Goonawarra Primary School in Sunbury was established in 1987 to service the families of Goonawarra and Rolling Meadows Estates. The school is set on four hectares of grassed open space with three large adventure playground areas and attractive gardens, including a vegetable garden and outside facilities. All classrooms are air conditioned and have an interactive whiteboard as well as access to laptops and iPads.

The current 2020 student population has risen to 441 students in 21 classrooms. The school population has continued to steadily grow from a low of 280 in 2012 to the current population. The growth has primarily come from attracting more families from the more affluent Rolling Meadows Estate and from other areas of Sunbury. The overall school’s socio-economic profile, according to the Student Family Occupation (SFO) index and the Student Family Occupation and Education index (SFOE) has changed as the population has increased. The SFOE Index moved from 0.4513 in 2016 to 0.4346 in 2020, moving from a position of low to medium, indicating that there are less unemployed parents, more are in fulltime work as well as in managerial / self-employed work.

The workforce composition consists of 2 in the Principal Class, 24(EFT) teachers including two learning specialists and 7.7 EFT Education Support Staff. In 2018, the school employed a fulltime Student Welfare Officer and a part time School Chaplain.

The school has a strong commitment to providing a curriculum which is both supportive of the needs of individual students which challenges them to achieve their best. The school is committed to strengthening student achievement across all curriculum areas. The school operated effectively with four Professional Learning Teams with each Team having a Curriculum Leader.

The school is dedicated to empowering students with the core values that will assist them in developing the attributes of responsible citizenship. The core values have been summarised into an acronym of G.R.E.A.T. The school community is now familiar with the sayings ‘Goonawarra is G.R.E.A.T!’ and ‘At Goonawarra we aim to be Generous, Responsible, Enthusiastic, Ambitious and Trustworthy.’ The meanings and the practical applications of these words are regularly explored and discussed in the classrooms especially at the commencement of the year during the Positive Start to School Program.

Through positions such as Junior School Council, House Captains and Vice Captains, Choir Captains and events such as ‘Principal for a Day’ and student input into Assemblies, student leadership is strongly developed. Parental input is very much valued at Goonawarra. Many opportunities exist for parents and the local and wider communities to be involved in the life at the school at many and varied levels.

There is a very comprehensive and engaging Transition program from preschool to school and throughout the school onto secondary school. The school also offers an excellent Out of Hours School Care Program (Before and After School) through Camp Australia. There have been three new Mod 5 (double classrooms) portable buildings installed over the last three years to assist with the growing school population.

In 2017, the school received a $330,000 grant under the Planned Maintenance Program. Painting, carpeting, basketball courts, synthetic grass areas were all part of the scope of works. In 2018 the school received a grant of $200,000 to improve facilities under the Inclusive Schools Grant Program. The works which will be undertaken in 2019 include a new synthetic grass area with a shade sail and outdoor furniture, a new inclusive playground and an additional steel canopy.

The school provides a variety of special programs including Physical Education, Visual & Performing Arts, LOTE (Italian – Grades Prep – 4) and Reading Intervention (for students in Grades 1 & 2).

(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

Demonstrated capacity to build upon and extend the existing high levels of student achievement together with a capacity to deliver continued growth, innovation and excellence through strong supportive and collaborative leadership amongst all elements of our community

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.

The Department values diversity and is committed to workforce diversity and equal opportunity in schools and all education workplaces. 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.

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 http://www.education.vic.gov.au/about/programs/health/protect/Pages/childsafestandards.aspx

The Department’s employees commit to upholding DET’s Values: Responsiveness, Integrity, Impartiality, Accountability, Respect, Leadership and Human Rights. DET’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 DET values is available at http://www.education.vic.gov.au/hrweb/workm/Pages/Public-Sector-Values.aspx

• 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