Outdoor Education/ Special Education Teacher

Overview

Work Type: Fixed-term - Full-time

Salary: Salary not specified

Grade: Classroom Teacher

Occupation: Classroom teacher

Location: Melbourne - Southern suburbs

Reference:

Selection Criteria

SC1 Demonstrated knowledge of curriculum for students with a disability including Abilities Based Learning and Education Support (ABLES) and The Victorian Curriculum, levels A ¿ D.

SC2 Demonstrate an understanding of how students learn and effective teaching strategies and the capacity to work with colleagues to continually improve teaching and learning.

SC3 Capacity to monitor and assess student learning in the outdoors to inform teaching for improved student learning for students with disabilities.

SC4 Demonstrated high level written and verbal communication skills and high level interpersonal skills including a capacity to develop constructive relationships with students, visiting staff and members of the local community.

SC5 Demonstrated commitment and capacity to actively contribute to a broad range of Blackwood SSOEC lessons and a capacity to reflect on, evaluate and improve professional knowledge and practice.

Role

Teachers at Blackwood SSOEC will plan and teach student groups in outdoor education. Teachers are expected to participate in induction programs and general staff development activities, and in activities designed to ensure the integration of the curriculum/outdoor education with the visiting schools. The focus of a teacher is student management, subject content and teaching practice.

Teachers at this level at Blackwood SSOEC are responsible for teaching visiting groups and may also assist and participate in policy development, project teams and the organisation of co-curricular activities. Other tasks may include property maintenance, administration, promotion and event organisation.

Responsibilities

To provide a safe, supportive environment for the development of students with special needs through challenging outdoor education lessons and programs.

b) To ensure accommodation facilities are maintained to a suitable standard for visiting students with special needs and staff in accordance with Occupational, Health & Safety, Local Moorabool Council and Australian Camping Association Accreditation regulations.

c) To develop and maintain a caring and supportive environment in which students with special needs can participate in a series of challenging activities that promote self-confidence and self-esteem.

d) To undertake program development to further develop and advance curriculum.

e) To participate in appropriate professional development activities which will contribute to the provision and development of programs.

Additional responsibilities may include but are not limited to:

• contributing to a range of co-curricular programs

• Attending expeditions / camps

• Evening activities

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.

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 Workplace adjustment guidelines).

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:

Other Information

• 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

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

VIT LANTITE

To be eligible for employment, transfer or promotion in the principal or teacher class a person must have provisional or full registration from the Victorian Institute of Teaching. In addition, from 3 August 2020, to be eligible for employment in the principal class or teacher class, a person who graduated from a Victorian Initial Teacher Education program after 1 July 2016, must 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 Initial Teacher Education program completed by the person.

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.

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.

Blackwood is managed by a campus principal with teaching and education support staff supporting program co-ordination, implementation and facilities. With Blackwood being an outdoor residential school, our program staff manage their weekly attendance and hours in accordance to the Victorian Government School Agreement 2022 through a local consultative agreement that¿s see Blackwood staff onsite from 9am ¿ 9pm four days a week, with shorter hours on the fifth day.

Applications close Wednesday 3 September 2025 at 11.59pm

Posted

22 August 2025

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