Department of Education - Victoria

Glen Katherine Primary School is in Eltham North, a north-eastern, leafy suburb of Melbourne. Students are drawn from Eltham, Eltham North, Diamond Creek and Greensborough as well as Plenty, Yarrambat and Hurstbridge. Strong links with the local kindergartens and St. Helena Secondary College ensure a smooth transition process into and beyond GKPS. The school's 2025 enrolment is 552 students organised into 25 classes with class sizes in the P-2 area in the low 20's and mid-20's range from Year 3-6.

Our current staffing structure consists of Principal, Assistant Principal - Curriculum, Assistant Principal - Welfare and Wellbeing Coordinator, Inclusion Co-Ordinator, Learning Specialists, Sub-school Team Leaders, Operational and Wellbeing leaders, tutors, sub-school Professional Learning teams and specialist team. There are Education Support personnel in the office, a Business Manager, a trained First Aid Officer, an ICT technician, 12 Integration Aides, Out of School Hours Care Co-ordinator and assistants, and Canteen manager.

Parent participation and support is recognised as being essential to the continuing success of the school. There is no doubting the fact that children's learning is greatly enhanced when the home/school relationship is strong and connected. Contact with parents is through Compass which was introduced in 2020, our school website, information evenings, Three Way Conferences, direct teacher/parent contact and through involvement on School Council, Parent and Friends Association and the Grade Communicator Program.

Our school places students at the centre of our work. We offer explicit reading, writing and Maths lessons daily. Our school offers a whole-school phonetic program. Literacy and Numeracy Learning Specialists support teachers and classroom practice. ICT is used in all sections of the school being iPads and notebooks. We offer a full complement of specialist programs include PE, Mandarin, Visual Arts, Performing Arts, Science, Kitchen, Sustainability, Ignite (extension) and Boost (intervention) programs. Wellbeing is supported through the use of our wellbeing centre, social and emotional learning programs, circle time practices, mindfulness programs, SSG, lunch time clubs, social skills groups and alternative learning plans.

Our school provides itself on outstanding student attitude to school survey results, excellent parent opinion survey results and a wonderful reputation of a welcoming, supportive, and positive place for students, and staff to learn together.

Our values of Be Kind, Be Brave, Be Curious, Be Your Best, are on display every day.

 

SC1    Demonstrated knowledge of the relevant curriculum, including the capacity to incorporate the teaching of literacy and numeracy skills. Demonstrated capacity to respond to student learning needs.

SC2    Demonstrated capacity to implement high impact teaching strategies, guided by how students learn, and evaluate the impact of learning and teaching programs on student learning growth. 

SC3    Demonstrated capacity to monitor and assess student learning. Demonstrated capacity to use data to inform teaching practice and to provide feedback on student learning growth and achievement to students and parents.

SC4    Demonstrated interpersonal and communication skills. Demonstrated capacity to establish and maintain collaborative relationships with students, parents, colleagues and the broader school community to support student learning, wellbeing and engagement.    

SC5    Demonstrated behaviours and attitudes consistent with Department values. Demonstrated capacity to reflect upon practice and engage in professional learning to continually improve the quality of teaching.