Head of Department

This is a permanent full-time position commencing as soon as possible
Escape the ordinary
Join the team at Tom Price Senior High School - the 'Jewel' of the Pilbara
Where Students Shine and Careers Thrive
Imagine waking up to a breathtaking Pilbara sunrise, just a short walk from work – it's just the beginning You can spend your evenings exploring local water holes, and weekends camping, or discovering the ancient gorges of Karijini National Park. Tom Price offers a lifestyle where adventure and connection await. You'll join a vibrant, multicultural community with deep roots in the ancient Aboriginal heritage of the Eastern Guruma people. Beyond your career, you can immerse yourself in a thriving local arts and culture scene, surrounded by stunning landscapes and a down-to-earth atmosphere.

At Tom Price Senior High School, we're dedicated to empowering our students to achieve their full potential in our supportive and welcoming learning environment. Our vision is to inspire a passion for learning in every student and foster a community where diversity is celebrated, and personal bests are achieved. We live by our core values of Respect, Inclusivity, Personal Best and Responsibility which guide everything we do. We offer a wide range of educational programs, including both Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) and Vocational Education and Training (VET) options.

Our strong partnership with the University of Western Australia's Aspire program has a proven track record of helping our Year 12 students gain university acceptance. Our VET program thrives with the support of local businesses and industry, providing students with invaluable real-world learning experiences and nationally accredited vocational qualifications.

Our commitment to integrated STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Mathematics) education through project-based learning in partnership with the CoRE Academy (Centre of Resource Excellence Program), connects curriculum to industry, setting students on a pathway to success.

Our Emergency Services Cadet Corps, with over 100 cadets, offers hands-on training in first aid and fire safety, providing leadership and other lifelong skills by State Emergency Service (SES) volunteers and other emergency service personnel. The program is highly recognised, having won multiple awards, including the prestigious Cadet Unit Achievement Award at the Department of Fire and Emergency Services Youth Programs Awards and is considered one of the strongest cadet units in Western Australia.

We're also proud to partner with the Graham (Polly) Farmer Foundation and the Follow the Dream program to support our Indigenous students in achieving outstanding success.

Come join us and bring your unique skills and passion to a community where you can truly make a difference, inspiring the next generation in the heart of the Pilbara.

Find out more about our school by visiting or Schools Online , or view the video below.

Location and Community
Tom Price sits within the Shire of Ashburton and is some 747 metres above sea level, making it the highest town in WA and a haven for the weary traveller. It's a modern fully-serviced town designed to blend with the natural environment – an ideal base if you're wanting to explore the natural wonders of the Karijini and Millstream Chichester National Parks.

Tom Price is a picturesque, modern and fully serviced town designed to blend with the natural environment. Facilities include: a major supermarket, doctor, hospital, fuel outlets, library, primary schools, a secondary school, Technical and Further Education (TAFE), motels and restaurants. There are several parks and gardens within the town, which are well maintained and provide an abundance of shade, suitable for a family BBQ, ball games or just a snooze under a tree.

The love of sport and the outdoor life in Tom Price is evident, with the majority of sports catered for. The town is home to three large ovals, tennis, netball, basketball and squash courts as well as a lawn bowls green, an indoor cricket centre, an eighteen-hole golf course and an Olympic size swimming pool.

The town has a strong volunteering ethos with many organisations you can be a part of including SES and St John's Ambulance.

For more information about Tom Price visit the Shire of Ashburton .

The Role
We're searching for a highly capable and experienced Head of Learning Area (HoLA) of Health and Physical Education (HPE) who will:

Lead the building and development of the HPE learning area by ensuring the implementation of a coherent curriculum, instruction, and assessment that is aligned with the school's vision. This includes overseeing the planning, development, and implementation of School and Curriculum Standards Authority Courses (Years 7 to 12), and may include VET and Endorsed Programs, while maintaining an expert knowledge of the Western Australian HPE curriculum.

Execute comprehensive performance development and mentoring programs to support teachers from Graduate to Lead Teacher, fostering a culture of high-quality teaching and learning. This involves strategic delegation, using influence to elevate instructional practices that are intellectually challenging, differentiated, and personalised, and ensuring staff are suitably qualified.

Lead the development of effective and responsive pedagogy that recognises student strengths and learning needs. You will ensure the use of valid and appropriate assessments and lead the use of assessment data to monitor and improve student learning, promoting academic success and effective use of technology.

Build and maintain a positive, engaging, safe, caring, and healthy environment that meets the academic, social, emotional, and physical needs of every student, ensuring each one is known, accepted, valued, trusted, and respected within the school community.

Serve as an integral member of the school leadership team with a commitment to whole-school planning and review processes. This role also requires embracing collaboration with the wider thriving sporting community in Tom Price and leveraging the position to help students become confident leaders and powerful members of the local community.

As a smaller, high-performing school, we seek a leader capable of managing more than one portfolio. While your primary title is HoLA - HPE, you will highly likely oversee a second learning area, such as The Arts or Technologies. We need a leader who can effectively pivot their expertise and influence across diverse disciplines to empower both teams.

About You
The ideal candidate for this role will ideally have the following skills:

• Expert Leadership and Strategic Management: The ability to act as an expert practitioner to manage and monitor operations, strategically manage staff resources and scheduling, and operate autonomously to acquire and manage resources (fiscal, physical, etc.), always prioritising student needs.
• Exceptional Relationship and Community Building: Highly culturally responsive with a proven ability to forge strong, positive relationships with staff, students, parents, carers, and the wider community.
• Advanced Curriculum and Data-Driven Practice: Proficiency in planning, teaching, and delivering engaging, high-quality HPE lessons (Year 7-12), combined with skill in assessing, monitoring, and reporting on student progress using data to inform teaching.
• Effective and Trama-Informed Classroom Management: A strong understanding of restorative practices and classroom management strategies to foster a positive and inclusive learning environment, ensuring all students are engaged, challenged, and supported.
• Program and Events Management: Demonstrated passion for teaching and leading Outdoor Education, along with the capacity to oversee and lead major inter- and intra-school community events, such as Athletics and Swimming carnivals, and Country Week.
• Commitment to Professional Growth and Broad Pedagogy: A dedication to continuous self-reflection and professional learning, developing others, coupled with a broad understanding of how to apply literacy and numeracy strategies within the HPE curriculum.

Professional Benefits
Working for the Department of Education comes with a wide range of benefits designed to support both your professional and personal well-being. These benefits include competitive salaries, flexible working arrangements, extensive training and career development opportunities, and attractive leave provisions. Here are some of the key benefits you will enjoy:

• Attractive Country Teaching Program Allowance of $10 210 per year
• District allowance of $9 299 a year
• Temporary Attraction and Retention Incentive of $8 500 see info below
• 12 percent employer contributions to superannuation
• 12 weeks' vacation leave (school holidays)
• More than 20 days of other leave, including sick leave and carers' leave
• Subsidised accommodation where applicable
• Free relocation
• Air-conditioning subsidy
• Travel concessions

Teachers and School Administrators employed at Tom Price Senior High School in 2025 are eligible to receive a temporary Attraction and Retention Incentive of $8 500 (pa, gross – to be adjusted pro rata for FTE and tenure). Eligible staff will receive a percentage of this payment on commencement at the school, with the remainder paid at the end of the school year. Staff must remain employed in the location until the end of the school year to be eligible to receive the second payment.

The temporary ARI payment is in addition to other incentives that may apply in this school.

You may be eligible for HELP/HECS assistance if you are working in a very remote location – click here for details

Find out more about the benefits by visiting professional and personal benefits .

For additional information to all allowances and housing please contact Housing and Transport at or on

Want to know more?
Full details of the role, selection criteria and training requirements are listed in the attached Job Description Form (JDF).

For more information about this opportunity, please contact Stephanie McDonald, Principal on or emailing

During the school holidays, please contact Stephanie McDonald on

Equity and Diversity
We are committed to an inclusive and culturally responsive workforce reflecting the diversity in our schools and the Western Australian community. We welcome and encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, young people, people of diverse sexualities and genders, people with disability, and people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.

Explore our Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Plan for more details.

Eligibility
To work with us, you must:

• be an Australian or New Zealand citizen, permanent resident or have a valid visa with relevant work rights for the term of the appointment.
• hold registration with the Teacher Registration Board of Western Australia
• obtain a valid Working With Children Check before you start; and
• consent to a Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check and obtain a current Screening Clearance Number issued by the Department of Education's Screening Unit before you start.

More information about employment eligibility can be found on our website or in the attached application package.

Additional eligibility and training requirements are outlined in the attached Job Description Form (JDF).

Application Instructions
Apply online in two easy steps:

Step 1:
Select Apply for Job
Complete the online application form, including details of two (2) work related referees , preferably one (1) being your current line manager.

Step 2: Attach your documents
Your application should include:

• A CV of up to four (4) pages outlining your employment history and professional learning summary relevant to this position
• A four (4) page statement addressing the following selection criteria as outlined in the attached JDF
• Demonstrated capacity to provide effective leadership in a diverse range of educational settings.
• High level of interpersonal and public relations skills that demonstrate the ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships to achieve planned outcomes.
• Demonstrated professional knowledge and the ability to apply this knowledge to ensure a high level of educational outcomes for all students, (e.g., Aboriginal students, students from diverse ethnic backgrounds and students with special needs).
• Demonstrated capacity to manage staff, physical and financial resources.

It is recommended you have your attachments ready before selecting Apply for Job.

Your application must be received before the closing date and time.
Late applications will not be accepted.
For technical support submitting your application, you can call the Department of Education's Recruitment team on for assistance.

Advertised Vacancy Number: IPS/SA966055

Suitable applicants may be considered for similar vacancies arising within the next 12 months following this selection process. This may include circumstances where the successful applicant declines or vacates the position.

The Department applies a four (4) day breach period to this selection process.

Applications close:
4.30pm (AWST) on Monday 27, October 2025