Founding Principal — Parkerville Grove School

Build a worldclass therapeutic learning community in WA.

The opportunity

Help design and lead Western Australia's newest trauma-informed CARE school—set among trees, 120-year-old heritage cottages are being transformed into flexible, therapeutic learning spaces.

Why Parkerville Grove School

Parkerville Grove School is being created to provide radically personalised, trauma-informed education for young people who have experienced trauma and who have not thrived in mainstream setting.

Backed by Parkerville Children and Youth Care's long-standing purpose to help children, young people and families heal from trauma and reach their potential, you will have the support of a values-led, very experienced, child-safe organisation.

Your impact

As our Founding Principal, you will:

• Establish and lead a high-quality therapeutic education model for Years 7–12 within a CARE school context.
• Build an exceptional multidisciplinary team and culture that is integrated with Parkerville's services, ensuring wraparound supports for students and families.
• Deliver the school's strategic plan; shape the pedagogy and operating rhythms; lead teaching, learning, safeguarding and continuous improvement' and build a school culture that ensures young people have the best opportunity for their potential to be realised.
• Establish and maintain a healing and supportive school community that is inclusive of students, parents, school, and other Parkerville staff, as well as highly engaged community.
• Represent the school and Parkerville with sector partners and stakeholders, championing innovation, inclusion, outcomes, and positive regard for young people.

About you

You are an innovative education leader who sees education as a vehicle for healing and change. You bring:

• A tertiary degree in Education (postgraduate/Master's preferred).
• 5+ years of school leadership (or therapeutic education leadership) with proven capability leading teams through start up phases, growth, and change.
• Deep knowledge of trauma-informed and inclusive practice.
• Strength in strategy, staff leadership, business management, standards setting and compliance, resource stewardship, and stakeholder engagement.
• A visible commitment to child safety and to creating culturally safe, inclusive environments for diverse learners.

The offer

• Attractive remuneration, including the option to salary package
• Ongoing professional learning, EAP and wellbeing supports.
• A once-in-a-career opportunity to build a school from the ground up and change trajectories for young people.
• The opportunity to join a successful corporate executive team at Parkerville CYC and build on your executive leadership skills and abilities.

Where we are up to

Advance Determination to establish Parkerville Grove School was provided by the Minister for Education on
10 April 2024
. The school's registration application was submitted on
12 June 2025
and is currently progressing through the approval process.

Closing date COB 26 September 2025*

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and those people shortlisted will be scheduled for interview as soon as practicably possible.

For more Information

If you are serious about applying but would like some more information please contact our CEO, Kim Brooklyn on

How to apply

Apply now with your CV and a brief cover letter outlining your vision for a therapeutic, inclusive secondary school. Confidential enquiries: Narelle Bonjour, Executive Assistant to the CEO —

Our commitment

• We are a highly committed child-safe organisation and proudly inclusive. We strongly encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and people of all backgrounds, identities, and abilities.