Updated 12/2014
Department for Education and Child Development
JOB AND PERSON SPECIFICATIONS
Title of Position: Preschool Director - Kimba Community
Kindergarten
Classification Code: PSD2
Department for Education and Child Development
Division: Early Childhood Services
Fraction of Time: 0.5
Period of Appointment from:
Click here to enter a date to 23/01/2019
JOB SPECIFICATION
1.
Role Description
The Preschool Director is accountable to the Regional Director for the management and delivery of quality early childhood programs.
The Preschool Director will ensure the development, implementation and evaluation of appropriate care and educational programs
which meet the developmental needs of individual children and the care and education needs of their families and the community.
Under Section 169 of the Education and Care Services National Law the Preschool Director is responsible for providing educational
leadership that ensures appropriate teaching strategies are used, facilitates access and participation of children and ensures effective
participation of parents in the operation and delivery of the centre’s programs.
The Preschool Director of a preschool program and care service is the Nominated Supervisor for that site under section 114 of the
Education and Care Services National Law. As Nominated Supervisor, the preschool director is the “responsible person” under
Section 162 of the National Law.
These responsibilities must be interpreted in the context of the specific centre and its community.
2.
Reporting/Working Relationships (To whom the person reports, staff for whom the person is responsible, and other significant
connections and working relationships within the organisation)
Reports to the Regional Director, liaises with the Management Committee and works closely with other education providers,
government agencies, local government bodies, employers and relevant community groups and organisations. In Integrated
Preschools and Long Day Care Services, the Management Committee, in consultation with the Regional Director, is responsible for
assigning and directing appropriate tasks to the Preschool Director in relation to the operation of the long day care program. The
Director is responsible for the effective management and leadership of the centre’s staff team.
3.
Special Conditions (Such as non-metropolitan location, travel requirements, frequent overtime, etc.)
The classification of the position may be reviewed during the course of the appointment and remuneration adjusted accordingly.
Some out of hours work and intrastate travel may be required.
Preschool Directors commencing their first tenured appointment of 12 months or more as a preschool director will be required to
complete a leadership induction course provided by DECD. New Preschool Directors who do not currently hold advanced leadership
qualifications will be required to attain an advanced qualification in strategic leadership via the South Australian Institute for Educational
Leadership (SAIEL).
4.
Preschool Context
This is defined by the preschool context statement which is available from the preschool site or from the DECD website.
5.
Summary of required Outcomes
The Director is accountable to the Chief Executive through the Regional Director, for leading learning, teaching and care and ensuring
the preschool
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operates within the relevant legal and policy framework
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provides care, teaching and learning programs appropriate to the centre’s context
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fosters equity and inclusivity for all children, staff and families in the centre
promotes the professional learning of all staff, and
provides a safe teaching and learning environment for all staff and children and implements safe systems of work
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6.
Statement of Required Outcomes
The Preschool Director will provide early childhood curriculum, leadership and management of centre programs
that achieve the following specific outcomes
(1) The Preschool/Centre has directions and plans which:
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integrate Departmental and local priorities in care and education;
are clear and documented;
reflect the diversity of the community;
are developed, regularly reviewed and updated in consultation with the preschool community;
are effectively communicated to the preschool community;
lead to continuous improvement in care and learning outcomes, and;
support the leadership and management of change relevant to the centre’s context.
(2) The Preschool/Centre operations and management
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involve families and the local community;
have sound financial and physical resource management systems and processes
include regular monitoring, reviewing and reporting - to parents, management committee, the preschool community, and the
Department for Education and Child Development;
have documented and implemented care and education policies relevant to the context;
enable all staff to do their work effectively;
maintain preschool/centre and child records;
promote participation of parents and staff in the children’s services consultative structures.
(3) The Preschool/Centre’s care, learning and teaching programs
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reflect current early childhood curriculum theory and practice and are responsive to the individual care and learning needs of children
are designed and implemented to optimise children’s access and participation to the curriculum;
include appropriate strategies for assessment and reporting on children’s learning outcomes to parents and relevant educational
personnel;
provide an environment that values and supports children’s learning through play, are safe and nurturing and promote a sense of
belonging and self worth;
involve parents in their children’s care and learning.
(4) The preschool/ centre:
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actively promotes the services offered by the Department for Education and Child Development and the Centre;
provides assistance, information, support and encouragement to parents with regard to all aspects of their child’s learning and
development;
participates in appropriate consultation within the community;
contributes to the professional expertise of the Early Childhood field;
communicates and liaises with relevant Department for Education and Child Development personnel and other Agencies as required.
(5) The leadership of the Preschool Director engenders in staff active engagement with the directions and plans of
the preschool, by:
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optimising and utilising the levels and knowledge and skill of all staff;
leading staff in reflection of their teaching practice and initiating change to improve learning outcomes for children;
supporting the participation of all staff in decision making on centre policy and operations;
implementing performance management programs appropriate to the centre context;
ensuring employees engage in safe and healthy occupational practices;
undertaking the personnel management of staff;
addressing the relevant training and development opportunities for centre staff.
(6)
Expertise support and educational leadership appropriate to the local context are provided to the Centre
Management Committee
(7)
Cooperative working relationships exist at the local level, with other education providers, government
agencies, local government bodies and relevant community groups and organisations.
(8)
The Director is required to teach.
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PERSON SPECIFICATION
Essential Minimum Requirements (Those characteristics considered absolutely necessary).
1. Qualifications & Eligibility Criteria
Hold a four-year Early Childhood teaching qualification, which is approved by the Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority
(ACECQA).
Further information on qualifications can be found on the ACECQA site at:
http://acecqa.gov.au/qualifications/approved-early-childhood-teaching-qualifications/
or
Permanent DECD teacher and hold a three-year Early Childhood teaching qualification awarded on or before 31 December, 2011, which is
approved by the Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA).
Further information on qualifications can be found on the ACECQA site at:
http://acecqa.gov.au/qualifications/approved-early-childhood-teaching-qualifications/
or
Registered as a teacher under the Teacher Registration and Standards Act 2004 of South Australia and was employed to deliver a preschool
program in a DECD preschool during term 4, 2011.
This includes teachers who do not hold a four-year qualification, but who were actively teaching preschool in term 4, 2011. It also includes
teachers who were on leave during term 4, 2011, but whose role immediately before the leave was to deliver a preschool program. It also
includes those temporary teachers who were undertaking a contract appointment or TRT/TRP work in a preschool or school-based
preschool program during term 4, 2011.
Persons who meet the above qualification requirements and who are members of one of the following groups are eligible to apply for this
position:
 permanent DECD employees;
 eligible public sector employees as listed in the Notice of Vacancies for the South Australian public sector
 any person who is registered or able to be registered to teach in South Australia and meet the current DECD minimum employment
requirements. (Please note should a person from this group be the successful applicant, employment with DECD is on a temporary basis
defined by the tenure of the position.)
At the conclusion of an appointment to a Preschool Director position;
 permanent DECD employees will be placed according to the terms of their substantive appointment and the policies in operation at the
time
 employees from other public sector organisations will be placed according to the public sector policies at the time
 non-permanent DECD employees will not hold a substantive ongoing position with DECD.
DECD is an equal opportunity employer.
2. It is essential that applicants provide evidence which demonstrates the extent to which they have:
Personal Skills and Abilities, Knowledge and Experience (including community experience)
with specific reference to the centre’s context statement, in relation to:
a) effective leadership of, and collaborative work, with a wide range of people.
b) leadership in the provision and continuous development of early childhood curriculum and teaching strategies which are implemented
through education and care programs that meet the needs of all children and families.
c) initiation and management of the planning and successful implementation of change.
d) effective management of a range of resources in an organisation, such as a preschool, which optimises defined outcomes and
organisational directions.
e) knowledge and application of OHS&W legislation, safety management systems and risk management (and applicable standards, including
International Risk Management Standard "AS/NZS/ISO 31000:2009”, or its equivalent. Note: DECD Risk Management Framework is based
on International Standard "AS/NZS/ISO 31000:2009”).
3. Desirable Requirements (To distinguish between applicants who have met all essential requirements)
 An advanced leadership qualification would be an advantage.
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