Head Teacher Special Education - Blaxland High School

Job Reference 0000B7WR
Closing date March 25, 2026, 1 a.m. (AEST)
Location Coughlan Rd, Blaxland 2774 NSW, Australia
Type Full-Time
Status Permanent
Contact Emma Le Marquand
47394655

About this job

Position Information

Blaxland High School is a comprehensive, co-educational school serving the lower Blue Mountains community from Lapstone to Warrimoo. The school has an enrolment of just under 1000 students, including approximately 4% Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander students.

The school’s Support Unit includes five classes for students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), drawing enrolments from across the Blue Mountains. Our work in the unit is centred on high expectations for all students, with a strong focus on improving engagement so that every student can maximise their potential.

Teaching and learning at Blaxland High School emphasises the integration of literacy, numeracy, wellbeing and technology, alongside innovative curriculum approaches that connect students with learning, work and the broader community.

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

Applicants must satisfy the teacher training and academic qualification requirements for this position. In addition to the general selection criteria, 

1.     Demonstrated expertise in supporting students with Autism Spectrum Disorder and significant learning needs, including the development and evaluation of individual learning and behaviour plans, and the capacity to lead staff to maintain high expectations while supporting students with complex behavioural and emotional needs.

2.     Demonstrated ability to mentor and develop staff, including through the PDP process, while building a collaborative faculty culture that promotes staff capacity, confidence and collective efficacy to improve student outcomes.

3.     Demonstrated capacity to develop sustainable systems and structures within a complex educational setting, including organising support programs and using data to inform planning and decision making that strengthen positive learning and behaviour environments.

4.      Demonstrated ability to advocate for students and their learning needs through productive partnerships with families, including Aboriginal students and families, and collaborative work with external agencies to support meaningful post-school pathways

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 all ages and genders, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, culturally and linguistically diverse groups, the LGBTQIA+ community, veterans, refugees, neurodiverse people and people with disability. If we can make some adjustments to our recruitment/interview process to better help you shine, please contact the hiring manager using the contact details provided above. For more information, visit NSW Department of Education Diversity and Inclusion

Merit selection application guidelines for classroom teachers, executives and principals provide clear advice for applicants and selection panels. The guidelines are available here

To meet the page limits outlined in the guidelines, all application attachments must be submitted in PDF format. Please note that late applications will not be accepted.