Head Teacher Special Education - Sydney Secondary College Balmain Campus

Educationhq; Sydney; On-site; AUD 140,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Sydney Secondary College Balmain Campus is seeking a Head Teacher Special Education to lead inclusive practice across middle and senior contexts, including autism support and IO/AU initiatives planned for 2027. The role requires strong educational leadership and a commitment to high-quality teaching outcomes.

As part of the NSW Department of Education, you will work with a proactive wellbeing and learning support team to drive collaborative strategies, program development, and effective resource

Qualifications

• Approval to teach Special Education with leadership experience.
• Experience in implementing inclusive education programs.

Responsibilities

• Lead and support inclusive teaching practices across campuses.
• Develop and review individualised education plans and transition programs.
• Collaborate with wellbeing, curriculum, Aboriginal education teams.

Skills

Educational leadership

Staff collaboration

Education

Approval to teach Special Education

Job description

Head Teacher Special Education - Sydney Secondary College Balmain Campus

Sydney Secondary College Balmain Campus has an enrolment of approximately 800 students. Our middle school setting comprises selective and comprehensive streams, along with support classes for autism, with a new IO/AU class planned for 2027. Our school also delivers high potential gifted education programs and enrichment opportunities for student learning in academic, creative, physical and socio-emotional domains, with entry into these programs via a competitive process. SSC Balmain Campus is located on the harbour foreshore at Rozelle, presenting both challenges and opportunities. On a sloping block rich with vibrant vegetation, students and staff navigate several steps around the site, supported by two lifts for those less mobile, whilst enjoying stunning harbour views. We take advantage of our waterfront setting by offering sports such as kayaking as well as foreshore based academic enrichment programs. Curriculum offerings in our middle school context are broad and innovative, with subjects such as Philosophy, Marine Biology, Psychology, Work Education and STEM, offered with more traditional Stage 5 electives. We run an HSC Acceleration Program for Year 10 students to study one Preliminary HSC course and a Mathematics compaction program. Student wellbeing is at the heart of everything we do. We are a part of the diverse and inclusive, inner-west multi-campus Sydney Secondary College, comprising of two Year 7 - 10 campuses (Leichhardt and Balmain) and one Year 11 - 12 campus (Blackwattle Bay). Working as a team, we have developed targeted and supportive processes for successful transition from Year 6 to 7 and Year 10 to 11. Ongoing student support is provided through a proactive wellbeing team, composed of Deputy Principals, Head Teacher Wellbeing, Head Teacher Learning Support, Year Advisers, Girls and Boys Advisers, Aboriginal Education Officers, LGBTQAI+ Coordinator, ARCO, Student Support Officers and School Counsellors.

About this job

Sydney Secondary College Balmain Campus has an enrolment of approximately 800 students. Our middle school setting comprises selective and comprehensive streams, along with support classes for autism, with a new IO/AU class planned for 2027. Our school also delivers high potential gifted education programs and enrichment opportunities for student learning in academic, creative, physical and socio-emotional domains, with entry into these programs via a competitive process. SSC Balmain Campus is located on the harbour foreshore at Rozelle, presenting both challenges and opportunities. On a sloping block rich with vibrant vegetation, students and staff navigate several steps around the site, supported by two lifts for those less mobile, whilst enjoying stunning harbour views. We take advantage of our waterfront setting by offering sports such as kayaking as well as foreshore based academic enrichment programs. Curriculum offerings in our middle school context are broad and innovative, with subjects such as Philosophy, Marine Biology, Psychology, Work Education and STEM, offered with more traditional Stage 5 electives. We run an HSC Acceleration Program for Year 10 students to study one Preliminary HSC course and a Mathematics compaction program. Student wellbeing is at the heart of everything we do. We are a part of the diverse and inclusive, inner-west multi-campus Sydney Secondary College, comprising of two Year 7 - 10 campuses (Leichhardt and Balmain) and one Year 11 - 12 campus (Blackwattle Bay). Working as a team, we have developed targeted and supportive processes for successful transition from Year 6 to 7 and Year 10 to 11. Ongoing student support is provided through a proactive wellbeing team, composed of Deputy Principals, Head Teacher Wellbeing, Head Teacher Learning Support, Year Advisers, Girls and Boys Advisers, Aboriginal Education Officers, LGBTQAI+ Coordinator, ARCO, Student Support Officers and School Counsellors.

General Selection Criteria

• 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

Specific Selection Criteria

• 1.Approval to teach Special Education and/ or demonstrated experience and expertise in leading a faculty that effectively meets student needs, including intellectual disabilities, autism and complex communication and behaviour needs.
• 2.Ability to lead and supervise staff members with diverse skill sets to build a cohesive, collaborative, and specialised inclusive education team within a multi campus college and across the school community.
• 3.A strong understanding of department policies and the new curriculum including skills in programming for both stage outcomes and life skills that maintain high expectations and promote positive student outcomes.
• 4.Proven experience in the development, implementation, and review of individualised education plans, behaviour and risk management plans and transition programs that promote inclusive learning environments that are age appropriate and meet the diverse learning, wellbeing and support needs of students with disability.

Conditions

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.

All Department of Education employees working in an SSP are required to be vaccinated as outlined at Vaccination requirements for school sites (nsw.gov.au). The successful candidate for this position will be required to confirm vaccination status prior to the department finalising their appointment and entry on duty. Find the department’s latest advice on COVID-19 (coronavirus) at https://education.nsw.gov.au/covid-19.

Special Notes

The Eligibility Requirements for Head Teacher Positions in NSW Government Schools are located here.

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.