Work Type: Fixed-term - Full-time
Salary: Salary not specified
Grade: Education Support - Level 1, Range 4
Occupation: Health and allied health
Location: Melbourne - Northern suburbs
Reference: 1538702
KSC1 Demonstrated knowledge and skill in the assessment of speech, language and communication in school-aged children, including the confident and accurate administration, scoring and interpretation of standardised assessments such as CELF-5.
KSC2 Demonstrated capacity to plan, deliver and evaluate effective individual and small group intervention for students with speech, language and communication needs, working to measurable goals and using data to inform decisions.
KSC3 Demonstrated ability to translate assessment findings into clear, practical recommendations for classroom teachers, and to build the capability of teaching and education support staff through coaching, modelling and professional learning.
KSC4 Highly developed communication and interpersonal skills, including the ability to explain complex clinical information sensitively to families from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds, and to work collaboratively within a multidisciplinary school team.
KSC5 Demonstrated capacity to manage a caseload independently - to prioritise competing demands, meet reporting timeframes, maintain accurate records and work with professional autonomy within an agreed service framework.
KSC6 Demonstrated commitment to inclusive, culturally responsive and child safe practice, and an understanding of Department's Disability Inclusion model and tiered approach to student support.
Education Support Class Level 1, Range 4 is distinguished by the exercise of professional judgement and specialist expertise within a defined field, and by responsibility for the delivery of a professional support service that has an impact beyond a single work area. The Speech Pathologist is expected to work with a high degree of professional autonomy within the parameters set by the Principal and the Assistant Principal ¿ Wellbeing and Disability Inclusion, and to exercise independent clinical judgement in assessment, diagnosis and intervention planning.
The position requires the application of specialist knowledge to complex situations, the capacity to influence and build the capability of other staff, and accountability for the quality, timeliness and ethical conduct of a professional service delivered to students and families. The occupant will be the school¿s principal source of expertise on speech, language and communication, and will contribute to whole-school planning in oral language and literacy.
The Speech Pathologist reports to the Assistant Principal ¿ Wellbeing and Disability Inclusion, who sets priorities, approves the caseload, protects the assessment and reporting schedule, and conducts performance and development. Clinical decisions remain the professional responsibility of the Speech Pathologist.
1. Assessment and diagnostic work
Plan and conduct comprehensive speech, language and communication assessments using standardised tools including the CELF-5, together with criterion-referenced measures, language sampling, dynamic assessment and classroom observation.
Score, interpret and analyse assessment data, and form a clinical opinion regarding the nature and severity of a student¿s communication needs.
Distinguish carefully between language difference associated with English as an additional language and an underlying language disorder, using culturally responsive assessment practice, first-language history and interpreters where required.
Produce clear written assessment reports for the school, the family and, where relevant, external providers, within agreed timeframes.
Complete re-assessment at planned review points to measure progress and determine continuation, adjustment or exit from the service.
2. Direct intervention with students
Deliver individual intervention to students with the highest level of assessed communication need, working to written, measurable goals.
Plan, deliver and evaluate structured small group language programs grouped by shared assessed need, including receptive and expressive language, vocabulary, narrative, phonological awareness, speech sound production and social communication.
Maintain accurate session records, data on goal progress, and evidence of student response to intervention.
Design and deliver intervention that reflects the student¿s classroom curriculum, so that gains transfer to the learning environment.
Support students who use augmentative and alternative communication, including the implementation and review of communication systems across school settings.
3. Building teacher and staff capability
Provide classroom teachers with specific, practical recommendations arising from assessment, expressed in language teachers can act on immediately.
Model and coach communication-supportive strategies in classrooms, including scaffolding, visual supports, sentence structure support and vocabulary instruction.
Provide professional direction, training and coaching to Education Support Staff delivering speech and language programs under the Speech Pathologist¿s planning.
Contribute to whole-school professional learning on oral language and its relationship to literacy and behaviour.
4. Documentation, data and compliance
Contribute specialist assessment evidence to Disability Inclusion Profile applications and attend profile meetings as required.
Contribute communication goals and adjustments to Individual Education Plans, Behaviour Support Plans and Social Support Plans.
Record adjustments and evidence to support the Nationally Consistent Collection of Data, in line with the school¿s NCCD processes and evidence standards.
Maintain student records in the school¿s systems, including XUNO Student Maps, in accordance with Departmental privacy and records management requirements.
5. Family partnership and external liaison
Meet with families to explain assessment findings and intervention plans in plain, respectful, strengths-based language, using interpreters where required.
Attend Student Support Group meetings and contribute to goal setting and review.
Liaise with Student Support Services, NDIS providers, external speech pathologists, paediatricians and community health services, with appropriate consent.
Support families to access external services where a student¿s needs exceed the scope of the school-based service.
6. Professional practice and team contribution
Practise in accordance with the Speech Pathology Australia Code of Ethics and relevant professional standards.
Maintain currency of professional knowledge, complete continuing professional development and participate in clinical supervision.
Participate in the school¿s Performance and Development process with the Assistant Principal ¿ Wellbeing and Disability Inclusion.
Contribute as a member of the Wellbeing and Disability Inclusion team, including team meetings, planning days and school events.
Fulfil all child safety, mandatory reporting and occupational health and safety obligations.
This position is open to suitably qualified speech pathologists who are eligible for practising membership of Speech Pathology Australia and who meet the requirements set out in Section A7. Applicants must be legally entitled to work in Australia.
All staff employed by the Department and schools have access to a broad range of employment conditions and working arrangements.
Appointment is subject to satisfactory pre-employment conditions, including a valid Working with Children Check.
Conditions of employment are specified in the Education and Training Reform Act 2006 and the Victorian Government Schools Agreement.
A probationary period may apply during the first year of employment.
Detailed information on all terms and conditions of employment is available on the Department¿s website.
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
Meadowglen Primary School is a Department of Education government primary school in Epping, in Melbourne¿s northern growth corridor. We serve a diverse, largely multilingual community, and a significant proportion of our students are learning English as an additional language. The school is engaged in a sustained improvement agenda, with a strong focus on literacy, oral language and student wellbeing as the foundations of academic progress.
Our four values ¿ Be Curious, Be Safe, Be Respectful, Be Resilient ¿ are taught explicitly across every setting through our School-Wide Positive Behaviour Support framework. Student support is organised through a Multi-Tiered System of Support, with universal practice for all students, targeted intervention for some, and intensive individualised support for a small number. Our practice is grounded in Departmental frameworks including VTLM 2.0, Positive Classroom Management Strategies, the Disability Inclusion model and Respectful Relationships.
We recognise that oral language underpins literacy, learning, behaviour and social connection. A significant number of our students present with speech, language and communication needs that are currently identified late, assessed externally at cost to families, or managed without formal diagnostic data. This position exists to change that.