Kensington Primary School, located four kilometres from the centre of Melbourne, is one of the oldest schools in Victoria. It has served its vibrant and rapidly changing inner city neighbourhood since 1881 and is proud of the role it plays in community life today. The school accesses and is supported by significant community services and a range of public transport. Current school enrolment is approximately 420 students.
The school community believes that a diversity of cultures and values brings a richness to the school, developing tolerance and understanding and exposing students to other ways of thinking.
Kensington Primary's values are respect, responsibility, resilience, creativity and learn. Our students have been active participants in developing our values and displaying the positive behaviours to ensure all students feel safe and valued.
The learning and teaching planned for and delivered at Kensington Primary is focused on students mastering key skills through a developmental sequence from the Victorian Curriculum. Teaching teams collaborate to examine data, student work samples and plan for a differentiated curriculum supporting students at their point of need. Teachers examine student work for evidence of beginning, consolidating, established and extending skill development. A culture of professional development is embedded at Kensington Primary with staff participating in professional learning focused on key Department initiatives.
A seven-year, Foundation to Year 6, sequential program addressing outcomes of the Victorian Curriculum is provided. Literacy and Numeracy form the core of the classroom programs while disciplines such as Science, Humanities, Technology, Physical Education and Health, The Arts, and Language other than English (LOTE) are usually taught through integrated inquiry based units of work planned by each teaching team. Specialist teachers provide programs to enhance the curriculum and meet the needs of individual children. These include integration-support for students with disabilities and impairments and intervention programs. Kensington Primary is a School Wide Positive Behaviour school and is implementing Respectful Relationships.
Children and teachers have access to a computer network from every classroom, students use laptops and iPad as tools to enhance their learning. We take a proactive approach to teaching students about being responsible online citizens and users of technology.
Kensington Primary School is situated in the Department of Education South-Western Region and belongs to the Moonee Valley Network. The network offers collegiate and professional support for principals and staff and manages network resources.
The School Council actively encourages participation in all aspects of decision-making. Effective committees, relying on parent and staff input, develop policies, maintain facilities, raise funds and promote the school in the wider community. Students contribute constructively to the running of the school through the Student Leaders initiative.
Strong links exist between home and school. Parents are encouraged to be actively involved in their child's school experience. The school values their input. Parents contribute their skills and time to school activities: home reading, working parties, School Council sub-committees, fundraising, community social activities and classroom programs.
Here at Kensington Primary School we focus all our improvement efforts in four key areas:
1) Excellence in teaching and learning.
2) Positive climate for learning.
3) Community engagement in learning.
4) Professional leadership.
Our continual focus on improvement in these four areas ensures outstanding student achievement, engagement and wellbeing.
SC1 Demonstrated capacity to perform duties consistent with established guidelines and frameworks, including coordinating and supporting others in respect to specific work functions relevant to the role.
SC2 Demonstrated capacity to support students with a range of additional needs, including students with autism.
SC3 Demonstrated capacity to communicate effectively in a team environment.
SC4 A commitment to professional learning and growth for both self and others..
An education support class position at this range will perform tasks that are carried out in accordance with guidelines, accepted practice, and school policy under supervision and direction. This may include coordination of other education support class staff within the work area or educational program.
An education support class position supports the educational services being provided to students but must not include duties of a teacher as defined in clause 2.6.1 of the Education and Training Reform Act 2006 (Vic) or its successor. Supervision of students can be required individually or in groups up to 4 in controlled circumstances and where the responsibility for students remains clearly with a teacher.
Certification and/or qualifications of up to three years can be required at this level (noting that Registered Nurse is not included at this level, the first level for which is Level 1 range 3).
A role at this range may include:
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Specific support tasks to achieve outcomes. Typically, this will involve accountability for a single function, (e.g. ensuring data is properly maintained) or the co-ordination of a work area under the direction of the principal or a manager.
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Assisting teachers, within an educational program, by undertaking specific support tasks or the coordination of the support function.
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Supervised health and wellbeing support tasks, medical intervention support tasks, or other specialised student/teacher support roles (e.g. enrolled nurses performing the role as described in schedule 3). These roles require specific qualifications and/or training, including roles where further training must be undertaken from time to time. The role is for a specific purpose, for which there will be direct accountability as opposed to support roles that are carried out by a range of staff performing routine tasks under direction.
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Technical tasks that require a sound knowledge of basic technical and/or scientific principles that are used to develop and adapt work methods and make judgements where there are clear guidelines and limited options. Routine technical support in libraries, science, and information technology would be typical examples.
An education support class position at this range commencing at the base will initially be limited to undertaking routine tasks that are carried out under close supervision and direction. Work that carries some degree of independence will generally involve a limited number of tasks performed on a regular basis where priorities are clear, procedures are well established, and direction is readily available. Subject to any specific qualification and/or training requirement, an education support class employee employed in this range may be progressively required to undertake coordination, specialised student/teacher support tasks, or technical tasks as experience in the role is gained.
Responsibilities may include:
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Provides routine support for teachers including assisting with planning of student routines
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Supports communication between teachers and parents
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Communicates with teachers on routine matters related to students and/or other responsibilities
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Provides basic physical care and wellbeing support for students such as toileting, meals, and lifting
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Communicating with student/s to support comprehension of basic tasks and information
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Addresses immediate behavioural presentations relating to specific students within a classroom setting aligned to school policy and procedure
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Provides basic support and supervision for individuals or groups of up to 4 students within a classroom setting
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Supports teachers in the coordination of educational programs independently or under minimal supervision, including rostering and organising the work of a team of aides, providing routine co-ordination, guidance, and support to other student support staff, liaising with external providers of support services about clearly defined support needs and resources, assisting teachers with the communication of student outcomes and educational programs
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Provides medical intervention support to a student/s, under specific conditions, with appropriate training and guidance
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Provides specialised communication support for students and teachers in areas such as AUSLAN and braille
Individuals with the aptitude, experience and/or qualifications to fulfill the specific requirements of 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
