Teacher Assistant

Location: Melbourne | Northern Metropolitan

Job type: Part time / From 28/01/2025

Organisation: Schools (Government)

**Salary**: Salary not specified

Occupation: Teacher

Reference: 1454968

**Location Profile**:
Niddrie Autistic School has at its foundation a reputation for providing an exemplary education for students with autism from Prep to Year 3. There is a commitment to excellence, which is communicated, to staff, students and families. Members of staff have high expectations and a belief that every child can learn and achieve. The school has profound expertise in developing and implementing Individual Learning Plans (ILPs) and in assessing and monitoring the learning of students to ensure the goals are achieved.

Niddrie Autistic School is situated 16 kms north of the Central Business District (CBD) in the suburb of Niddrie. The school enrols students diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder. The philosophy of the school is to provide an intensive program for students with autism to build their social communication and sense of self and others which will guide their inclusion and participation through their early years of schooling and beyond. Our school values are respect, collaboration, diversity, learning as an ongoing process, and sharing and growth of knowledge.

To support the needs of autistic children and their families, the school provides initial support for each student as he/she moves to their designated neighbourhood mainstream or specialist school setting. We are committed to supporting autistic students beyond our school by providing professional learning and advice to our community schools.

In 2024 the enrolment at its maximum was 129 students, 26.36% female and 73.64% male. 23.26 percent of students had English as an additional language. In 2024 the enrolment numbers increased by 20 from 2023. We are predicting growth by another 2 classrooms for 2025 based on the 2024 expressions of interest. The majority of students travel from a wide geographical area and travel to Niddrie by a contract bus service.

**Selection Criteria**:

- Demonstrated ability to communicate with teachers about routine matters relating to the education of autistic students and to support teachers in designated aspects of the classroom program.
- Demonstrated ability to:

- Provide physical care and emotional support for autistic students.
- Facilitate students engagement with play and learning tasks/programs as directed by class teacher/s.
- Implement positive behaviour support strategies relating to individual students within classroom, playgrounds and other school environments.
- Demonstrated capacity to work with students, teachers, parents and the school community in an objective and respectful manner.
- Demonstrated capacity to work cooperatively with a range of people including leaders, teachers, education support staff, students and parents.
- Demonstrated commitment to professional learning and growth.

**Role**:
The hours of work are: 8:45AM to 3:15PM 4 days per week and 8:45AM to 4:15PM 1 day per week.

An education support class position at this range will perform tasks that are carried out in accordance with guidelines, accepted practice, and school policy under supervision and direction. This may include coordination of other education support class staff within the work area or educational program.

An education support class position supports the educational services being provided to students but must not include duties of a teacher as defined in clause 2.6.1 of the _Education and Training Reform Act 2006 (Vic)_ or its successor. Supervision of students can be required individually or in groups up to 4 in controlled circumstances and where the responsibility for students remains clearly with a teacher.

Certification and/or qualifications of up to three years can be required at this level (noting that Registered Nurse is not included at this level, the first level for which is Level 1 range 3).

A role at this range may include:

- Specific support tasks to achieve outcomes. Typically, this will involve accountability for a single function, (e.g. ensuring data is properly maintained) or the co-ordination of a work area under the direction of the principal or a manager.
- Assisting teachers, within an educational program, by undertaking specific support tasks or the coordination of the support function.
- Supervised health and wellbeing support tasks, medical intervention support tasks, or other specialised student/teacher support roles (e.g. enrolled nurses performing the role as described in schedule 3). These roles require specific qualifications and/or training, including roles where further training must be undertaken from time to time. The role is for a specific purpose, for which there will be direct accountability as opposed to support roles that are carried out by a range of staff performing routine tasks under direction.
- Technical tasks that require a sound knowledge of basic tec