Principal-Range 4 Somers School Camp

Job Details

Job ID

Location Somers School Camp [Multiple Location Campus]

Department Somers School Camp

Role Type Principal / Full-Time / Ongoing

Classification

Principal-Range 4

Apply By

13/11/2025

Other Information

Begin Date 27/01/2026 End Date 26/01/2031

Hours 38.00

Contact Name Catherine Rogasch Phone

Website

Location Profile

Somers School Camp is an Outdoor Residential School catering to primary students enrolled in Victorian State Government Schools from across Victoria.

Somers School Camp began operating in 1959. In 2010 Woorabinda, located in Gippsland became our second campus.

The Somers Campus is located on Westernport Bay approximately 90 kilometres south of Melbourne. Students attending the Somers Campus are enrolled in nine-day residential network programs focused on enhancing students' personal and social capabilities and environmental awareness, creating opportunities for all students to be active and engaged members of our school community.

Woorabinda Campus, is situated on the shores of Lake Narracan in Yallourn North, sits on 300 acres of rolling bushland. Cohorts of students ranging from grade three to six attend tailored programs with school-based staff for up to five days. The programs at Woorabinda promote student agency by developing individualised programs through collaboration with the host school.

Our School Vison, 'To enrich our students through the delivery of exemplary community living, environmental awareness and outdoor learning programs.' encapsulates the work that we do at Somers and Woorabinda. Each year these campuses support over 6000 students to participate in a unique learning experience outdoors.

Our curriculum is aligned to the Victorian Curriculum with specific emphasis on: personal and social capabilities, health and physical education; environmental sciences and the arts. Our pedagogy is embedded in experiential learning as students participate in hands-on experiences to gain knowledge and skills, working through a continuous cycle of; action, reflection, problem-solving and application to foster critical thinking and engagement.

The School Principal's role at Somers School Camp is to support the Campus Principals (Somers and Woorabinda), and staff in the planning, provision and assessment of the residential learning opportunities for students. The School Principal overseas policy, risk management, staffing and budgets.

The School Principal will regularly liaise with a broad range of statewide stakeholders. This includes but is not limited to working with School Principals and Business Managers, teachers, parents/guardians, peak bodies, DE executives and ministerial officers. The principal is an active executive member of the Outdoor Residential Schools Network working closely with different branches of the Education Department to help inform policy around outdoor residential learning.

Selection Criteria

(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

Ability to articulate a vision for leading a multi-campus school setting, embracing the school's vision, values, diversity, inclusion and strong community connections.

Role

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.

Responsibilities

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:

• ensure the delivery of a comprehensive education program to all students
• be executive officer of the school council.
• establish and manage financial systems in accordance with the Department and school council requirements.
• represent the Department in the school and the local community.
• implement decisions of the school council.
• contribute to system-wide activities, including policy and strategic planning and development.
• manage and integrate the resources available to the school.
• appropriately involve staff, students and the community in the development, implementation and review of school policies, programs and operations.
• report to the Department, school community, parents and students on the achievements of the school and of individual students as appropriate.

Who May Apply

Appropriately qualified individuals currently registered or eligible for registration with the Victorian Institute of Teaching.

Diversity and Inclusion

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 

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.

Child Safe Standards

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:

DE Values

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:

Conditions of Employment

• All staff employed by the Department and schools have access to a broad range of employment conditions and working arrangements.
• Appointment of successful applicants will be made subject to a satisfactory pre-employment conditions check.
• A probationary period may apply during the first year of employment and induction and support programs provided.
• Detailed information on all terms and conditions of employment is available on the Department's Human Resources website at

Qualification Requirements

To be eligible for employment, transfer or promotion in the principal or teacher class:

• The person must have provisional or full registration approved by the Victorian Institute of Teaching; and
• if the person completed an Australian postgraduate level initial teaching program or course of study on or after 1 January 2024, they must demonstrate that they have satisfactorily completed a postgraduate level accredited initial teacher education program that has been accredited by an Australian State or Territory Teacher Regulatory Authority as satisfying the requirements of the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership 'Accreditation of initial teacher education programs in Australia: Standards and Procedures'; and
• a person who graduated from a Victorian Initial Teacher Education (ITE) program after 1 July 2016 must also demonstrate that they have passed the literacy and numeracy test for initial teacher education (LANTITE) requirements (this condition is satisfied where the LANTITE requirement is part of the Victorian ITE program completed by the person).

Details of qualification requirements as updated from time to time can be found at Recruitment in Schools.

VAPA Requirement

To be eligible for appointment as a principal a person must either:

• Be a substantive Principal of a registered school in Victoria; or
• Have a statement of readiness following completion of the Victorian Aspiring Principal Assessment.

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