Please be advised that as of Monday, 24 February 2025, the applicantion instructions of the process has been amended.
Walkaway Primary School is seeking to establish a pool of Special Needs Education Assistants for permanent and fixed term, full-time and part-time vacancies which may arise during the 2025 school year and up to the end of Term 1, 2026. Appointments may be offered at any time for vacancies that commence during this period.
Walkaway is a small rural town twenty-eight kilometres south of Geraldton. The school caters for approximately 65 students from Kindergarten to year 6, in multi-age classes.
Walkaway Primary School has a strong ethos of being a warm and caring community with a real family atmosphere, created by the sense of community and older students working with and looking after the younger students. There are clear expectations of student behaviour that are explicitly taught with social skills and active citizenship being very highly valued by students, staff and parents alike.
The school is located in the township area surrounded by farming paddocks and community facilities. It has shady trees and areas of well-established gardens, green grass, a large undercover area, and a large, reticulated oval. Our school environment has been further enhanced with the inclusion of Nature Play areas fostering creative and imaginative play, sensory opportunities, risk taking and problem solving and physically challenging the students.
Find out more about our school by visiting www.walkawayps.wa.edu.au or Schools Online
The Role
As an Education Assistant - Special Needs you will, under teacher direction, assist in the implementation of specialised education programs. Suitable applicants will ideally have experience working with students with a variety of needs, including Autism Spectrum Disorder, trauma and anxiety. They should be experienced in supporting the needs of students with self-regulation of behaviour and social and emotional responses. Experience working with students with challenging behaviours is highly desirable.
Suitable applicants should have excellent interpersonal and communication skills and the ability to collaborate well with the teacher to create and maintain a supportive, inclusive education program to meet the specific needs of the students. An understanding and regular use of safe work practices will be highly regarded. You will ideally be organised and able to use your initiative to assist the teacher with the general care and wellbeing of students and maintenance of the learning environment. You will ideally work either under general supervision or autonomously and contribute advice and expertise, collaborating with school community members to support student achievement. We are seeking applicants who are committed to enhancing students’ learning opportunities using their understanding of differentiation, intervention and engagement strategies to assist students in accessing the curriculum. Knowledge of the Mini/MacqLit intervention programs would be beneficial.
Education Assistants are timetabled to support students and classes across a wide range of curriculum areas and departments within the school. Suitable applicants should therefore possess a high level of interpersonal skills, including the ability to collaborate with teachers to scaffold the curriculum and provide feedback on Teaching & Learning Adjustments. It is important that applicants have a positive attitude and the ability to anticipate and adapt to change, showing initiative and flexibility to produce the best opportunities for students.
Want to know more?
Full details of the role, selection criteria and training requirements are listed in the attached Job Description Form (JDF).
For more information about this opportunity, please contact Shannon Garratt, Manager Corporate Services, on (08) 9926 0200 or emailing shannon.garratt@education.wa.edu.au
Equity and Diversity
We are committed to an inclusive and culturally responsive workforce reflecting the diversity in our schools and the Western Australian community. We welcome and encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, young people, people of diverse sexualities and genders, people with disability, and people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.
Explore our Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Plan 2021-2025 for more details.
Eligibility
To work with us, you must:
- be an Australian or New Zealand citizen, permanent resident or have a valid visa with relevant work rights for the term of the appointment.
- obtain a valid Working With Children Check before you start; and
- consent to a National Criminal History Check with the Department's Screening Unit.
Additional eligibility and training requirements are outlined in the attached Job Description Form (JDF).
Application Instructions
Apply online in two easy steps:
Step 1: Select Apply for Job
Complete the online application form, including details of two (2) work related referees, preferably one (1) being your current line manager.
Step 2: Attach your documents
Your application should include:
- A CV of up to two (2) pages outlining your employment history and professional learning summary relevant to this position
- A three (3) page statement addressing selection criterias 1, 3 and 4 as outlined in the attached JDF. Shortlisted applicants will have their skills and experiences in relation to the remaining selection criteria assessed in the further stages of the recruitment process.
- Demonstrated good written and oral communication skills, including the ability interact with students with special needs, parents and teaching professionals on the provision of educational programs, and to assist teachers in understanding students where necessary.
- Demonstrated good interpersonal skills, including the ability to work as part of a team in the evaluation of educational programs, including special education and therapy programs where these have been implemented.
- Demonstrated good organisational skills that will assist in the delivery and development of effective education programs to students and subsequent feedback to teaching professionals or psychologists.
- Demonstrated ability to assist teachers or therapists in implementing educational programs, including special education and, should this be a requirement of the position, occupational and/or physiotherapy programs.
- Demonstrated knowledge of health and physical disabilities in students and adolescents.
- Demonstrated ability to assist with general health and well-being of students.
It is recommended you have your attachments ready before selecting Apply for Job.
Your application must be received before the closing date and time. Late applications will not be accepted.
For technical support submitting your application, you can call the Department of Education’s Recruitment team on (08) 9264 4127 for assistance.
Advertised Vacancy Number: IPS/SS945182
The Department applies a four (4) day breach period to this selection process.
Applications close: 4:30pm (AWST) on Friday, 14 March 2025
