Director, Cranbrook Institute for Gifted Education

Cranbrook School; Woollahra; On-site; AUD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

Cranbrook School invites an exceptional educational leader to helm the Cranbrook Institute for Gifted Education. The Director will shape identification, challenge, extension and talent development for gifted students across the Senior School, ensuring equity and strong evaluation of outcomes.

You will lead a coherent, evidence-informed approach to gifted education, collaborate with Heads of Department and teachers, and drive strategic partnerships including CREST, Olympiads and external

Qualifications

• Master’s/EdD/PhD in Gifted Education or Educational Leadership.
• NESA accreditation to teach in NSW or eligibility to obtain it.
• Deep specialist knowledge of gifted education and talent development.

Responsibilities

• Develop and lead the School's strategy for gifted and talented education across the Senior School.
• Lead the Institute's whole-child framework (RISE) for gifted students.
• Identify, differentiate, and provide advanced pathways for highly able learners.
• Build staff capability for embedding gifted provision in everyday teaching and specialist programs.
• Oversee CREST, Olympiads and external partnerships and measure impact.

Skills

Leadership

Educational strategy

Data analysis

Stakeholder engagement

Curriculum development

Differentiation & extension design

Education

Master’s/EdD/PhD in Gifted Education or Educational Leadership

NESA accreditation to teach in New South Wales

Tools

GERRIC resources

DMGT/SEM models (Gagné, Maker)

Job description

Director, Cranbrook Institute for Gifted Education

Cranbrook School is seeking an exceptional educational leader with deep specialist expertise in gifted education to lead the Cranbrook Institute for Gifted Education. The successful applicant will provide strategic and educational leadership for the identification, challenge, extension and talent development of gifted and high-potential students across the Senior School.

ABOUT THE INSTITUTE

The Cranbrook Institute for Gifted Education is being established as a centre for gifted, talented and high-potential students. It extends beyond a program. The Institute brings together every aspect of identifying, supporting, enriching and helping these students to flourish, drawing the threads of Cranbrook's provision into one coherent whole that students, families and staff can understand and be proud of.

The Institute's work is organised around RISE, four pillars that reflect a focus on the whole child: Recognise, Individualise, Support and Extend. The Support pillar includes student flourishing and wellbeing, recognising that gifted students can find school difficult. Together the pillars provide wrap-around support for each student.

CREST (Cranbrook Research, Enrichment, Scholarship and Talent) is the Institute's pathway for academic extension and co-curricular achievement. CREST is a team experience: students prepare for and compete in Olympiads and other competitions together, finding their niche and a peer support group, celebrating one another's successes and pushing one another to perform. The Institute will also build links with universities and specialist centres, including the University of New South Wales and its Gifted Education Research, Resource and Information Centre (GERRIC).

ABOUT THE POSITION

Reporting to the Deputy Head, Academics, the Director of the Cranbrook Institute for Gifted Education will lead a coherent, evidence-informed approach to gifted education across the Senior School. The role will work closely with the Gifted and Talented Coordinator, Heads of Department, teachers and specialist staff to ensure that gifted and high-potential students are accurately identified, appropriately challenged in the classroom and provided with advanced pathways that develop potential into sustained achievement.

The Director will bring substantial expertise in contemporary gifted education, including identification, differentiation, curriculum compacting, acceleration, flexible grouping, enrichment, twice-exceptionality, underachievement and the social and emotional needs of gifted learners. The role will build staff capability so that effective provision for gifted students is embedded in everyday teaching as well as specialist programs.

The Director will also provide strategic oversight of CREST, Cranbrook Research, Enrichment, Scholarship and Talent, Olympiads, academic competitions, masterclasses, academic societies, mentoring, external partnerships and other advanced learning opportunities. The emphasis will be on purposeful talent development, equity of access, academic challenge and measurable impact rather than participation alone.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Develop and lead the School's strategy for gifted and talented education, ensuring a coherent continuum from identification through classroom provision, extension, enrichment and advanced talent development.

Lead the development and implementation of RISE (Recognise, Individualise, Support and Extend), the Institute's whole-child framework for gifted, talented and high-potential students.

Lead robust and equitable processes for identifying gifted and high-potential students using multiple sources of evidence and professional judgement.

Work with Heads of Department and teachers to strengthen differentiation, curriculum compacting, acceleration, flexible grouping and subject-specific extension.

Oversee individual provision for students whose advanced learning needs require significant curriculum adjustment, including highly gifted and twice-exceptional learners.

Lead the Institute's approach to student flourishing and wellbeing, working with Learning Support and other staff to provide coordinated support for gifted students who may be finding school difficult.

Provide strategic leadership of CREST, Olympiads, competitions, academic extension programs, mentoring and external partnerships.

Develop CREST as a team-based pathway in which students prepare for and compete in Olympiads and competitions together, building a community that celebrates and extends its members.

Lead professional learning and build teacher capability in gifted education, identification, advanced curriculum design and evidence-informed talent development.

Work with the Gifted and Talented Coordinator to ensure strong student monitoring, program delivery, communication and follow-through.

Use student growth, achievement, participation and engagement data to evaluate the reach and impact of gifted and talented provision and recommend future priorities.

Build productive relationships with students, families, universities, professional associations, competition providers, specialist coaches and other external partners.

Establish and grow partnerships with universities and specialist centres, including the University of New South Wales and GERRIC.

ABOUT YOU

You are a highly credible educator and specialist in gifted education with the expertise to shape whole-school practice. You combine strong knowledge of the research with practical experience identifying gifted learners, designing advanced learning pathways, supporting teachers and evaluating the impact of programs. You are equally comfortable working strategically with senior leaders and Heads of Department, coaching teachers, engaging with families and mentoring highly able students.

SELECTION CRITERIA

Current NESA accreditation to teach in New South Wales, or eligibility to obtain it.

A postgraduate qualification in gifted education, such as the UNSW Graduate Certificate in Education (Gifted Education) or Master of Education (Gifted Education), or equivalent. Alternatively, a minimum of GERRIC’s Mini-COGE together with a commitment to complete an award qualification in gifted education.

Deep specialist knowledge of gifted education and evidence-informed talent development, including identification, differentiation, acceleration, enrichment and advanced curriculum provision.

Demonstrated experience leading, designing or evaluating gifted and high-potential programs in a school setting.

Strong understanding of the needs of highly gifted, twice-exceptional and underachieving gifted students, including relevant social and emotional considerations.

Experience contributing to a whole-child framework that integrates academic challenge with student wellbeing and flourishing.

Demonstrated capacity to build teacher capability and influence classroom practice across different subject areas.

Experience using assessment and data to identify advanced learning needs, monitor student growth and evaluate program effectiveness.

Experience developing enrichment, extension, competition or advanced academic pathways, including partnerships with external organisations.

Highly developed leadership, communication, organisational and relationship-management skills.

A firm commitment to child safety, inclusion, equity and the wellbeing of gifted and high-potential learners.

Master’s, EdD or PhD in gifted education or educational leadership.

Knowledge of recognised models of gifted education and talent development, such as Gagné's DMGT, Renzulli's SEM or Maker's DISCOVER, is highly desirable.

NESA Highly Accomplished or Lead accreditation.

Training or experience in twice-exceptionality, psychometric and assessment literacy (working with school psychologists), and the Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability (NCCD).

Experience establishing or growing a new program or centre, including budget and change management.

Experience with IB programs, given Cranbrook is an IB World School.

Membership of, or involvement with, professional bodies such as the Australian Association for the Education of the Gifted and Talented (AAEGT), and active engagement with current research in gifted education.

A record of research, publication or conference presentation.

CLOSING DATE

4:00 PM, Monday, 23 November 2026

ABOUT CRANBROOK SCHOOL

Founded in 1918, Cranbrook School is a multi-campus Anglican independent day and boarding school for students in Pre-School to Year 12. In 2026, the School welcomed girls into Years 7 and 11, with full coeducation across the campus by 2029.

Guided by its enduring vision to be a world-class school that nurtures and enables every student to fulfil their potential and thrive, Cranbrook offers a values-led education enriched by academic excellence and extensive sporting and co-curricular opportunities. The School’s motto, esse quam videri – “to be, rather than to seem to be” – underpins its commitment to authenticity, character and service. This well-rounded educational approach provides an educational experience that celebrates each individual and prepares every Cranbrookian for a purposeful life of contribution within and beyond the School gates.

Overlooking Sydney Harbour and set on approximately 13 hectares in one of Sydney’s most prestigious eastern suburbs, the School currently educates over 1,800 students across four campuses: two Pre-Schools – St Michael’s and St Mark’s – a Junior School campus in Rose Bay, and the Senior School Campus in Bellevue Hill. The School’s two Boarding Houses provide care and accommodation for 75 students from Years 7 to 12.

Cranbrook School is a child safe organisation. We actively promote the safety and wellbeing of all students and are committed to protecting our students from abuse and harm.

WORKING WITH CHILDREN CHECK AND WORKING RIGHTS

The successful applicant will be required to hold a current NSW Working With Children Check clearance. Applicants must be an Australian citizen or permanent resident or hold