Work Type: Ongoing - Full-time
Salary: Salary not specified
Grade: Principal - Range 3
Occupation: Principal and assistant principal
Location: Melbourne - Western suburbs
Reference: 1523738
(a) Vision and values
Demonstrated capacity to create a shared vision, define and gain acceptance of school goals and set and communicate expectations for effective performance.
(b) Teaching and Learning
Demonstrated ability to manage the quality of teaching and create a positive culture of challenge, support and collaboration.
(c) Improvement, Innovation and Change
Demonstrated capacity to produce and implement clear, evidence-based improvement plans and policies and lead innovation and change.
(d) Management
Demonstrated capacity to ensure that the school's human, physical and financial resources are efficiently allocated and managed.
(e) Development
Demonstrated capacity to create a professional learning community that is focused on the continuous improvement of teaching and learning, supporting all staff to achieve high standards and commitment to their own learning and wellbeing.
(f) Engagement
Demonstrated capacity to develop positive relationships with students, parents/families and the local community and participate in and contribute to system-level activities.
(g) Community Criterion
Demonstrated ability to lead a multi-cultural Primary School that values diversity and inclusion within a culture of support and empathy.
The role of the principal is to lead and manage the planning, delivery, evaluation and improvement of the education of all students in a community through the deployment of resources provided by the Department and the school community.
At the same time, the principal, as executive officer of the school council, must ensure that adequate and appropriate advice is provided to the council on educational and other matters, that the decisions of the council are implemented and that adequate support and resources are provided for the conduct of council meetings.
The principal is accountable for the overall management and development of the school within statewide guidelines and Government policies. A clear set of accountabilities, which distinguish their work from other members of the Teaching Service and the education community are set out in detail in the contract of employment.
The core accountabilities of all principals are to:
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
Detailed information on all terms and conditions of employment is available on the Department's Human Resources website at http://www.education.vic.gov.au/hrweb/Pages/default.aspx
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.
To be eligible for appointment as a principal a person must either:
Altona North Primary School (ANPS) is located in the city of Hobsons Bay approximately 15 kilometres from the Melbourne Central Business District. The school was founded in 1965, and the school community celebrated its 60th Anniversary in 2025.
The school grounds include an indoor multi-purpose facility for performing arts and indoor sports and two main buildings housing classrooms, a library, visual arts room, computer lab, administrative offices and staff facilities. The grounds include a grassed oval, asphalt courts for major and minor games, 2 adventure playgrounds, a vegetable garden and passive play spaces. Our new extension to Block B building was constructed and completed in 2021 and caters for six classrooms, Computer lab and open learning areas.
The staffing profile of Altona North Primary School includes a principal and assistant principal, 16 teachers, 6 Educations Support staff (ESS) at .8 time fraction, 1 ESS at .64 time fraction staff and two office administration staff.
The school provides a Foundation to Year 6 learning program based on the Victorian Curriculum 2.0 which is used to plan for the differing needs of students. It offers Auslan as the Language Other Than English (LOTE) and specialist classes including Physical Education, Visual Arts, Music & Performing Arts & ICT.
The school successfully went through the school review process in 2025, and our new 2025-2029 Strategic Plan continues to focus on improving outcomes in numeracy, literacy and well-being.
This year's Student Family Education (SFO) is 0.6406 and the Student Family Occupation Education (SFOE) is 0.4712. The school has a current enrolment of 215 students from18 different family language backgrounds, including English.
At ANPS we cater for a diverse range of cultures through close community relationships, a strong differential curriculum and a holistic approach to each students¿ social/emotional/physical welfare and learning needs. The students are organised into an appropriate grade structure, determined with reference to Victorian Curriculum levels, school needs and student enrolments. ANPS provides a teaching and learning environment that engages, inspires, and challenges students and the wider school community to be "the best they can be", based on our school values of Respect, Excellence, Acceptance, Community & Honesty (R.E.A.C.H). ANPS nurtures and supports all students in becoming innovative, resilient, lifelong learners who make positive contributions to local and global communities.
ANPS provides a Wellbeing program supported by our Inclusion / Welfare Coordinator, Mental Health Leading Teacher and a school youth worker. Our Leading Teacher (small group intervention leader) and our Learning Specialist Teacher (teaching and learning mentor and coach) support students with their learning through small group work and through mentoring and coaching of teachers in Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) and within the classroom. The Leading Teachers and the Learning Specialist are released part time from the classroom to support students with their learning and well-being, and teachers and ESS with coaching and mentoring.