Kitchen Garden Assistant

Department of Education Victoria; Bacchus Marsh; On-site; AUD 39,000 - 47,000; Full time

Job summary

Bacchus Marsh Primary School, part of the Department of Education Victoria, seeks an education support role to help run the Kitchen Garden program efficiently. The role focuses on welcoming volunteers, preparing materials, and supporting classes to ensure safe, organized activities for students.

The position involves coordinating basic support tasks, assisting teachers in educational activities, and ensuring health and safety standards are met within the kitchen and learning spaces.

Qualifications

• Experience coordinating education support staff within a school or program.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills for working with students, staff and volunteers.
• Knowledge of safety, health and hygiene practices in a school kitchen environment.

Responsibilities

• Volunteer & Class Support: Welcome and support volunteers, prepare ingredients and equipment for classes, and help sessions run smoothly.
• Stock & Dietary Requirements: Monitor ingredient supplies, maintain stock levels, organise orders and ensure dietary needs are catered for.
• Kitchen Organisation & Hygiene: Maintain high standards of cleanliness, food safety and organisation across kitchen spaces, equipment and storage areas.
• Small Group Support: Work with and assist small groups of students to develop knowledge, skill and understanding.

Skills

Team collaboration

Communication

Classroom support

Food safety awareness

Education

Education support qualification

Job description

Department of Education Victoria – Bacchus Marsh VIC

1d ago , from Department of Education & Training Victoria

Bacchus Marsh Primary School's purpose is to provide, in a nurturing environment, a quality education that challenges all students to attain their highest potential academically, socially and emotionally, creatively and physically. BMPS encourages students to respond to high expectations, to work effectively with others, and acknowledges that students learn best when they have confidence in their own abilities and a sense of personal efficacy. At Bacchus Marsh Primary School we balance explicit instructional practices across literacy and numeracy with opportunities to apply knowledge and skill through inquiry based learning. Our school community is committed to the values of Respect, Learning, Kindness and Teamwork. Our vision is to develop self-sustaining, life-long learners in a recognised centre of educational excellence. Bacchus Marsh Primary School offers a genuinely broad curriculum, offering our students access to a wide range of specialist programs including, Visual Art, Music/Performing Arts, PE, Kitchen, Garden, Mandarin Chinese, Design Thinking and Science. We are proud of our Stephanie Alexander inspired Kitchen-Garden program and the broader connections to our community that this facilitates.

Our key curriculum emphasis is on the development of literacy and numeracy within a Positive Education wellbeing framework, supported by trauma informed practices.

Celebrating 175 years of continuous education in 2025, Bacchus Marsh Primary School has a proud history as the oldest still operating government primary school in Victoria.

Selection Criteria

• 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 work and collaborate with others in a team environment.
• SC3 Demonstrated capacity to communicate effectively in a team environment, including high level oral and written communication skills.
• SC4 Possess the technical knowledge and expertise relevant to the position.
• SC5 Demonstrated capacity to provide advice and support to management and other school staff in respect to the work area.
• SC6 A commitment to professional learning and growth for both self and others.

Role

This role will support the smooth running of the Kitchen Garden program by maintaining a welcoming, organised and safe environment for students, staff and volunteers.

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:

• 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.
• Assisting teachers, within an educational program, by undertaking specific support tasks or the coordination of the support function.
• 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.
• 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

Key Responsibilities

• Volunteer & Class Support: Welcome and support volunteers, prepare ingredients and equipment for classes, and help sessions run smoothly.
• Stock & Dietary Requirements: Monitor ingredient supplies, maintain stock levels, organise orders and ensure food requirements and dietary needs are catered for.
• Kitchen Organisation & Hygiene: Maintain high standards of cleanliness, food safety and organisation across kitchen spaces, equipment and storage areas.
• Small Group Support: Work with and assist small groups of students to develop their knowledge, skill and understandings.

Who May Apply

Individuals with the aptitude, experience and/or qualifications to fulfill the specific requirements of the position.

Diversity and Inclusion

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 (seeWorkplace 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*******@education.vic.gov.au

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.

Child Safe Standards

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

DE Values

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

Other Information

• 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

Please note that the selection panel may seek additional referees beyond those you name. Consistent with policy, we shall advise you if we will take this action.

Conditions of Employment

• 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