy for Learning" program and will be expected to provide expert coaching and mentoring to individuals and teams.
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They will need specific understanding of the school improvement strategies as outlined in the Annual Implementation Plan and actively support their implementation.¿¿It is expected that they will develop, support and sustain a learning environment that, in turn, allows for high-quality teaching and supports enhanced learning outcomes for students.
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The key role of the Literacy Coordinator may include but is not limited to:
Undertake the role of the English KLA leader which includes:
Leading the English faculty in the implementation of Professional Learning Communities
Ensuring curriculum documentation is current.
Supporting the development and implementation of the Annual Implementation Plan and the College Strategic Plan
Role modelling best practice, exemplary teaching and support colleagues to continually improve their teaching.
Supporting staff and Key Learning Areas in the implementation of the "Literacy for Learning" program across the College through:
Coaching and mentoring teaches
Demonstration lessons
Professional Learning activities
Overseeing the implementation of NAPLAN and Progressive Achievement Testing (PAT).
Overseeing the work of the Literacy support team (Including MYLNS) to ensure that their work is targeted to those in need.
Monitoring the progress of students involved in the literacy intervention program and work with Year Level Teams to determine which students will access the program.
Supporting teachers in using the data from both NAPLAN and Progressive Achievement Testing (PAT) to develop learning programs that best suits the needs of their students.
Understanding the role of the English Key Learning Area Leader.
Undertaking other duties or responsibilities as required by the Principal.
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.