Learning Specialist: Respectful Relationships and Student Voice - Ascot Vale

Ascot Vale Heights School is a Victorian Government P-12 special school that caters for students with mild intellectual disabilities. We are deeply passionate about preparing young people to reach their full potential and become active and engaged global learners. AVHS provides evidence-based learning that maximises each person's independence in an innovative, engaging and inclusive learning environment.

Located in the Travancore Estate of Ascot Vale, the school offers programs that promote student learning, independence and participation. Specialist programs include Physical Education, Music, Art, and the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen and Garden Program. Parents and carers are welcomed and encouraged to participate in their children's education.

Our work is guided by the School Strategic Plan 2026-2030 and Annual Implementation Plan, with a focus on strengthening consistent, inclusive practice and improving student learning, engagement and wellbeing.

SC1 Demonstrated knowledge of student wellbeing, engagement, social-emotional learning and respectful relationships, particularly in a special school context and for students with disability. SC2 Demonstrated ability to lead, implement and evaluate whole-school initiatives and improvement strategies, using evidence and data to monitor impact.

SC3 Demonstrated capacity to promote student voice, participation and decision-making in ways that are meaningful and accessible to students with disability. SC4 Highly developed interpersonal, communication and collaboration skills, including the ability to build authentic partnerships with students, families, colleagues and community stakeholders.

SC5 Demonstrated ability to build staff capability and support consistent, inclusive and relational practice across a school. SC6 Demonstrated commitment to modelling behaviours and attitudes consistent with Department of Education values and contributing to the school's strategic priorities.

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.

Respectful Relationships and Social-Emotional Learning Lead the implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the Respectful Relationships curriculum and related social-emotional learning priorities across P-12. Build staff capability in respectful, inclusive and relational practice, including approaches differentiated for students with disability.

Student Voice, Agency and Engagement Lead whole-school approaches that strengthen student voice, agency, choice, participation and decision-making. Monitor student engagement and wellbeing information to identify priorities and inform improvement. Develop initiatives that strengthen students' connection, belonging and engagement with school.

Family and Community Partnerships Strengthen authentic partnerships with families, carers and community stakeholders. Ensure student and family perspectives inform relevant planning, decision-making and school improvement priorities. Work collaboratively with PLC Leaders, the Assistant Principal, Allied Health Team Leader and other leaders to support consistent wellbeing and engagement practices.

Strategic Improvement and Staff Capability Contribute to the implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the School Strategic Plan and Annual Implementation Plan. Support relevant staff professional learning and share effective practice across the school. Use evidence, data and feedback to evaluate the impact of initiatives and guide ongoing improvement.

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.

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

Qualification Requirements Teachers who do not have an approved special education qualification but do have current provisional or full registration from the Victorian Institute of Teaching may apply. Preference will be given to applicants who have an approved special education qualification.

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 https://www2.education.vic.gov.au/pal

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 .