Student Wellbeing and Support

**Overview**:
**Work Type**:Fixed-term - Part-time

**Salary**: Salary not specified

**Grade**:Education Support - Level 1, Range 2

**Occupation**:Education and training

**Location**:Melbourne - Inner South East suburbs

**Reference**:1482989

**Location Profile**:

- Ripponlea Primary School is located in East St Kilda, only 10 kilometres southeast of the Melbourne City Centre. Ripponlea State School 4087 opened on 3 July 1922 and has a proud history of serving families and students with a high-quality education in a safe, friendly, and inclusive school environment.
- Centenary celebrations in 2022, marked our deep connections to the longest-living culture, the Boon Wurrung (Bunurong) people of the Kulin Nations, our school community past and present as well as our commitment to the future. The school community united to establish the Koor Indigenous Garden, and new House Names (Bemin, Booring, Tunparrim & Warren) and in 2024 will begin developing the schools Reconciliation Action Plan.
- Our vision is for the students of Ripponlea to be global and creative thinkers who are empowered with the skills and empathy to engage with an ever-changing world. **They**care,**they** create,**they**connect.**
- We are a learning community where, in partnership, all students, staff and families can learn and support each other and respond to change. We have an agreed set of values that are central to the life of the school. We embody Community, Creativity, Integrity, Open-mindedness, Resilience, and Respect in everything that we do and strive to be.
- Ripponlea Primary School (RPS) empowers students to connect with their true selves and use strengths, passions, and skills, helping them to develop strategies to further their successes. This includes teaching students to understand how they learn, taking personal responsibility for their learning, self-regulating, self-managing, self-reflecting for improvement and setting goals to maximise their learning and social outcomes. We do so in a balanced approach that is personalised and encourages students to aspire beyond their potential. Personal attributes such as adaptability, collaboration, organisation, gratitude and tolerance are fostered to develop the 'whole' child. 'We work hard to make sure our students are at the 'heart of everything we do.
- Our school has implemented the School Wide Positive Behaviour Support (SWPBS) framework, Resilience, Rights and Respectful Relationships and fosters a safe environment that is supportive and inclusive of LGBTIQ+ students. We consciously work towards a positive school culture explicitly teaching expected behaviours linked to the values of Respect, Pride and Safety that equally promote emotional strength, cognitive capability, self and social awareness alongside academic achievement. Discrimination, bullying or harassment is not tolerated by any member of our school community. Child safe champions and the school's commitment to child safety protect children and young people and reduce opportunities for abuse or harm to occur.
- Ripponlea PS places a strong emphasis on student voice and agency in every classroom. Students are agents in their learning and play an active role in deciding what and how they will learn, defining objectives for their learning and 'learning how to learn¿ which is an invaluable skill they can and will use throughout their lives. We also have a large number of student leaders who are actively engaged in school decision-making and consult to improve the school as well as lead special events for the whole school community.
- Our staff are dedicated, professional and take pride in their work. They work in Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) collaboratively linking teacher practice to improving student outcomes. Our students benefit from having teachers with a range of different experiences and skills working together in teams to support the learning of every student. They welcome parental involvement, communication and partnership in providing support to student learning and wellbeing.
- In 2025, we have a total student population of 267 with 12 full-time classroom teachers and 6 working in a part-time capacity. Additionally, we had 10 Education Support staff consisting of a Business Manager, Office Administrator, Intervention Specialist, and Integration Aides. Our Foundation year is a stand-alone year, whereas the rest of the students are grouped in a deliberate multi-age structure (Year 1/2, Year 3/4, and Year 5/6).
- Research has highlighted the benefits for both teachers and students when learning and teaching in a multi-age classroom. Benefits include more holistic, child-responsive curriculum practices that consider the understandings, capabilities and dispositions that children need for future work skills. When working in such diverse environments we help develop multi-skilled, literate, cooperative, creative, adaptable, independent and highly resourceful students.
- Our families value educatio