Horsham Special School was established in 1988, moving to its current site in 2013. It has a wide enrolment base, drawing from the local area to as far as the South Australian border including Nhill, Dimboola, Kaniva, Goroke, Edenhope and Serviceton. Horsham Special School provides educational programs for students aged 5-18 years displaying mild; moderate and severe diagnoses associated with cognitive, physical, social, emotional, behavioural, sensory and multiple disabilities. The school's overarching purpose is to encourage and enable all students, staff and the school community to achieve their full potential. The safe, caring and stimulating school environment focuses on our key values of Be Safe, Be Kind and Be Your Best.
The school's dedicated staff provides a highly individualised educational program for each student. This is not confined to the classroom and physical building but extends into outdoor play spaces and indeed the local community in which we live. The individual programs are prepared and delivered by teachers, along with their assistants and are reviewed regularly to ensure student needs are being met. Integral to the Horsham Special School Curriculum is the programming provided by specialist and therapy staff. The school offers focused support in the areas of Art, Physical Education, Music, Swimming & Welfare. The physical environment compliments the programming, with a state-of-the-art purpose-built special school. It comprises a fully equipped commercial style kitchen, art/science workshop, auditorium style music room, sensory courtyard, classrooms and open learning spaces, kitchenettes and architecturally designed playgrounds.
The curriculum at Horsham Special School is both functional and practical, divided into the following focus areas: Functional Academics - Literacy and Numeracy; Personal & Social Development; and Communication. Each student has an Individual Education Plan (IEP) developed for them; containing goals from each of these focus areas which make up their program.
SC1 Demonstrated knowledge of the relevant curriculum, including the capacity to incorporate the teaching of literacy and numeracy skills. Demonstrated capacity to respond to student learning needs.
SC2 Demonstrated capacity to implement high impact teaching strategies, guided by how students learn, and evaluate the impact of learning and teaching programs on student learning growth.
SC3 Demonstrated capacity to monitor and assess student learning. Demonstrated capacity to use data to inform teaching practice and to provide feedback on student learning growth and achievement to students and parents.
SC4 Demonstrated interpersonal and communication skills. Demonstrated capacity to establish and maintain collaborative relationships with students, parents, colleagues and the broader school community to support student learning, wellbeing and engagement.
SC5 Demonstrated behaviours and attitudes consistent with Department values. Demonstrated capacity to reflect upon practice and engage in professional learning to continually improve the quality of teaching.
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.
Core responsibilities include:
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Planning and implementing a range of teaching programs or courses of study
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Teaching an area of the curriculum or a general curriculum to a year level
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Monitoring, evaluating and reporting student progress in key learning areas
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Implementing strategies to achieve targets related to student learning outcomes
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Maintaining records of class attendance and recording student progress
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Implementing effective student management consistent with the school charter.
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Working with a mentor to participate in professional development planning, implementation and reflection developing a professional portfolio
Additional responsibilities may include but are not limited to:
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Supervising a range of student activities including support and welfare programs
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Contributing to a range of co-curricular programs
To be eligible to apply for a position advertised through the Teacher Graduate Recruitment program, a teacher must:
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have completed their course requirements and graduated in the last 4 years, and
- not be employed as a teacher by the department at the time the advertised position is to commence
Applicants must also be 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
Please ensure that your application includes:
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A resume including relevant experience as well as personal details (name, address and contact numbers, business and home)
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A section addressing the selection criteria and the requirements for application under the Who May Apply section
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Names and contact numbers (telephone and email if possible) of two referees who are able to attest to the claims made in your application.
Please note that the selection panel may seek additional referees beyond those you name. Consistent with policy, we shall advise you if we will take this action.
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.
