U4 Tumuaki | Principal, Full-Primary

Newbury School; Whanganui; On-site; NZD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Newbury School in a rural setting is seeking an exceptional tumuaki to lead alongside our ākonga, staff, whānau and community. You’ll be a visible, relational leader who values fairness, high expectations and a positive, inclusive culture.

You’ll bring strong teaching and learning expertise, use evidence to drive improvement and create conditions for innovative, engaging learning. Our Foundation for Life vision guides daily practice, with a focus on building strong relationships, community

Qualifications

• Proven school leadership and strong teaching expertise.
• Ability to foster relationships with students, staff, whānau and community.
• Commitment to inclusive, engaging learning and improvement.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership as tumuaki, guiding teaching and learning.
• Build trust, listen, communicate openly and support growth.
• Inspire staff and learners to achieve high expectations and success.

Job description

Primary and intermediate (Years 1–8) / kura tuatahi, Principal
English, Health and physical education, Learning languages, Mathematics and statistics, Science, Social sciences, Technology, Te reo Māori, The arts

Are you an exceptional leader who can bring energy, warmth and purpose to a school where relationships matter and great teaching and learning make a difference?

Newbury School is a rural, family-friendly, Year 1 - 8 school just a few minutes from Palmerston North. We are proud of our strong sense of community, our active approach to learning and our commitment to developing learners with DRIVE. Our vision is simple: Foundations for Life.

We’re looking for a tumuaki who is ready to jump on the Newbury School waka and lead alongside our ākonga, staff, whānau and community.

You’ll be a visible, relational leader who knows that great leadership is about people and purposeful action. You’ll bring fairness and consistency, high expectations and a good sense of fun. You’ll listen, communicate openly and build the trust that enables people to grow, contribute and succeed.

Our students have told us they value a principal who is kind, supportive, inclusive, approachable, fun and active – someone who gets out there, joins in, understands that everyone is unique and helps people feel they belong. They want a leader who communicates well and is in there with them, not just watching from the sidelines.

Alongside this, you’ll bring strong teaching and learning expertise and a genuine drive for improvement. You’ll inspire and develop others, use evidence to identify what will make the greatest difference for ākonga, and create the conditions for innovative, engaging and effective learning. You’ll have the vision to honour what makes Newbury School special while confidently shaping what comes next.

Newbury is small enough for diversity in the role, offering the opportunity to directly influence learning, grow leadership capability, strengthen community connections and make a meaningful difference.

We’re looking for someone inspired by possibility, grounded in relationships and determined to make a difference.

Physical address:
Rangitikei Line, Palmerston North