Work Type: Fixed-term - Part-time
Salary: Salary not specified
Grade: Education Support - Level 1, Range 4
Occupation: Health and allied health
Location: Melbourne - Western suburbs
Reference: 1509335
Deanside Primary School is a rapidly growing, values-driven school serving a high-growth community in Melbourne. We pride ourselves on creating an inclusive, joyful learning environment where every student and staff member is supported to succeed. We are expanding by 11 new classrooms next year to meet community demand and strengthen our teaching capacity.
Deanside Primary School officially opened January 2022. It is located at 38 Conservatory Drive, Deanside, 3336; which is situated between Caroline Springs and Aintree. The school currently has an enrolment of 600 students and we are forecasting high enrolment numbers for 2026 due to the amount of housing being built across the new suburb of Deanside.
Deanside Primary School accommodates students from Foundation to Year 6. Currently we have 24 classrooms operating in the school, with five Specialist areas of STEM, Visual Arts, Performing Arts, PE and Kitchen/Garden taught weekly. LOTE (AUSLAN) was introduced in 2024 and is delivered by all classroom teachers via an online platform. We are currently looking to increase our specialist programs to support the needs of the incoming students.
Deanside Primary School has a friendly and welcoming atmosphere where students from all age groups play together across our sports fields, Community Hub, play equipment, and play spaces.
Students are always at the centre of everything we do and we plan to their needs. We pride ourselves on being a caring and innovative school, with a welcoming community and friendly culture. Deanside Primary School is focussed on developing respectful relationships between students, staff and families to ensure each student¿s social, emotional and academic learning is developed. All students have access to iPads and our teaching staff use Mac laptops in a technology immersed classroom environment with AppleTV¿s and document cameras.
Objective
Deanside Primary School objective is to ensure that all students will attain the knowledge and learning traits that will enable a lifelong love of learning and the disposition and capacity to engage critically and confidently within Australian society.
Deanside Primary School will place great emphasis on students, staff and our community, treating everyone with courtesy and respect as well as having high expectations in relation to behaviour and how we respond to different situations. We will strive to develop social and communication skills which help students deal with a range of situations they will encounter as they become lifelong learners.
Mission
Deanside Primary School¿s mission is to ensure students are supported to achieve their personal best academically, socially and emotionally. Students are encouraged to become courteous, self-managing, resilient and independent young people who have a sense of social responsibility and who are effectively prepared for life in an ever-changing world.
Our Vision is to have students that are -
- creative and critical thinkers
- empowered to positively impact both their school and their community.
- joined in a partnership with their teachers to monitor their progress, identify their next point of challenge and collaborate positively with their peers.
- driven to have high expectations
- immersed in a learning culture based on evidence, best practice and inclusion.
- exposed to an environment where Learning and Wellbeing is equally important and we strive to create an inclusive environment that meets the needs of every student.
Our School Values drive our school culture. We constantly refer to the values of Excellence, Respect, Responsibility and Care.
The Occupational Therapist contributes to the school¿s allied health and wellbeing team by supporting student participation, independence, and learning engagement. The role delivers assessment, intervention, consultation, adaptive equipment advice, and capacity building aligned with the school¿s Disability Inclusion approach. Working collaboratively with students, staff and families, the Occupational Therapist supports equitable curriculum access and an inclusive school learning environment.
Key Responsibilities
Assessment, Intervention and Review
Inclusive Practice and Case Collaboration
Capacity Building and Training
Equipment and Resource Management
Professional Conduct and Compliance
SC1. Clinical Expertise in Educational Practice
Demonstrated expertise in occupational therapy within an educational setting, including assessment, intervention planning, and reporting using evidence-based strategies to support student regulation, participation, independence, and access to learning aligned with Disability Inclusion policy requirements.
SC2. Evidence-Based Intervention and Programming
Demonstrated capacity to design, implement and evaluate individual, group and classroom-embedded occupational therapy supports that address physical, sensory, regulatory, and organisational needs while promoting participation and functional access to curriculum under the Disability Inclusion model.
SC3. Collaborative and Multidisciplinary Practice
Demonstrated ability to work effectively as part of a multidisciplinary allied health and wellbeing team, contributing occupational therapy expertise to Disability Inclusion Profiles, Student Support Group (SSG) processes, and collaborative goal setting aligned with whole-school inclusive education priorities.
SC4. Communication and Stakeholder Engagement
Demonstrated ability to communicate professionally with school staff, students, families, external agencies and allied health professionals, ensuring recommendations support inclusive practice and align with Disability Inclusion expectations, while maintaining confidentiality and student dignity.
SC5. Documentation, Organisation & Reporting
Strong organisational skills including the ability to maintain accurate documentation, complete Disability Inclusion reporting requirements, and provide evidence-based recommendations while managing competing deadlines within a school environment.
SC6. Professional Growth and Capacity Building
Commitment to ongoing professional learning, reflective practice and building the capacity of staff to implement therapy-informed strategies that support functional participation and inclusion across classrooms.
[Attendance requirement for this position]
Range 4 is distinguished by broader management responsibility, particularly in the areas of finance, human resource and other support functions. Range 4 is responsible for managing a range of functions under a wide range of conditions, subject to the size and complexity of school operations.
Objectives will, generally, be clearly defined; guidelines will be broad and day-to-day direction minimal. Management responsibility extends to ensuring appropriate support levels are maintained across the school. Range 4 generally provides key support and timely advice to the leadership team and school council and liaises with the general school community, the Department and other government agencies and service providers.
Specialised professional roles will carry a high level of independence and accountability where suitable scope is provided to achieve objectives.
An education support class position supports the educational services being provided to students, but must not include duties of teaching as defined in clause 2.6.1 of the Education and Training Reform Act 2006 (Vic) or its successor. Supervision of students cannot be required except where it is an integral part of the employee¿s position or involves supervision of students individually or in small groups, in controlled circumstances, where the responsibility for students remains clearly with a teacher.
Assessment, Intervention and Review
Inclusive Practice and Case Collaboration
Capacity Building and Training
Equipment and Resource Management
Professional Conduct and Compliance
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