Job description

The principals of both private school and government schools both need to take leadership for their whole schools. However, government school principals often have much less freedom to set unique directions for their schools and instigate major changes. Consequently, some government school principals might need less extertise in change management.

Heads of department also need similar skills to principals in developing their curricula options, overseeing staff, and instigating improvements.

The selection of units in this version relates to innovation, improvement of learning (including coaching), and working with the wider community. This particular set of offerings is intended to suit Principals and Heads of Departments, and could also suit Assistant Principals in some circumstances.
 

School principal: Summary of job description

  1. Show leadership and initiative
  2. Foster a positive school environment and culture, including:
    1. A culture that seeks to improve and aims at excellence
    2. A positive environment that supports learning
    3. A positive approach to school discipline
  3. Establish and build comunity relationships relating to school
  4. Oversee compliance and implementation with departmental policies and guidelines including:
    1. Reporting
    2. Governance
    3. Budget and finance
    4. Curriculum and assessment
    5. Staff
    6. Property and equipment
  5. Oversee staff both directly and through heads of departments meeting
  6. Ensure teaching staff are suitably skilled
  7. Ensure safety of all persons on site and during school activities

Other skills for Principals and Heads of department:

  1. Strong people skills:
    1. Handling upset people and relationships (listening, dispute resolution, mediation).
    2. Handle grievances from staff, students, parents, or between staff.
  2. Develop polices:
    1. Principals of government schools do some policy development, but it is quite minimal, and even less for Heads of Departments.
    2. Principals of non-government schools develop lots of policy.
  3. Oversee local research.
  4. Change management. This can still be difficult in government schools e.g. transition to new mandatory curricula or testing regimes.