Leading Teacher - Mental Health & Wellbeing

Government schools; Melbourne; On-site; AUD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Brunswick South West Primary School seeks an experienced Mental Health and Wellbeing Leader to drive school-wide wellbeing initiatives and improve student engagement. You will build staff capability, coordinate SEL delivery, and develop pathways for student support in collaboration with families and external services.

You will lead professional learning and model best practices in MTSS, SWPBS and PCMS, ensuring alignment with the school’s strategic priorities and inclusive values.

Qualifications

• Demonstrated capability in leading whole-school wellbeing and engagement initiatives.
• Ability to design and evaluate SEL and wellbeing curriculum.
• Experience coaching staff through professional learning and change.
• Proven ability to collaborate with families, staff and external services.

Responsibilities

• Lead and implement holistic wellbeing strategies aligned to the school plan.
• Oversee curriculum planning related to mental health and wellbeing.
• Coordinate professional learning and development plans for staff.
• Develop clear referral pathways and support student mental health needs.

Skills

Knowledge of child mental health

Whole-school wellbeing

Social and emotional learning

Staff coaching and development

Interpersonal leadership

SWPBS implementation

Education

Teaching registration (VIT)

Job description

Selection Criteria

KSC1: Knowledge of child mental health and whole-school wellbeing

Demonstrated knowledge of child mental health and wellbeing, prevention and early intervention. Demonstrated ability to lead evidence-based, whole-school approaches to wellbeing and engagement in a primary school setting, using data to monitor impact.

KSC2: Teaching practice and social and emotional learning

Demonstrated high-level teaching practice, including the ability to design, implement and evaluate social and emotional learning and wellbeing curriculum that improves student engagement, agency and learning outcomes.

KSC3: Leading change and building staff capability

Demonstrated ability to lead change and build the capability of staff through coaching, modelling, mentoring and delivering professional learning, to strengthen consistent wellbeing practice across the school.

KSC4: Collaboration, partnerships and referral pathways

Demonstrated ability to build effective relationships with students, families, staff, the broader school community and external services, and to coordinate referral and support referral pathways that respond to student needs.

KSC5: Interpersonal skills, leadership and professional learning

Demonstrated exemplary interpersonal, communication and leadership skills, including the ability to lead collaborative relationships focused on student learning, agency, wellbeing and engagement. Demonstrated commitment to ongoing professional learning and reflective practice.

KSC6: School-wide Positive Behaviour Support (SWPBS)

Leads and implements whole-school initiatives aligned to the school strategic plan that promote positive behaviour, wellbeing and inclusion through Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS), School-wide Positive Behaviour Support (SWPBS) and Positive Classroom Management Strategies (PCMS).

Role

Leading Teachers

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.

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 responsible for the implementation of one or more priorities contained in the school strategic plan.

The role of the Mental Health and Wellbeing Leader is to:

• build capability of the whole school about mental health and wellbeing (identification, promotion and prevention)

• provide support to staff to better identify and support students with mental health needs
• establish clear pathways for referral for students requiring assessment and intervention and monitor and evaluate student progress.

Responsibilities

Operating in partnership with their school leadership and wellbeing team, theMental Health and Wellbeing Leaderwill:

• Leading and managing the implementation of whole-school improvement initiatives related to the school strategic plan and school priorities

• Leading and managing the implementation of whole-school improvement strategies related to curriculum planning and delivery;

• Leading and managing the provision of professional development and developing individual and team development plans for teaching staff within the priorities of the school;

• Promote a whole school approach to mental health and wellbeing to students, staff and families

• Support teachers and school staff to expand their capacity to embed evidence-based mental health strategies, interventions and programs and build mental health literacy to identify and support primary school students with mental health concerns.

• Collaborate with school staff to inform, influence and provide input into teaching and learning relating to mental health and wellbeing. Provide support to classroom teachers and education support staff to build their capabilities to support mental health in the classroom.

• Coordinate clear referral pathways internally (within school) and externally (to community services) for students identified as requiring further assessment and intervention.

• Proactively work with and support regional and area staff, school wellbeing and leadership teams, teachers, parents/carers and other external agencies to coordinate targeted mental health support for primary school students.

• Advocate for student voice in wellbeing planning.

Who May Apply

Applicants should be currently registered or eligible for registration with the Victorian Institute of Teaching and qualified to teach.

A qualification in student wellbeing or mental health is desirable but not required.

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

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

Qualification Requirements

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 atRecruitment in Schools.

Location Profile

Brunswick South West Primary School (BSWPS) is a state primary school of around 400 students in a diverse and engaged school community, committed to helping every child reach their full potential. Wellbeing is supported through the School-Wide Positive Behaviour Support (SWPBS) framework.

Teaching is guided by the Victorian Curriculum F10 Version 2.0 and the Victorian Teaching and Learning Model (VTLM 2.0), the Department of Education's evidence-based framework for explicit teaching. Literacy and numeracy are core priorities, with a daily literacy block and explicit phonics instruction from Prep to Year 2.

High-ability students can access the Victorian High-Ability Program, and student voice is embedded through the Student Representative Council and other student-led initiatives.

Specialist programs cover Chinese, Science, Library, Physical Education and the Arts, alongside interschool sport, Bike Ed, swimming, chess, gardening and camps. After-school programs include performing arts, circus, basketball and soccer. BSWPS also offers Outside School Hours Care (OSHC) and a holiday program.

Facilities include a 1927 heritage building, a 1970s library and a modern multi-purpose hall. The expansive grounds include a vegetable garden, chickens, a sports oval and two adventure playgrounds.

The school aims to engage, challenge and empower students, amplifying their voices so they become curious, inclusive and respectful individuals.

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