Our College
Eaglehawk Secondary College (ESC) is a Year 7 - 10 college, which focuses on the needs of students in preparation for senior school pathways, further study and the workforce. Students from the college progress on to undertake the VCE or equivalent at Bendigo Senior Secondary College, with which ESC has a very strong partnership as a member of the Bendigo Education Plan cluster schools.
The college has a student population of 570 students drawn from Eaglehawk, Bendigo and the adjacent rural areas, with projected growth to 700. The college was completely rebuilt in 2012 with outstanding facilities including four Learning Communities; Design and Technology building; Performing Arts Centre; Library; Food Technology areas; Gymnasium; a purpose-built Innovation Learning Centre for STEAM and an onsite reengagement facility that hosts the college's Connect Program.
Student Engagement
A wide range of teaching and learning strategies are employed by teachers to actively involve students in their learning and respond to the different skills, abilities, and interests of all students.
The major features of ESC are:
- A well-balanced curriculum that has breadth, depth, engagement, and challenge.
- Personalised learning opportunities that increase agency and voice in learning.
- Literacy and Numeracy programs catering for personalised learning.
- Applied and practical learning experiences with VCE and VET opportunities utilising industry standard facilities and equipment.
- Bring Your Own Device program in 2026
- Programs to support Indigenous students.
- Tutor supported program for Karen students.
- Opportunities for students to thrive in our onsite re-engagement program, Connect, that support students who are at risk, therefore enabling them to remain connected to educational opportunities and the school community.
- A Teacher Advisor Program committed to the learning, wellbeing, and engagement of students.
ICT
ESC maximises learning technologies through the Bring Your Own Device Program to be introduced in 2025. Parents are kept informed of their child's learning and attendance via COMPASS platform. Every student in the College is connected on-line for their learning and assessment.
Responsive & Innovative Curriculum
A wide range of teaching and learning strategies are employed to actively involve students in their learning and respond to the different skills, abilities, and interests of all students.
Curriculum initiatives include:
- E-Learning across the curriculum
- Pathways opportunities which include Work Experience and Head Start
- VET and VCE provision at Year 10.
- High needs transition program for at risk students Year 6 moving to Year 7
- Year 10 transition program to Bendigo Senior Secondary College
- Breadth of subject and elective offerings across the curriculum across years 7-10
- Courses are designed and aligned with Victorian Curriculum in the areas of English, Mathematics, Humanities, Arts, Science, LOTE, Design and Technology and Health and Physical Education.
- Opportunities to undertake specialist programs as part of the BEP cluster secondary schools initiative including the Athletic Development Program and STEAM
- RACV Energy Breakthrough and the Bendigo Instrumental Music Program (BIMP)
Parent Engagement
Parents obtain regular feedback about student progress and competencies through:
- Ready to Learn conferences at the start of the year and Parent / Teacher / Student interviews at the end of Semesters 1 and 3.
- Progressive student assessment and reporting information available through COMPASS for each unit of work.
- End of semester reports on Victorian Curriculum progress via COMPASS
- Course Counselling for subject selection for Years 8 - 10.
College Facilities
Our school has been built to cater for a long-term enrolment of 800 students. The school is designed on principles that have created modern school buildings capable of supporting a wide variety of new teaching and learning approaches.
The school design allows for:
- Personalised learning for every student.
- Curriculum that has breadth, depth, engagement and challenge.
- Applied and practical learning experiences.
- Each student has a Teacher Advisor for student wellbeing, mentoring and academic support.
- Indoor-outdoor connections for learning. For example, the GROW program and 3556 Magazine.
- Student leadership opportunities through our Student Activities and Leadership Team
- Partnership programs with La Trobe University, Bendigo.
- College Production.
Supporting All Students
The facilities have a capacity to provide a vast curriculum program including STEAM and Project Based Learning programs. The setting supports students to build effective relationships with their teachers and their fellow students.
Learning Communities
Learning Communities accommodate up to 200 students. The community caters for their core curriculum classes and provides the base for their management and welfare as a group. Small teams of teachers provide home group (Teacher Advisor - TA) tutoring to small groups of students in each Learning Community, which will help develop a culture of high expectations, underpinned by a commitment to effort and hard work by all.
The flexible learning spaces support the extensive use of Information Communication Technologies. The design of the neighbourhoods allows effective supervision of all students in the group and includes social spaces where personal relationships are formed.
Learning communities also include:
- Studio classrooms for up to 25 students.
- Interview spaces that can also be used as a workspace for three or four students.
- Breakout spaces where a range of teaching and learning activities can occur.
- Specialist Arts / Science studios and a link to specialist areas for Design and Technology Studies, Health and Physical Education and Performing Arts.
SC1 Demonstrated knowledge of the relevant curriculum, including the ability to incorporate the teaching of literacy and numeracy skills. Demonstrated experience in responding to student learning needs.
SC2 Demonstrated experience in planning for and implementing high impact teaching strategies, guided by how students learn, and evaluating the impact of learning and teaching programs on student learning growth.
SC3 Demonstrated experience in monitoring and assessing student learning. Demonstrated experience in using data to inform teaching practice and providing feedback on student learning growth and achievement to students and parents.
SC4 Demonstrated interpersonal and communication skills. Demonstrated experience in establishing and maintaining collaborative relationships with students, parents, colleagues and the broader school community to support student learning, agency, wellbeing and engagement.
SC5 Demonstrated behaviours and attitudes consistent with Department values. Demonstrated experience in reflecting upon practice and engaging in professional learning to continually improve the quality of teaching.
The classroom teacher classification comprises two salary ranges- range 1 and range 2. The primary focus of the classroom teacher is on the planning, preparation and teaching of programs to achieve specific student outcomes. The classroom teacher engages in critical reflection and inquiry in order to improve knowledge and skills to effectively engage students and improve their learning.
As the classroom teacher gains experience his or her contribution to the school program beyond the classroom increases. All classroom teachers may be required to undertake other duties in addition to their rostered teaching duties provided the responsibility is appropriate to the salary range, qualifications, training and experience of the teacher.
Classroom teacher Range 2
Range 2 classroom teachers play a significant role in assisting the school to improve student performance and educational outcomes determined by the school strategic plan and state-wide priorities and contributing to the development and implementation of school policies and priorities.
A critical component of this work will focus on increasing the knowledge base of staff within their school about student learning and high quality instruction to assist their school to define quality teacher practice.
Range 2 classroom teachers will be expected to:
- Have the content knowledge and pedagogical practice to meet the diverse needs of all students
- Model exemplary classroom practice and mentor/coach other teachers in the school to engage in critical reflection of their practice and to support staff to expand their capacity
- Provide expert advice about the content, processes and strategies that will shape individual and school professional learning
- Supervise and train one or more student teachers
- Assist staff to use student data to inform teaching approaches that enable targets related to improving student learning outcomes to be achieved.
Classroom teacher Range 1
The primary focus of the range 1 classroom teacher is on further developing skills and competencies to become an effective classroom practitioner with structured support and guidance from teachers at higher levels and the planning, preparation and teaching of programs to achieve specific student outcomes. These teachers teach a range of students/classes and are accountable for the effective delivery of their programs. Range 1 classroom teachers are skilled teachers who operate under general direction within clear guidelines following established work practices and documented priorities and may have responsibility for the supervision and training of one or more student teachers.
At range 1, teachers participate in the development of school policies and programs and assist in the implementation of school priorities.
The focus of a range 1 classroom teacher is on classroom management, subject content and teaching practice. New entrants to the teaching profession in their initial teaching years receive structured support, mentoring and guidance from teachers at higher levels.
Under guidance, new entrants to the teaching profession will plan and teach student groups in one or more subjects and are expected to participate in induction programs and other professional learning activities that are designed to ensure the integration of curriculum, assessment and pedagogy across the school.
Teachers at range 1 are responsible for teaching their own classes and may also assist and participate in policy development, project teams and the organisation of co-curricula activities.
The role of classroom teacher may include but is not limited to:
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Direct teaching of groups of students and individual students;
- Contributing to the development, implementation and evaluation of a curriculum area or other curriculum program within the school;
- Undertaking other classroom teaching related and organisational duties as determined by the School Principal;
- Participating in activities such as parent/teacher meetings; staff meetings; camps and excursions;
- Undertaking other non-teaching supervisory duties.
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
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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:
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The person must have provisional or full registration approved by the Victorian Institute of Teaching; and
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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
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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.
