BULLEEN HEIGHTS SCHOOL PROFILE
Effective teaching at Bulleen Heights is the provision of a safe learning environment within which consistency is valued and motivated staff engage, instruct and assess students along a continuum of learning to achieve individual goals.
The Bulleen Heights School community is diverse. It includes all those individuals and groups who work in direct and indirect ways, both at our school and in the wider community, to achieve goals and targets outlined in the schools Strategic Plan 2023 - 2026 and our vision and mission statements. The school promotes and upholds the values of: integrity, high professional standards, care and support, and consistency.
Bulleen Heights School is a Department of Education (DET) specialist school for students with autism spectrum disorder. Our school currently provides exemplary educational programs for approximately 260 students ranging in age from five to eighteen years. Classes vary in size with staffing reflecting student needs. The school has two campuses: Primary School and Secondary School. Students are in classes based upon a combination of age, developmental level and maturity. Inclusion learning programs are a feature of students¿ programs and involve local primary and secondary schools. DET contracted buses and taxis transport most of our students to and from the school.
Bulleen Heights School is situated across two closely located campuses at Bulleen and Lower Templestowe in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne and approximately 14kms from the city center. Both campuses are in residential areas close to public transport and local community facilities such as the Macedon Square and Bulleen Plaza shopping centers and the Bulleen Library.
The school provides excellent teaching programs and learning experiences designed to develop and extend the particular skills and strengths of each student. This is achieved by encouraging decision-making and risk-taking within a structured, predictable and secure environment. Bulleen Heights is committed to providing core teaching and learning programs and supporting students and their families. It looks at both immediate and long-term goals in the belief that all students can learn, achieve success and enjoy adult life as contributing members of a community.
Curriculum development and implementation across the school is based on the Victorian Curriculum, providing a framework for planning the whole school curriculum by setting out standards for students to achieve in core areas. This curriculum assists the development of individual learning plans, and assessment and reporting on student achievement and progress. Program delivery, using Applied Behavior Analysis teaching techniques, continues to be an option predominantly for students in our Primary School. Applied Behavior Analysis teaching methodologies are implemented by a team of therapists in this specialist area, in partnership with classroom teachers. As an accredited senior secondary school students in Year 11 and 12 maybe enrolled in the VPC program offered by the school.
Specialist programs in Health and Physical Education, STEAM and Visual Arts provide an integrated approach to personalized learning. Our Multidisciplinary Team supports classroom staff in the achievement of exemplary learning outcomes of our students. A psychologist, social worker, occupational therapists, speech therapists, support our extensive educational programs. This team of professionals compliments our educational programs. The school is closely linked with tertiary and post-graduate students working with the school community to conduct research and complete practicum placements.
Partnerships between parents, siblings, past students, local schools, consultants, universities, government and non-government agencies and the local community provide vital contributions to programs. The varied characteristics of our student population demand the implementation of a range of evidence based teaching methodologies. Individual Learning Plans are developed through Student Support Group meetings involving parents/carers, teachers and other appropriate professionals and/or agencies. Teaching and learning takes place within many contexts including the community and is structured to be functional and meaningful. Social, academic, independent living, recreational, behavioral and vocational goals are developed for each student.
More information is available from our website: http://www.bulleenheights.vic.edu.au
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.
SC6 Demonstrated knowledge and teaching skills related to the educational needs of students with autism spectrum disorder.
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.
