Occupational Therapist

As Australia's first school dedicated to neurodiverse education, Tombolo Academy is redefining what learning can look like. Our mission is to re-engage students who have felt disconnected from traditional schooling by offering meaningful learning experiences, nurturing authentic relationships, and driving positive outcomes through bold, student-centred approaches.

Be part of a movement that's reshaping education—and changing lives.

About Tombolo Academy

Tombolo Academy is a unique specialist setting that caters for highly capable neurodiverse students aged 8-16 who have previously found it challenging to engage and learn in a mainstream setting.

We provide a calm, safe and stimulating learning environment where students feel comfortable to fail and face their challenges with the support of caring and understanding staff members.

The school is located in Hampton, 5 minutes from the beach and 25 minutes from Melbourne CBD.

About the role

We are looking for an experienced and highly capable and empathetic Occupational Therapist to join our growing team on a part-time basis, 2 or 3 days per week (school hours). The successful applicant will be an outside-the-box thinker, have excellent communication skills and want to immerse themselves in a small team environment. We expect the successful applicant to contribute to all aspects of Academy life and take a key role in our founding years. We are all about finding the right fit for our staff, students, parents and carers.

Our students typically experience difficulties in sensory processing, emotional regulation, behaviour challenges, social competencies, organisational skills or developmental delay. The Occupational Therapist will work to promote the development of everyday activities in our students, and help to set down a foundation of skills, positive routines and behaviours for their ongoing engagement in their relationships, schooling, work and community. This role will work closely with our Teachers, Assistant Teachers, and parents in a family inclusive and trauma responsive approach.

Key Responsibilities

• Both formal and informal assessments of students during various stages of the enrolment process- visiting student/enrolment through to transition/graduation

• Supporting the principal with student intake

• Provide a compassionately calm and reassuring presence for all students when visiting (at intake)

• Ensure all research documentation has been collected at intake and transition as per the school's research guidelines

• Key driver of each students transition- ensuring each transition report is highly relevant, comprehensive and delivered in a timely manner

• Implement interventions to build student capacity

• Deliver individual and group based therapies

• Provide regular and ongoing education, strategies and support to Tombolo staff, parents and carers around occupational therapies for students and attendance at school

• Assist with strategies to bridge the gap between student behaviour at school and at home

• Deliver all services within a strength based, student driven, family inclusive model

• Develop independent living skill programs unique to student needs

• Lead projects when required

The Ideal Applicant Will Have:

• Effective interpersonal skills and be prepared to work independently as well as a member of a team

• Experience in parent and family work

• Experience in navigating clinical risk and guiding appropriate follow-up

• Expertise working with complexed families, and neurodiverse students with internalising behaviours (highly desirable)

• Experience in roles with transferable skills, such as Early Childhood Intervention, Key Worker, Case Management

• Knowledge and experience in administration of the DASH-2, Sensory Profile 2, Vineland 3 and COMP assessment measures (highly desirable)

• Be willing to contribute to the broader aspects of school life

Essential Requirements:

• Degree or higher qualification in Occupational Therapy

• Registered with AHPRA

• Experience working as an Occupational Therapist in a similar role

• Valid Working with Children Check (or be willing to obtain one)

• Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check (or be willing to obtain one)

• Be legally entitled to work in Australia with proof of Australian Birth, Citizenship or residency visa details.

• Current First Aid certificate

• A strong indication of a willingness to improve personal understanding of students who are both gifted and have disabilities, and how their advanced abilities can affect the way their challenges present in an educational setting

• Highly developed oral, written and collaborative communication skills

• Current Driver's License and use of own vehicle

Our curriculum is designed to extend the student's strengths and gifts.

All staff are required to be involved in the students' pastoral care and demonstrate a commitment to the principles and ethos of Tombolo Academy.

All staff are expected to abide by the child safety requirements for recruitment, employment and professional learning as specified in the Child Safe Standards as set out in Ministerial Order No Tombolo Academy is committed to ensuring child safety and has a zero tolerance for child abuse. Tombolo Academy undertakes several screening processes to ensure the appropriate protection of children in its care. This includes reference checks, qualification checks and professional registration checks.

Tombolo Academy is committed to ensuring child safety and has a zero tolerance for child abuse. Tombolo Academy undertakes several screening processes to ensure the appropriate protection of children in its care. This includes reference checks, qualification checks and professional registration checks.

If you are interested in learning more about neurodiverse students or Tombolo Academy, please explore our website