Purpose
Western Autistic School's vision is to provide a dedicated school for students with autism.
At Western Autistic School, we envision a nurturing environment for autistic students in grades Prep to Year 3. Through personalized support and collaborative teaching, we empower each child to thrive socially and academically. Our community celebrates diversity and fosters a commitment to building a strong educational foundation for our students that encourages lifelong learning and achievement.
Our school demonstrates commitment to the following values:
- Learning as an ongoing process
- Sharing and growth of knowledge
School Profile
The Western Autistic School is a large, vibrant and unique school in the western suburbs of Melbourne. We offer an early years program for 300+ young children with Autism Spectrum Disorder in Prep to Grades 3.
Our school caters to autistic students, and synthesises an evidence base drawn from student-centred, strengths-based approaches and contemporary research from the fields of autism and inclusive education to develop Individual Learning Programs for each student.
Key features of our program include:
- The individual student is the focus of our teaching
- Each student is provided with an Individual Learning Plan, in collaboration between the student, their family and the teaching team
- An emphasis on building foundational skills in social communication and functional areas, alongside academic skills particularly in the areas of literacy and numeracy
- Small classes of approximately eight students with a teaching team of consisting of teachers, education support staff and allied health professionals
- Individualised transition program for children to move on to their local neighbourhood school
- Ongoing outreach supports.
As part of our school's mission, WAS is actively involved in research and training. It has a registered training provider The Autism Teaching Institute (ATI) which provides post graduate qualifications to educators working with autistic students.
Further information about WAS and its branches is available at:
www.westernautisticschool.vic.edu.au
www.autismteachinginstitute.org.au
SC1 Demonstrated expert knowledge of the relevant curriculum. Demonstrated ability to lead and manage the implementation of school priorities, and the teaching of literacy and numeracy skills across the curriculum.
SC2 Demonstrated high-level expertise with student-centered, evidence based and strengths-based autism pedagogy. Proven record of building practice excellence in teaching and learning in inclusive education. Demonstrated capacity to assist colleagues to become better teachers of autistic students
SC3 Demonstrated skills necessary to coordinate autism training delivery in the adult education sector.
Interest applicants are welcome to contact Samuel Hindes for more information or to organise a tour.
Leading teachers will be highly skilled classroom practitioners and undertake leadership and management roles commensurate with their salary range. The role of leading teachers is to improve the skill, knowledge and performance of the teaching workforce in a school or group of schools and to improve the curriculum program of a school.
Typically, leading teachers are responsible for coordinating a number of staff to achieve improvements in teaching and learning which may involve the coordination and professional support of colleagues through modelling, collaborating and coaching and using processes that develop knowledge, practice and professional engagement in others.
Leading teachers are expected to lead and manage a significant area or function within the school with a high degree of independence to ensure the effective development, provision and evaluation of the school's education program.
Leading teachers will be expected to make a significant contribution to policy development relating to teaching and learning in the school. A leading teacher has a direct impact and influence on the achievement of the school goals.
Leading teachers are usually responsible for the implementation of one or more priorities contained in the school strategic plan.
The course coordinator will be a highly skilled teacher of autistic students with experience delivering programs that build the capacity of adult learners. They will have deep knowledge of high-quality teaching and learning and familiarity with current research on autism and education. The coordinator will work with the ATI Director to oversee implementation of the Graduate Certificate and Graduate Diploma in 2027.
The course coordinator should hold, or be willing to obtain, a relevant training and assessment qualification such as TAE40116 through an accredited provider.
The ATI Director is responsible for curriculum development for the new courses, including designing assessment tasks and training and assessment strategies. The ATI Director also retains responsibility for recruiting course lecturers and trainer assessors, leading continuous improvement and compliance processes, and managing high-level student complaints.
The duties of the course co-ordinator will include:
Lead and manage student cohort and trainer/assessors to ensure all assessment requirements are met
Lead the development of workshop tasks for the Saturday workshop program, in collaboration with the Director and trainer/assessors.
Lead the collection of evaluative data specified for the course delivery
Delivery of training and assessment in school and leading moderation processes to support this
Contribute to other ATI initiatives such as school based professional learning and conference delivery as required.
The ATI Course Co-ordinator role reports to the ATI Director and Principal of Western Autistic School
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
- A written response to each of the Selection Criteria is mandatory.
- Up to three referees who are able to comment on your application in relation to the Selection Criteria.
- Referees other than those nominated may be contacted by the Panel.
- 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.
