Work Type: Ongoing - Full-time
Salary: Salary not specified
Grade: Assistant Principal - Range 3
Occupation: Principal and assistant principal
Location: Melbourne - Eastern suburbs
Reference: 1534597
KSC 1 - Educational leadership
KSC 2 - Financial, managerial and administrative ability
KSC 3 - Planning, policy and program development and review
KSC 4 - Leadership of staff and students
KSC 5 - Interpersonal and communication skills
KSC 6 - Local criteria
Reports to: The Principal
The Assistant Principal Wellbeing & Engagement provides strategic leadership of student wellbeing and engagement, contributing to whole-school improvement and the collective leadership of school priorities in partnership with the Principal Team.
The role leads the Wellbeing and Engagement for Learning Strategic Planning Team, and provides strategic oversight of the systems, resources and partnerships that support student wellbeing and engagement, ensuring student support structures operate as a coordinated and integrated framework that promotes participation, belonging and successful completion of school. In addition, the role oversees the work of the Year 10-12 (Later Years) leadership teams and provides support with high-level student management at those year levels.
As a member of the Principal Team, the role provides leadership across the school and ensures alignment between the work led by the School Improvement Team to support student engagement, wellbeing, and learning. The role also includes oversight of a range of operational duties that support the operational functioning of the school.
Strategic responsibilities
Areas of responsibility will include, but are not limited to:
Leading key improvement strategies that support improved student outcomes in wellbeing and engagement across the school
Strengthening the school¿s implementation of Positive Classroom Management Strategies (PCMS) and the Upwey High School Positive Behaviour Framework
Leading the Professional Learning program that builds staff capacity to engage students in the classroom and to respond to wellbeing and behaviour needs of students
Leading the work of the Strategic Planning Team (Wellbeing & Engagement for Learning)
Overseeing the work of the Wellbeing Team
Supporting Team Leaders and Assistant Team Leaders, at all year levels, to build the capacity of staff to respond to wellbeing, engagement and behaviour needs of students
Lead the Upwey High School Attendance Plan
Oversee the Disability Inclusion Program (Year 10-12)
Operational responsibilities
Areas of responsibility will include, but are not limited to:
Oversee student management support (Later Years 10-12)
Oversee the maintenance and facilities across the school
Oversee the Pathways/Careers Team
Oversee the Virtual Schools Victoria (VSV) and Victorian School of Languages (VSL) programs
They may also complete other tasks at the discretion of the Principal.
Appropriately qualified individuals currently registered or eligible for registration with the Victorian Institute of Teaching.
The department is committed to diversity and inclusion and developing a workforce that is representative of the community we service. We value diversity and inclusion in all forms - culture, gender, religion, ethnicity, LGBTIQA+, disability and neurodiversity. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for roles within the Department. The Department recognises that the provision of safe, respectful and inclusive workplaces is essential to high performance and promotes flexible work and diversity across all schools and Department workplaces. It is our policy to provide reasonable adjustments for staff with disability (see Workplace adjustment guidelines).
Additional support and advice on the recruitment process is available to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander candidates from the Koorie Outcomes Division (KOD) via [email protected]
Applicants seeking part-time employment are encouraged to apply for any teaching service position and, if they are the successful candidate, request a reduced time fraction. Such requests will be negotiated on a case-by-case basis and will be subject to the operational requirements of the school.
Victorian government schools are child safe environments. Our schools actively promote the safety and wellbeing of all students, and all school staff are committed to protecting students from abuse or harm in the school environment, in accordance with their legal obligations including child safe standards. All schools have a Child Safety Code of Conduct consistent with the department's exemplar available at:
https://www2.education.vic.gov.au/pal/child-safe-standards/policy
The department's employees commit to upholding the department's Values: Responsiveness, Integrity, Impartiality, Accountability, Respect, Leadership and Human Rights. The department's Values complement each school's own values and underpin the behaviours the community expects of Victorian public sector employees, including those who work in Victorian Government Schools. Information on the department values is available at:
https://www2.education.vic.gov.au/pal/values-department-vps-school-employees/overview
To be eligible for employment, transfer or promotion in the principal or teacher class:
Details of qualification requirements as updated from time to time can be found at Recruitment in Schools.
Thank you for your interest in an Assistant Principal position at Upwey High School. We are co-educational government school located in the beautiful town of Upwey, situated in the Dandenong Ranges. Our student enrolment numbers are around 760 students, making us a wonderfully sized secondary college; large enough to offer a full suite of VCE and VCE Vocational Major subjects, while small enough to develop strong relationships with all of our students and their families. We are extremely proud to be the school of choice ¿ not only in our local community, but also in the wider community thanks to our unique structure where students thrive through developing a love of learning and embracing the many extra-curricular programs available to them. Upwey High School has been well-established in our community for nearly ninety years and is a place where staff love to teach.
Our vision is to develop students who will be resilient and responsible, highly motivated and lifelong learners. Through the establishment of positive relationships and high expectations, students are encouraged to reach their full potential. We affirm our values; Aspiration, Kindness and Respect in all that we do and expect all members of our community to demonstrate these at all times. With a strong focus on strengthening relationships our school is structured into two sub-schools; Middle Years (Year 7-9) and Later Years (Year 10-12). Students in each year level are supported by their Team Leader, Assistant Team Leader, our Wellbeing Team and Disability Inclusion Team. Restorative Practices underpin our effective, positive and productive working relationships between students and staff.
At the beginning of 2025, Upwey High School appointed their new substantive Principal and, under her leadership, has also recently completed their School Review in the middle of 2026. Staff at Upwey High School are working hard to improve student outcomes in Teaching and Learning & Wellbeing and Engagement and all leadership roles are aligned to these two areas. We are embedding our School Strategic Plan through a strong focus on fostering a culture of high-quality and consistent teaching practice, instilling a backwards by design model of improving VCE outcomes through improved writing strategies, improving opportunities for student voice in the curriculum and developing a culture of high expectations for the whole of our school community.
It is an exciting time to become part of the Upwey High School community. The successful applicant to this position will be joining a team consisting of our school Principal, two Assistant Principal, a very strong leadership team and staff who are collaborative, hard working, dedicated and flexible in their thinking.