Learning Specialist 3

Government schools; Shire of Colac Otway; On-site; AUD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Carlisle River Primary School is seeking a Learning Specialist who will spend the majority of time in the classroom while leading high-quality teaching practice. The role involves modelling demonstrations, mentoring teachers, and supporting school-wide professional learning to improve achievement and wellbeing across the rural community.

The successful candidate will work with leadership to sustain data-informed practice, provide feedback to students and parents, and contribute to curriculum

Qualifications

• Registered teacher with Victorian Institute of Teaching (VIT).
• Postgraduate level accredited initial teacher education program suitable for Australian standards (accredited by a state/territory regulator).
• LANTITE requirements met where applicable for Victorian ITE programs.

Responsibilities

• Demonstrate high-level expertise in teaching and learning practice.
• Model exemplary classroom practice including teaching demonstration lessons.
• Collaborate with school leadership to develop a view of effective teaching practice.
• Lead and model whole-school improvement strategies in curriculum planning and delivery.
• Support professional learning through observation, feedback protocols and peer collaboration.
• Provide evidence-based feedback to teachers to inform development.

Skills

High-impact teaching

Data-informed instruction

Mentoring and coaching

Education

VIT registration

Postgraduate initial teacher ed accreditation

LANTITE compliance

Job description

Selection Criteria

SC1 Demonstrated expert knowledge of the relevant curriculum. Demonstrated ability to model exemplary teaching practice, including the teaching of literacy and numeracy skills across the curriculum, and implement school priorities. SC2 Demonstrated expertise in the implementation and modelling of high impact teaching strategies that respond to student learning needs. Demonstrated ability to support teachers to evaluate the impact of learning and teaching programs on student learning growth SC3 Demonstrated exemplary ability to model the monitoring and assessment of student learning. Demonstrated ability to support others in using data to inform teaching practice and to provide feedback on student learning growth and achievement to students and parents. SC4 Demonstrated exemplary interpersonal and communication skills. Demonstrated ability to engage in collaborative relationships with students, colleagues, parents and the broader school community to support student learning, agency, wellbeing and engagement. SC5 Demonstrated ability to model behaviours and attitudes consistent with Department values. Demonstrated ability to support others to reflect on their practice and facilitate school-based professional learning.

Role

Learning Specialists will be highly skilled classroom practitioners who continue to spend the majority of their time in the classroom delivering high-quality teaching and learning and have a range of responsibilities related to their expertise, including teaching demonstration lessons, observing and providing feedback to other teachers and facilitating school-based professional learning. Learning Specialists are expected to have deep knowledge and expertise in high quality teaching and learning in delivering improved achievement, engagement and wellbeing for students. The role of the Learning Specialist will be to model excellence in teaching and learning through demonstration lessons and, mentoring and coaching teachers in improving the skill, knowledge and effectiveness of the teaching workforce. The Learning Specialist role is aimed at building excellence in teaching and learning within the Teaching Service.

Responsibilities

• Demonstrating high-level expertise in teaching and learning practice
• Modelling exemplary classroom practice including through teaching demonstration lessons
• Working with the school leadership team to develop a shared view of highly effective teacher practice
• Leading and modelling the implementation of whole-school improvement strategies related to curriculum planning and delivery
• Playing a key role in the provision of professional learning, including through developing processes and protocols for observation and feedback of teacher practice and peer collaboration
• Modelling effective learning practice and supporting teachers to seek, analyse and act on feedback and on their practice
• Providing evidence-based feedback to teaching staff to inform their effectiveness and development
• Providing expert advice about the context, processes and strategies that will shape individual and school professional learning
• Supervising and training one or more student teachers and mentoring and/or coaching teachers
• Modelling exemplary use of student data to inform teaching approaches
• Developing and promoting school-wide professional learning structures, processes and protocols through Professional Learning Communities
• Modelling exemplary professional learning practice included through seeking feedback from other teachers and leaders on their own classroom practice as part of critical reflection and inquiry to improve practice

Who May Apply

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.

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 (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 [emailprotected]

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

The successful applicant will be appointed to a three-year Learning Specialist position, with a substantive time fraction of 0.4 EFT. For the 2027 school year, the position will be increased to 0.8 EFT to support the school's teaching and learning priorities, including curriculum development, instructional improvement and building staff capability. The additional 0.4 EFT will be reviewed annually, subject to school funding, staffing requirements and strategic priorities. The successful applicant will work closely with the Principal and teaching team to strengthen evidence-based teaching practices, support student learning growth and contribute to the ongoing development of our small, rural school community.

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

• 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';
• 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 .

Location Profile

Carlisle River Primary School is a small rural government school located on the lands of the Gulidjan and Gadubanud people in the beautiful Otway Ranges. The school is within commuting distance of Colac and serves Carlisle River, Gellibrand, Chapple Vale and surrounding rural communities. The school zone extends towards, and meets, the boundary of the Simpson school zone.

Our multi-age setting provides a highly personalised learning environment where every student is known, valued and supported. Strong relationships with students, families and the wider community are central to the school's ethos. Staff work collaboratively and have meaningful opportunities to contribute to whole-school teaching, wellbeing and community initiatives. Teaching and learning are guided by the Victorian Teaching and Learning Model 2.0 and our established instructional model: Connect, Targeted Teaching, Practice, Apply and Reflect. We maintain a strong focus on explicit teaching, formative assessment, supported application and evidence-informed practice. Literacy and numeracy are central priorities, complemented by student voice, inquiry learning, digital technologies and authentic connections with the local environment. Our CARR values Community, Authenticity, Respect and Resilience provide shared language for learning, behaviour and relationships. Expected behaviours are explicitly taught, practised and acknowledged within a calm, inclusive and responsive learning environment.

Students benefit from spacious rural grounds, outdoor learning opportunities, a kitchen garden, a recently developed half basketball court and a broad range of specialist and enrichment programs. These include Science and Technologies, Physical Education, Music and Drama, Indonesian, Art, Library, Kitchen Garden and structured wellbeing learning. Carlisle River Primary School offers staff the opportunity to make a genuine and visible difference within a close-knit school community. The surrounding Otway region provides an attractive rural lifestyle, with forests, waterfalls, walking trails, mountain-bike destinations and the Great Ocean Road region within easy reach.