Occupational Therapist - 2 days a week

Selection Criteria

SC1     Demonstrated knowledge, skills and experience in the provision of Occupational Therapy services to children and/or young people with complex mental health, emotional regulation, behavioural and wellbeing needs, including an understanding of how sensory, environmental, psychosocial and functional factors can influence a student¿s participation, engagement and behaviour.

SC2     A capacity as an Occupational Therapist to deliver a comprehensive Occupational Therapy service to students within a school environment.

SC3     Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with students, families/carers, teachers, Education Support staff, Allied Health professionals, Wellbeing staff and relevant external services, including the ability to translate clinical knowledge into practical strategies.

SC4     Demonstrated ability to design and deliver professional learning for teachers, education support staff and other relevant professionals, in the areas of language and communication to build the capacity of school staff to support students with their everyday environments.

SC5     Highly developed organisation skills with demonstrated ability to work independently and proactively. Effectively manage a caseload and referral priorities and identify emerging areas of student or school needs.

Role

Mirripoa Primary School is seeking a motivated and innovative Occupational Therapist to join our team.

You will work within a school environment where students experience challenges in the classroom, playground and across the community.

Your focus will be on understanding the factors impacting a student's regulation, behaviour, engagement and participation, then working alongside the student, teachers, Education Support staff and other professionals to create practical supports that help them successfully engage in school. It will also include building the capacity of staff to understand student needs, strategies of support and implementation through coaching and mentoring.

Nil school holiday attendance for this position.

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 2.6.1 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 employees position or involves supervision of students individually or in small groups, in controlled circumstances, where the responsibility for students remains clearly with a teacher.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with teachers and other school staff to create inclusive learning environments and provide accommodations for students with additional needs

• Assessing the occupational, environmental, sensory, emotional and functional factors contributing to school disengagement

• Working alongside classroom teams to understand the function and context of behaviours and develop proactive supports

• Develop practical re-engagement plans and support students who are finding it challenging to attend, remain in or successfully participate in classroom environments

• Supporting students to develop individualised strategies to support regulation, coping, executive functioning, social participation and everyday functional skills

• to participate in a range of ongoing professional development to further professional knowledge, skills and practice of self and others

• Providing coaching, modelling and professional learning for teachers and Education Support staff to build capacity, knowledge and skill of students with additional needs

• Working collaboratively with the school's broader Allied Health, Wellbeing, Inclusion and Education teams

• To work cooperatively within transdisciplinary teams developing Individual Learning Plans and reports to support funding applications

Who May Apply

Individuals with the aptitude, experience and/or qualifications to fulfill the specific requirements of the position.

Diversity and Inclusion

The department is committed to diversity and inclusion and developing a workforce that is representative of the community we service. We value diversity and inclusion in all forms - culture, gender, religion, ethnicity, LGBTIQA+, 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 safe, respectful and inclusive workplaces is essential to high performance and promotes flexible work and diversity across all schools and Department workplaces. It is our policy to provide reasonable adjustments for staff with disability (see Workplace adjustment guidelines).

Additional support and advice on the recruitment process is available to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander candidates from the Koorie Outcomes Division (KOD) via [email protected]

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.

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:

 https://www2.education.vic.gov.au/pal/child-safe-standards/policy

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:

 https://www2.education.vic.gov.au/pal/values-department-vps-school-employees/overview

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 http://www.education.vic.gov.au/hrweb/Pages/default.aspx

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 http://www.education.vic.gov.au/hrweb/Pages/default.aspx

Location Profile

Mirripoa comes from the Wadawurrung language and means sunny plains. The school is located in Mount Duneed approximately 10 kilometres from Geelong.

In 2026, Mirripoa Primary School has an enrolment of 758 students with 32 grades and is located in a growth area. We are expected to commence the 2027 school year with 800 students. The school values are respect, excellence, and kindness. The school motto is Learning and Growing Together. The school vision is: Together we inspire and grow curious learners who think critically and thrive in their communities.

Our school focusses on creating opportunities for excellence for all students. Our professional and caring staff continually strive to improve student outcomes by using evidenced-based teaching strategies to inform their practice using collaborative planning and reflection. They provide individualised approaches to foster each student¿s academic and social development. We work in partnership with the school community to create a safe, friendly and inclusive environment where every child is known, valued and supported in their learning.

The school curriculum is based on the Victorian Curriculum, delivering outstanding academic achievement with a strong focus on literacy and numeracy. Knowledge based units in content areas such as geography and history are taught while developing the reading/writing expertise in our students. The school offers specialist programs in the performing arts, STEM, visual arts and PE.

The school comprises of an administration building, two learning community buildings, relocatables and a performing arts and physical education (PAPE) building. The contemporary learning environments include a range of learning settings that support various modes of learning and teaching. The design allows all students to reach their potential and develop a strong sense of community.