Mernda Central College Overview
Mernda Central P-12 College operates under the Public Private Partnership (PPP) model. Through this model, the College has been financed, designed, and constructed by the private sector to meet high contractual standards. This allows our Principal and teaching staff to focus on what matters most, student learning while asset management is handled externally.
Located at 70 Breadalbane Avenue in Mernda, within the City of Whittlesea, our College caters to students from Prep to Year 12. Our state-of-the-art facilities reflect modern educational design, offering adaptable and functional spaces that support active, student-centred learning.
Mernda Central College offers a seamless educational journey from Prep through to Year 12. The school is structured into four sub-schools to support students at every stage of their development:
- Junior School: Prep to Year 4
- Middle School: Years 5 to 7
- Aspire: Years 8 to 9
- Senior School: Years 10 to 12
Our College is committed to delivering the highest quality education for the young people of Mernda. Students are at the heart of everything we do. They engage in stimulating, relevant, and inspiring learning experiences designed to spark a lifelong love of learning and a strong sense of community connection. We maintain high expectations for all students and staff.
Inspirational teaching and quality learning are the cornerstones of Mernda Central College. Our dedicated staff support and challenge students to reach their full potential in a safe and engaging environment. Teachers work collaboratively within Learning Communities, embracing shared responsibility for all students and offering flexible teaching approaches that meet individual learning needs. Our teaching practices reflect 21st-century learning, with a focus on ICT-rich environments and personalised learning.
The College is recognised for its exemplary programs and is a leader in areas such as STEM, sport, literacy, numeracy, Japanese, visual arts, performing arts, and music. Our neighbouring aquatic centre, operated by Kings Swim, offers students access to a comprehensive swimming program through a high-quality facility.
Our curriculum and teaching strategies are designed to encourage students to aim high, take pride in their work, and strive for excellence.
Student leadership is a valued part of college life. Leadership opportunities are available across all year levels, supported by training and development programs. Students are encouraged to take initiative, contribute their voice, and help shape the future of the College.
Designed as a community hub, Mernda Central College fosters strong partnerships with the YMCA and Downer to provide shared facilities and community programs. The relationships between staff, students, families, and the wider community are a key strength of the College. Parent involvement in school life is highly valued and contributes significantly to the success of our learning community.
Our Vision
Mernda Central College empowers all members of the college community to aim high, show respect, behave safely, and value our community.
Our Mission
- Provide opportunities for all members to work collaboratively in accessing a seamless, personalised, and innovative education.
- Build a safe and supportive learning environment where all members are challenged and inspired to pursue their interests and achieve their full potential.
- Operate as a community hub to foster connected, curious, and tolerant global citizens.
Note: Applicants are kindly asked to ensure that responses to SC are kept to a maximum of 1-page per criteria and the font size no smaller than Size 11.
SC1. Educational Leadership
(i) Outstanding capacity for visionary and exemplary educational leadership of a school or college.
(ii) Highly developed skills in leading and managing change including the leadership of others in the process of change.
SC2. Financial, managerial and administrative ability
(i) Outstanding financial, organisational and resource management skills.
SC3. Planning, policy and program development and review.
(i) Exemplary values appropriate to the development of student learning with a demonstrated capacity to achieve high quality student outcomes.
(ii) Demonstrated ability to implement Department policies to a high level.
(iii) An understanding of, and a commitment to, the use of learning technologies to improve teaching and learning.
SC4. Leadership of staff and students
(i) A highly developed capacity to motivate staff, develop their talents and build an effective team.
(ii) A clear capacity to foster a learning environment that takes account of the individual needs of students and helps students to develop their special abilities and talents.
SC5. Demonstrate Interpersonal and Communication Skills
(i) Highly developed interpersonal and communication skills in individual, small group and community contexts.
(ii) Exemplary values pertaining to personal qualities of objectivity, sensitivity and integrity.
(iii) An ability to work with parents and the community to develop a strong learning environment.
SC6.
Demonstrated capacity to lead and strengthen a cohesive P-12 culture, creating alignment across primary and secondary settings while recognising the distinct needs of students, staff and families at different stages of learning.
The assistant principal reports directly to the principal.
Assistant principals have a primary responsibility for the management of significant areas or functions within the school to ensure the effective development, provision and evaluation of the school's education program. In exercising the responsibility, assistant principals will have the authority to make all significant decisions relating to the program, budget and staff relating to their area of designated responsibility within the framework of the school's strategic plan, policies and budget. Assistant principals will contribute to the overall management of the school through involvement in policy formulation and decision making.
The management of significant school program or functional areas in schools involve assistant principals in the analysis of the needs of students and the translation of state educational policy and frameworks into appropriate education programs to meet the needs of all students.
Typically assistant principals will be responsible for the effective use of the teaching staff and program budget of a defined area of the school's operation and for the oversight and leadership of the educational programs provided utilising these resources.
Typically, assistant principals perform one or more of the following functions:
- supervision and coordination of the work of senior curriculum or level coordinators;
- allocation of budgets, positions of responsibility and other resources within the area of responsibility;
- supervision of the delivery of teaching programs;
- management of programs to improve the knowledge and experience of staff;
- responsibility for general discipline matters beyond the management of classroom teachers and year level coordinators;
- contribute to the overall management of the school;
Appropriately qualified individuals 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
- 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.
