Assistant Principal Special Education - General - Dorchester School

NSW Department of Education; Sydney; On-site; AUD 85,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

NSW Department of Education is seeking a dynamic educator to lead a specialised program in Dorchester Education and Training Unit, Campbelltown. The role focuses on high-quality teaching for students in a youth justice context, with a emphasis on wellbeing, inclusion and culturally responsive practices.

The successful candidate will drive school improvement, support staff, and balance teaching with essential administrative duties, while engaging with Aboriginal education priorities and diverse

Qualifications

• Approval to teach special education or demonstrated capability to teach students with behavioural difficulties and emotional disturbance.
• Unconditional full approval to teach is required.
• Vaccination requirements may apply per NSW Health and Department of Communities and Justice.
• Include WWCC clearance number in the application.
• Knowledge of curriculum, assessment and student welfare is essential.
• Ability to lead, inspire and support staff while balancing administrative duties.

Responsibilities

• Initiate school improvement and drive whole-school strategic directions.
• Foster an inclusive, culturally responsive school culture, prioritising wellbeing and belonging.
• Lead staff development, capacity building and professional learning.
• Balance classroom teaching with the administrative demands of a youth justice education setting.
• Engage with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and diverse backgrounds.
• Coordinate resources to support teaching and learning in a secure setting.

Skills

Special education

Educational leadership

Curriculum knowledge

Communication skills

Resource planning

Aboriginal education policy

Job description

About the Position

Dorchester Education and Training Unit (ETU) is located within the Reiby Juvenile Justice Centre in Campbelltown. The school caters to up to 55 incarcerated students (30 female and 25 male) between the ages of 10 and 21. Dorchester serves a significant Aboriginal enrolment. Students are subject to either court-imposed remand or control orders due to serious criminal offences, and the length of their enrolment will vary. Students originate from across NSW and present with behaviour difficulties, emotional disturbance and other complex mental health issues. Students are supported through individually tailored teaching/learning experiences to maximise individual success. Preparing students for post-incarceration success is a focus of school programs and aims to engage them in relevant, challenging learning experiences that help close learning gaps, extend practical and academic skills, strengthen resilience and emotional intelligence and promote social responsibility. Working with Youth Justice and a range of other government and non-government support agencies is an ongoing feature of Dorchester operation. For more information, please visit: https://dorchester-s.schools.nsw.gov.au/

Key Responsibilities and Competencies

In addition to the general selection criteria, Approval to teach special education and/or experience teaching special education , with demonstrated capability to teach students with behavioural difficulties and emotional disturbance. Demonstrated ability to provide dynamic executive leadership by driving whole-school strategic directions, leading school improvement initiatives and fostering a shared vision that promotes high-quality teaching, learning and positive student outcomes. Demonstrated ability to foster an inclusive, culturally responsive school culture that prioritises student learning, wellbeing, belonging and aspirational development, particularly for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, students from diverse socio-economic backgrounds and those with complex learning needs. Demonstrated ability to lead, inspire and support staff while managing competing priorities through effective collaboration, professional learning and capacity building, balancing classroom teaching responsibilities with the complex administrative demands of an educational setting within a youth justice centre.

1. Successful teaching experience with capacity to initiate improvement in teaching, learning and classroom practice
2. Knowledge of curriculum, assessment and student welfare with the ability to lead and design quality, inclusive teaching and learning programs
3. Educational leadership skills to build the capacity and manage the performance of individuals and teams
4. Well developed communication and interpersonal skills with the capacity to build relationships and engage students, staff and parents
5. Ability to plan and manage resources effectively and equitably to support teaching and learning
6. Knowledge of and commitment to the Department's Aboriginal education policy

Requirements

An unconditional full approval to teach is a requirement. If you do not hold a full approval to teach with the NSW Department of Education, you are required to commence the application process at the same time as you apply for this teaching opportunity. Staff working in schools within hospitals and youth justice centres must follow any vaccination requirements of NSW Health and Department of Communities and Justice respectively. Applicants are to include details of their WWCC clearance number as part of this application.

About the NSW Department of Education

The Department of Education is the largest provider of public education in Australia with responsibility for delivering high-quality public education to two-thirds of the NSW student population. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, including but not limited to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people, people of any age or gender, people from culturally and linguistically diverse groups and/or from the LGBTQIA+ community, veterans, refugees, people with disability, people with sensory differences, and neurodiverse people. If we can make some adjustments to our recruitment/interview process to better help you shine, please reach out to the contact person for this recruitment, details listed above. For more information, visit the NSW Department of Education's Diversity, equity and inclusion webpage. Merit selection application guidelines for classroom teachers, executives and principals provide clear advice for applicants and selection panels. The guidelines are available here. To meet the page limits outlined in the guidelines, all application attachments must be submitted in PDF format. Please note that late applications will not be accepted. For technical support please contact School Recruitment Support at 1300 863 694.