Located in Melbourne's western suburbs, Sunshine Special Developmental School (SDS) provides a unique and innovative learning environment for students aged 5-18 years with moderate to severe intellectual disabilities. As a P-12 school, Sunshine SDS is structured around a Primary and Secondary Learning Centre model that supports continuity of learning and development.
Our school community is culturally rich and diverse. We have a strong Vietnamese community and continue to welcome an increasing number of Burmese and African families into our learning environment.
Sunshine SDS has an enrolment of 200 students and a dedicated staff team comprising:
- 4 Principal Class Officers
- 4 Leading Teachers
- 2 Learning Specialists
- 28 Teachers
- 53 Education Support Staff
Teaching and Learning
Our programs are tailored to meet the individual needs of each student. Learning is student-centred, with Individual Education Plans (IEPs) developed in partnership with families. Teaching is guided by data to identify priority learning goals and monitor progress.
Learning is aligned to the Victorian Curriculum, with a strong focus on:
- English
- Communication
- Mathematics
- Personal and Social Capability
Students engage in a range of hands on, meaningful learning experiences, including play based learning, enrichment programs, and Intensive Interaction. Specialist programs further enhance engagement and skill development, including:
- Visual and Performing Arts
- Drama and Learn to Play
- Bike Education
- Physical Education
- Cooking
- Respectful Relationships
Wellbeing and Allied Health
Our Wellbeing and Allied Health team plays a vital role in supporting students and staff. Sunshine SDS is a School Wide Positive Behaviour (SWPBS) school with a team of Behaviour Support Coaches in classrooms building staff capacity and student behaviours.
Speech Pathologists
- Occupational Therapists
- Physiotherapist
- Behaviour Support Team
- Allied Health Assistants
Additional support for students and families is provided by our:
- African Cultural Worker
- Wellbeing Officer
- NDIS Navigator
- School Nurse
Together, these teams work collaboratively to ensure every student is supported to thrive academically, socially, and emotionally.
Sunshine SDS promotes and upholds our vision of "Excellence in education for every
student, every day without exception."
LEARNING | COLLABORATION | RESPECT | COURAGE | PERSISTENCE
SC1: Educational leadership
- Outstanding capacity for visionary and exemplary educational leadership of a school.
- Highly developed skills in leading and managing change including the leadership of others in the process of change.
SC2: Financial, managerial and administrative ability
- Outstanding financial, organisational and resource management skills.
SC3: Planning, policy and program development and review
- Exemplary values appropriate to the development of student learning with a demonstrated capacity to achieve high-quality student outcomes.
- Demonstrated ability to implement Department policies to a high level.
SC4: Leadership of staff and students
- A highly developed capacity to motivate staff, develop their talents and build an effective team.
- A clear capacity to foster a learning environment that takes account of the individual needs of students and helps students to develop their special abilities and talents.
SC5: Interpersonal and communication skills
- Highly developed interpersonal and communication skills in individual, small group and community contexts.
- Exemplary values pertaining to personal qualities of objectivity, sensitivity and integrity.
- An ability to work with parents/carers and the community to develop a strong and positive learning environment
SC6: Local Selection Criteria
- A demonstrated capacity to lead the implementation and monitoring of SWPBS and Behaviour Coach Team. This includes the effective coordination of resources and specialist supports to ensure positive learning and wellbeing outcomes for students.
The assistant principal reports directly to the principal.
Assistant principals have a primary responsibility for the management of significant areas or functions within the school to ensure the effective development, provision and evaluation of the school's education program. In exercising the responsibility, assistant principals will have the authority to make all significant decisions relating to the program, budget and staff relating to their area of designated responsibility within the framework of the school's strategic plan, policies and budget. Assistant principals will contribute to the overall management of the school through involvement in policy formulation and decision making.
The management of significant school program or functional areas in schools involve assistant principals in the analysis of the needs of students and the translation of state educational policy and frameworks into appropriate education programs to meet the needs of all students.
Typically assistant principals will be responsible for the effective use of the teaching staff and program budget of a defined area of the school's operation and for the oversight and leadership of the educational programs provided utilising these resources.
Typically, assistant principals perform one or more of the following functions:
- supervision and coordination of the work of senior curriculum or level coordinators;
- allocation of budgets, positions of responsibility and other resources within the area of responsibility;
- supervision of the delivery of teaching programs;
- management of programs to improve the knowledge and experience of staff;
- responsibility for general discipline matters beyond the management of classroom teachers and year level coordinators;
- contribute to the overall management of the school;
Appropriately qualified individuals currently registered or eligible for registration with the Victorian Institute of Teaching.
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
- 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
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.
