Brookside College is located in Caroline Springs on the lands of the Wurundjeri People and the Kulin Nation. Although the College and the community it serves is relatively young, learning communities have taken place on this land for more than 30,000 years.
Founded as part of the multi-campus Caroline Springs College in 2000, Brookside College became a separate legal entity in 2012. Since its formation, the College has gained a strong reputation as a caring and community minded learning school built on a commitment to student-centred learning and inclusive education.
Today the College has an enrolment of 1150 students from Prep to Year 9 and a staff of 135. Ours is a culturally and ethnically diverse community with 55% our children coming from a language background other than English and 1% of our children coming from an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander background. As a College, we celebrate the richness that diversity brings to a community and ensure our educational programs give voice to the different experiences of our families.
Our Vision – the why
“Brookside College empowers every learner to fulfil their potential and positively shape the future.”
Mission – the what
“At Brookside College we design high quality learning experiences that build on learner strengths and needs to help them develop their talents, passion and purpose.”
Values
Rights, Respect, Resilience and Relationships
Our curriculum programs place Literacy, Numeracy and Empowerment at the core of our practice. Our curriculum structure is aligned with our Vision and Mission and has an unswerving focus on 21st Century Learning Skills underpinned by the Victorian Curriculum Capabilities and student agency.
Literacy is delivered through explicit direct instruction including a phonics program in the early years. Reading is a feature of every classroom, supported by classroom libraries. Numeracy is delivered through a balanced pedagogy that combines explicit direct instruction and problem-based learning. Learning in all other disciplines features explicit direct instruction, problem-based learning and project-based work. Student achievement is celebrated through Parent, Teacher and Student Conferences, Reporting, Awards and public exhibitions.
Our Digital Technology learning program brings real world learning to students and provides opportunities for students to demonstrate their creativity and problem solving skills. Students are further able to develop their talents and passions through our Performing Arts (Prep-2) and Music (Years 3-9) programs, whilst student health and resilience is developed through the Stephanie Alexander Garden Program (Years 3-4), the Food Technology Program (Years 5-9) and the Health Program (Prep-9). Our Year 9 ‘Futures’ and Electives Programs further aim to equip our students with many of the skills and competencies they need to shape the future.
Student leadership, voice and agency is central to our work. Students have multiple opportunities to make decisions about their own learning and the direction of the College more generally. Student Action Teams drive improvement in the areas of Community, Teaching and Learning, Environment and Student Engagement and Wellbeing.
The College is committed to developing happy, healthy and resilient children and we have invested significantly in a range of specialist programs underpinned by the Berry Street Education Model, Resilience and Respectful Relationships and School Wide Positive Behaviour Support practices. Our work with students is framed by the Response to Intervention model, where student needs are identified and specifically targeted. Additional supports provided by the college include a Hands on Learning Program that has been nationally recognised as a model of excellence, a dedicated Student Wellbeing space called “The Zone” and our Inclusive Education Centre, “The Hub”.
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.
