Head Teacher Mentor

**Position Information**:
Airds High School is a co-educational high school, in the Campbelltown Network of South West Sydney, operating under the Connected Communities Strategy. The school is committted to personal and academic achievement offering a broad academic and vocational curriculum, thus catering for students of all ability levels. The school enrolment is 522 students including; 146 Aboriginal students, 94 EAL/D students and 68 students in the Support Unit. The Support Unit caters for students with a range of intellectual disabilities including Mild and Moderate Disability, Multi-Category and Autism.

Airds High School is committed to the provision of a safe and stimulating learning environment that develops confident, resilient and responsible citizens. Providing a culture of exemplary evidence based teaching practices and processes throughout the whole group setting, helps to create student empowerment to become socially responsible life long learners. Every student, every teacher will be challenged to continue to learn and improve every year. To ensure we meet high educational standards, our school's vision is underpinned by high expectations of our staff and students, and strong connections to our parents, community and partner organisations.

The Head Teacher Mentor will lead the support for early career permanent, temporary and casual teachers in Connected Communities schools. The Head Teacher Mentor will support teachers to strengthen their practice through an explicit, structured program of professional development, coaching, classroom observation, demonstration, team teaching and individualised professional feedback. The Head Teacher Mentor role will work closely with other executive to strengthen a positive performance and development culture across the school, aligned to the values of the Connected Communities strategy.

The Head Teacher Mentor does not have an allocated teaching timetable, however will work directly in classrooms supporting other teachers for at least half the teaching load of an executive teacher.

While the Head Teacher Mentor does not replace the supervisory function of existing executive, particularly in relation to teacher accreditation, they will play a key role in supporting teachers with accreditation requirements.

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

- Demonstrated deep knowledge and understanding of the value of culture, cultural identity and linguistic background regarding the education of students from Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander backgrounds, with successful experience in delivering innovative strategies to create inclusive teaching and learning practices and opportunities that lead to high quality learning outcomes for Aboriginal students
- Demonstrated successful experience in supporting teaching colleagues, particularly early career teachers, to improve teaching practice and student outcomes.
- Demonstrated deep knowledge and understanding of the NESA requirements for accreditation at the level of Proficient Teacher, including for temporary and casual teachers;
- Demonstrated capacity to build professional relationships, deliver professional feedback and lead professional learning leading to improved teaching practice and student outcomes
- Deep knowledge of and commitment to the Department’s Connected Communities Strategy and the NSW AECG/Department of Education Partnership Agreement ‘Walking Together Working Together’

**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

**Conditions**:
To be eligible for consideration, an applicant for a head teacher position in one of these educational support areas must:

- hold tertiary qualifications including a degree; and
- be accredited as a secondary teacher.

**Special Notes**:
The Eligibility Requirements for Head Teacher Positions in NSW Government Schools are located here.

**About the NSW Department of Education