Health and Physical Education Teacher 7-12

Heywood & District Secondary College is a small rural school located 30 km north of Portland and approximately 72 km from the South Australian border. Our students travel from surrounding communities, including Condah, Dartmoor, Bessiebelle and Tyrendarra. Situated near Budj Bim National Park, the Heywood community has a strong connection to Country and a rich Gunditjmara cultural heritage. We are committed to strengthening these connections through Cultural Understanding and Safety Training (CUST) for our staff. Our valued partnership with Winda Mara brings local Elders into close collaboration with the College, supporting Aboriginal students and enriching our Gunditjmara Language and Culture Program.

We aspire to be an innovative and outstanding College that fosters strong partnerships between students, families, staff and the wider community. We empower students to take responsibility for their personal and academic growth, providing a safe, inclusive and supportive learning environment where every student is encouraged to reach their full potential. We pride ourselves on knowing every student as an individual and building positive, meaningful relationships between students and staff. Student wellbeing and positive behaviour are central to our school culture. Our approach is guided by the Positive Behaviours for Learning framework, with staff trained in the Berry Street Education Model. We continually embed our core values of Growth, Respect, Integrity and Pride (GRIP) into everyday learning and interactions. Our commitment to positive school culture has been recognised through achieving Gold Standard in School-Wide Positive Behaviour for two consecutive years (2024 and 2025).

Agriculture and horticulture play an important role in the local economy, and we are continuing to develop a strong curriculum focus on primary industries to reflect the opportunities and strengths of our region. Our thriving school farm provides hands‑on learning experiences, with students involved in caring for chickens and sheep. The Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden further enriches student learning, growing fresh vegetables and providing opportunities to connect with nature, develop practical skills and explore sustainable food production. Our garden has received regional and state recognition through the Victorian Schools Garden Program, including the Kevin Heinze Perpetual Award.

At Heywood & District Secondary College, we offer staff the opportunity to make a meaningful difference in a close‑knit rural community, contribute to a supportive and values‑driven school culture, and inspire students through authentic, hands‑on learning experiences.

Selection Criteria

• Demonstrated knowledge of the Health and Physical Education curriculum, including the ability to incorporate the teaching of literacy skills. Demonstrated experience in responding to student learning needs.
• Demonstrated experience in planning for and implementing high impact teaching strategies, guided by how students learn, and evaluating the impact of learning and teaching programs on student learning growth.
• Demonstrated experience in monitoring and assessing student learning. Demonstrated experience in using data to inform teaching practice and providing feedback on student learning growth and achievement to students and parents.
• Demonstrated interpersonal and communication skills. Demonstrated experience in establishing and maintaining collaborative relationships with students, parents, colleagues and the broader school community to support student learning, agency, wellbeing and engagement.
• Demonstrated experience in reflecting upon practice and engaging in professional learning to continually improve the quality of teaching.
• Demonstrated capacity to show initiative, contribute to a positive school culture and commitment to the vision and values of Heywood & District Secondary College.

Role

The classroom teacher classification comprises two salary ranges- range 1 and range 2. The primary focus of the classroom teacher is on the planning, preparation and teaching of programs to achieve specific student outcomes. The classroom teacher engages in critical reflection and inquiry in order to improve knowledge and skills to effectively engage students and improve their learning. As the classroom teacher gains experience his or her contribution to the school program beyond the classroom increases. All classroom teachers may be required to undertake other duties in addition to their rostered teaching duties provided the responsibility is appropriate to the salary range, qualifications, training and experience of the teacher.

Responsibilities

• Direct teaching of groups of students and individual students;
• Contributing to the development, implementation and evaluation of a curriculum area or other curriculum program within the school;
• Undertaking other classroom teaching related and organisational duties as determined by the School Principal;
• Participating in activities such as parent/teacher meetings; staff meetings; camps and excursions;
• Undertaking other non-teaching supervisory duties.

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.

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.