Role
Range 4 is distinguished by broader management responsibility, particularly in the areas of finance, human resource and other support functions. Range 4 is responsible for managing a range of functions under a wide range of conditions, subject to the size and complexity of school operations.
Objectives will, generally, be clearly defined; guidelines will be broad and day-to-day direction minimal. Management responsibility extends to ensuring appropriate support levels are maintained across the school. Range 4 generally provides key support and timely advice to the leadership team and school council and liaises with the general school community, the Department and other government agencies and service providers.
Specialised professional roles will carry a high level of independence and accountability where suitable scope is provided to achieve objectives.
An education support class position supports the educational services being provided to students, but must not include duties of teaching as defined in clause of the Education and Training Reform Act 2006 (Vic) or its successor. Supervision of students cannot be required except where it is an integral part of the employee¿s position or involves supervision of students individually or in small groups, in controlled circumstances, where the responsibility for students remains clearly with a teacher.
EEO AND OHS Commitment
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.
The Department of Education is committed to the principles of equal opportunity, and diversity and inclusion for all. We value diversity and inclusion in all forms - gender, religion, ethnicity, LGBTIQ+, 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 family friendly, supportive, safe and harassment free workplaces is essential to high performance and promotes flexible work, diversity and safety across all schools and Department workplaces. It is our policy to provide reasonable adjustments for persons with a disability (see ).
Additional support and advice on the recruitment process is available to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islanders from the Koorie Outcomes Division (KOD) via
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:
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:
Location Profile
Frankston Special Developmental School (SDS) is a unique dual campus School. The main Frankston Campus located in Karingal in the outer southern suburbs of Melbourne, while the residential outdoor Blackwood Campus is in the small township of Blackwood, 80km north-west of Melbourne and 140km from our Frankston Campus.
The School
The following values are seen as being central to the life of the school and how all members in the school community should conduct themselves: Sharing, Caring, Respect and Individuality.The school vision statement Learning for life is the focus of all programs conducted at Frankston SDS.
Our school is committed to child safety, and it is a requirement that all of those working with children have an understanding of our Child Safe Code of Conduct and methods of identifying and following up suspected abuse.
Measurable goals are devised and progress is monitored throughout the year in all areas to ensure improved outcomes for the students.
Frankston Campus
The Campus has well equipped facilities for the students including: nineteen classrooms, a gymnasium, multi-purpose room, homecrafts room, art and craft room, computer lab and extensive play equipment. The school has recently undergone a significant renovation.
Frankston Campus provides a specialised and challenging curriculum for 125 school aged students with moderate and severe intellectual disabilities. The school challenges students to do their best in a supportive and engaging environment.
Students learn in active, practical and meaningful ways and the school aims to develop each child¿s ability academically, socially physically and emotionally. Our staff are dedicated, qualified professionals who are experienced in working with children with special, varied and often complex needs to provide the best education, self-esteem and independence building opportunities for the students. All staff model positive behaviour to students consistent with the School-Wide Positive Behaviour Support Framework.
The Individualised Learning Programs created at Frankston aim to develop social competencies, communication and independence. They are implemented and monitored by a team of dedicated staff which includes teachers, teacher assistants, four speech therapists, a social worker, an occupational therapist, a chaplain and a physiotherapist.
Our Frankston Campus also provides an Early Education Program for pre-school aged students who exhibit significant global developmental delay. The Early Education Program operates out of the East Karingal Kindergarten. It is an inclusive program; our staff and students working together with their mainstream colleagues and friends.
Blackwood Campus
Surrounded by the Wombat State Forest, Blackwood Special Schools¿ Outdoor Education Centre (Blackwood) is a BARR 5 registered campus of Frankston SDS. Based on an enrolment of 46 students, Blackwood is managed through its own SRP and is an outdoor residential school that challenges growth and development in students with disabilities enrolled within the Victoria¿s Special School Network. Through the facilities onsite and the connection with all Victorian Special Schools, Blackwood can implement up to 3 residential programs for 3 different special schools weekly throughout each academic year for students from 5 ¿ 18 with varying needs and abilities. Blackwood¿s facilities are located across two sites, 400m apart, with the main site set in an undulating forest environment approximately 26 acres in size and includes a 1 X 22 bed bunk house (which is also our shelter in place), 1 X Tent Shelter Accommodation Site, 2 X classrooms, a Mod 5 Office, with an accessible high ropes course, accessible 7¿m high climbing tower, accessible archery classroom, fenced yabby dam, playground, bouldering hut, lesson sites, maintenance facilities and a communal dining room.The smaller property is a residential block which includes 1 X 24 bed bunk house, mountain bike riding shed, observatory, playground and facilities shed.
Students accessing the Blackwood facilities engage in our unique curriculum. With our key learning areas being Health & Physical Education along with Personal & Social Capabilities students are challenged through our outdoor education lessons with a learning focus of either teamwork or resilience. Within our curriculum and throughout each academic year Blackwood invites the Special School Network to participate in 5 X multi school events across the state of Victoria which sees students engaged in bike riding events along rail trail and through the Wombats State Forest, an indigenous curriculum and bushwalking expeditions.