Nilma Primary School is a small rural school situated 3.5 km east of Warragul. Established in 1885, our school has a proud history of serving the local community for over a century. We currently have an enrolment of 75 students and a dedicated team of 18 staff, including a part-time mental health and wellbeing leader, 5 full-time classroom teachers (Levels 1 and 2), a part-time specialist teacher, and 10 full-time education support staff, including a part-time business manager and wellbeing specialist.

We provide a positive, stimulating, harmonious learning environment in a beautiful rural setting. Our teaching is grounded in evidence-based practice, emphasising explicit instruction that builds firm foundations in literacy and numeracy. In literacy, our approach is informed by the science of reading, ensuring all students develop essential phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, fluency and comprehension skills. We deliver clear, structured teaching in numeracy to foster deep conceptual understanding and problem-solving abilities. Learning is purposeful, targeted, and responsive, with assessment used to guide the next steps for every child.

We believe the most powerful way to prepare students for a successful life is through a genuine partnership between the school and community. Parents are encouraged to participate actively in school life, contributing to a learning culture where success is celebrated, diversity is embraced, and all members feel valued. Students are supported to strive for excellence, take on responsibilities, develop resilience and creativity, and build a love of learning that lasts well beyond their school years.

In addition to our core learning programs, Nilma Primary School offers a range of enriching specialist subjects and experiences, including Visual Arts, Sustainability and Environment, Auslan, and the MARC Van mobile library service. These programs provide students with opportunities to explore their interests, develop new skills, and connect their learning to the world beyond the classroom. Together, our academic programs, specialist offerings, and strong community connections create a vibrant and inclusive learning environment for every child.

To help with busy families and working parents, we have a full operational Out of Hours School Care program. This program enables parents to be fully supported in busy working lives and we have a breakfast club program on Monday and Wednesday from 8.30am.

The SFOE of the school is 0.4.

(a) Vision and values

Demonstrated capacity to create a shared vision, define and gain acceptance of school goals and set and communicate expectations for effective performance.

(b) Teaching and Learning

Demonstrated ability to manage the quality of teaching and create a positive culture of challenge, support and collaboration.

(c) Improvement, Innovation and Change

Demonstrated capacity to produce and implement clear, evidence-based improvement plans and policies and lead innovation and change.

(d) Management

Demonstrated capacity to ensure that the school's human, physical and financial resources are efficiently allocated and managed.

(e) Development

Demonstrated capacity to create a professional learning community that is focused on the continuous improvement of teaching and learning, supporting all staff to achieve high standards and commitment to their own learning and wellbeing.

(f) Engagement

Demonstrated capacity to develop positive relationships with students, parents/families and the local community and participate in and contribute to system-level activities.

(g) Community Criterion

Demonstrate the vision and capacity to:

• Understand the unique characteristics and challenges of a small Primary School in a culturally diverse learning community. 
• Embrace strong community connections and active family participation. 
• Encourage growth and innovation in using ICT to enhance learning.

The role of the principal is to lead and manage the planning, delivery, evaluation and improvement of the education of all students in a community through the deployment of resources provided by the Department and the school community.

At the same time, the principal, as executive officer of the school council, must ensure that adequate and appropriate advice is provided to the council on educational and other matters, that the decisions of the council are implemented and that adequate support and resources are provided for the conduct of council meetings.

The principal is accountable for the overall management and development of the school within statewide guidelines and Government policies. A clear set of accountabilities, which distinguish their work from other members of the Teaching Service and the education community are set out in detail in the contract of employment.

The core accountabilities of all principals are to:

• ensure the delivery of a comprehensive education program to all students
• be executive officer of the school council.
• establish and manage financial systems in accordance with the Department and school council requirements.
• represent the Department in the school and the local community.
• implement decisions of the school council.
• contribute to system-wide activities, including policy and strategic planning and development.
• manage and integrate the resources available to the school.
• appropriately involve staff, students and the community in the development, implementation and review of school policies, programs and operations.
• report to the Department, school community, parents and students on the achievements of the school and of individual students as appropriate.

Appropriately qualified individuals currently registered or eligible for registration with the Victorian Institute of Teaching.

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 *******@education.vic.gov.au

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

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

To be eligible for employment, transfer or promotion in the principal or teacher class:

• The person must have provisional or full registration approved by the Victorian Institute of Teaching; and
• if the person completed an Australian postgraduate level initial teaching program or course of study on or after 1 January 2024, they must demonstrate that they have satisfactorily completed a postgraduate level accredited initial teacher education program that has been accredited by an Australian State or Territory Teacher Regulatory Authority as satisfying the requirements of the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership 'Accreditation of initial teacher education programs in Australia: Standards and Procedures'; and
• a person who graduated from a Victorian Initial Teacher Education (ITE) program after 1 July 2016 must also 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 ITE program completed by the person).

Details of qualification requirements as updated from time to time can be found at Recruitment in Schools.

To be eligible for appointment as a principal a person must either:

• Be a substantive Principal of a registered school in Victoria; or
• Have a statement of readiness following completion of the Victorian Aspiring Principal Assessment.