• Experienced educational leader
• EAL, Vocational and Applied Learning
• Trauma-informed practice
• Passion for changing lives through education

The River Nile School (RNS) is a registered, independent, specialist senior-secondary school delivering Applied Learning curriculum to young women from Humanitarian refugee backgrounds who have had disrupted schooling or are struggling to cope with mainstream school. We are also a registered charitable organisation that delivers everything we do with our students for free.

All students who attend RNS have English as an Additional Language (EAL) so developing student levels of language, literacy and numeracy (LLN) is a central focus. RNS offers students the VCE Vocational Major (VM) and the Victorian Pathways Certificate (VPC) with an integrated program with projects negotiated with and developed by students. It provides a high-challenge, high-support learning environment with a strengths-based approach.

RNS offers small class sizes, and our team work collaboratively to achieve the best possible outcomes for each student with personalised learning, wellbeing and support programs. As many of our students have experienced complex trauma, we embrace trauma-informed practice to support student wellbeing and regulation and build engagement and learning. Our team takes a personalised mentoring approach, empowering students to address the complex challenges and trauma in their lives by building respectful relationships which strengthen their progress, success and achievements. Each student is supported to plan a career pathway specific to their aspirations and goals as they transition from our school.

Based in North Melbourne, 2024 is our eighth year as a school. RNS grew out of the River Nile Learning Centre (RNLC) established in 2006 to assist the African refugee community. Since then, we’ve grown substantially, and our student cohort now comprises young women from many regions. As a growing school filling a unique gap in the education sector, we are striving to build strong foundations to empower young migrant women, to gain the language, life and work skills to integrate and thrive in our community.

RNS has 100+ students and a 30-person team, including 12 registered teachers and 10 allied professionals with social/youth work, multicultural engagement and refugee health expertise. Our team brings different and overlapping strengths, skills and experiences to provide a holistic response to students’ educational needs in a respectful and productive learning environment. Our annual government school's income exceeds $4 Million.

For further information view: rivernileschool.vic.edu.au and RNS YouTube Clip.

POSITION DESCRIPTION

The Assistant Principal is responsible for leadership and day-to-day operations of the school to ensure we are skilfully engaging our young migrant women with their education to empower them to build a positive future.

Core to this role is managing and supporting the Teaching and Learning Team, developing strong curriculum practices and collaborating with the Wellbeing Team to ensure that every student has an individual learning plan and that all compliance requirements are met. They will lead a diverse range of engagement and transition initiatives to ensure strong student engagement and attendance and promote high expectations in terms of outcomes and improvements in individual wellbeing. The role will develop staff culture in alignment with the school’s values and the vision of the principal.

The Assistant Principal works closely with the School Leadership Team, particularly the Principal, Leading Teachers, the Wellbeing Coordinator and Business Manager to establish a culture of improvement and feedback to ensure high quality teaching and learning in the areas of literacy and numeracy and student outcomes. They will contribute to the development of the Strategic Plan / Annual Implementation Plan and advise in areas relating to the leadership and support of classrooms teams, enrolments and student management and wellbeing. The position also has responsibility for policy development, implementation and ongoing compliance. As a key member of the River Nile School Leadership Team, the role contributes to leadership planning and decision making by offering a strategic overview to the necessary requirements for high quality teaching and learning. The role will collaborate with Wellbeing and Administration in areas of student pathways and careers, student wellbeing, attendance, engagement, compliance, inclusive education, enrolment and community engagement.

The capability to build and strengthen a positive school culture consistent with the RNS Mission, Values and Strategic Plan is essential. The incumbent must have demonstrated ability to think creatively, anticipate and solve problems, to support our flexible school operational model, which is essential to our work as a reengagement school that enrols students with complex backgrounds across the school year.

THE POSITION

This position provides leadership, direction and support across our education team, to ensure we are skilfully engaging our young migrant women with their education to empower them to build a positive future. The capability to build and strengthen a positive school culture consistent with the RNS Vision, Values and Strategic Plan is essential. The incumbent must have demonstrated ability to think creatively, anticipate and solve problems, to support our flexible school operational model, which is essential to our work as a reengagement school that enrols students with complex backgrounds across the school year.

The Assistant Principal will also have responsibility for governance, compliance, policy and practice development and delivery in all areas connected with student outcomes. The incumbent will be required to support school leadership and staff across the school to develop and embed processes and practices to ensure effective student management and engagement across the school.Responsibilities and expectations of this role include but are not limited to:

Your Mindset:

• You believe every young person deserves a thriving future.
• You respect and value the perspectives of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) young people and are interested to work with those with complex needs to help them achieve their potential.
• You are comfortable working in a flexible, evolving, changing work environment, staying focused on outcomes and adapting your approach as needed.
• You are collaborative, valuing and respecting relationships within and across our entire team and with our external partners.
• You take initiative, solve problems and have a high attention to detail.

Leadership of educational model, curriculum, reporting and assessment:

• Lead the development of a school learning community that supports a culture of high expectations and high-quality learning for every student.
• Overall accountability for the delivery high-quality vocational EAL curriculum and co-curricular programs that prepare students for successful post school pathways – in life, work and further study.
• Lead and manage the development of the school’s assessment and reporting policies and practice; and foster a culture of continual improvement and review.
• Manage the collection, analysis and evaluation of data to inform strategic planning.
• Support the development of the RNS instructional model.
• Develop and support best practices in teaching and learning across the school.
• Support the development and implementation of coaching structures for teaching and learning support staff.
• Ensure processes are in place for NCCD compliance and monitor the effectiveness of adjustments to support students.
• To promptly identify and address issues where the delivery of programs does not meet standards expected by VRQA, VCAA, VIT or other authorising bodies.
• Use data in accordance with school processes to inform teaching and learning and resourcing campus teaching and learning needs.

Leadership of Staff:

• Support and inspire staff performance in embracing the school’s educational strategies and philosophies, be committed and passionate about what they do and deliver the defined outcomes.
• Develop and coordinate a cohesive education team and other teams through professional development, performance management, mentoring and formal and informal supervision.
• Ensure all students are valued, connected and supported and experience success by ensuring positive student/teacher/staff relationships are the foundation for solid learning outcomes.
• Process oversight for teachers aspiring to gain full VIT registration.
• Develop a cohesive staff culture built on the values of the school.
• Support and develop the school’s coaching and development program.
• Lead key focus groups, initiatives and involve core stakeholders as needed.
• Coach a team of people, including Lead Teachers and develop their skills and abilities.

Leadership of Students:

• Relate and connect with students to achieve a level of connectedness that is engaging, reflects a high level of personal commitment and is in touch with current student needs and life challenges.
• Take a caring interest in the students and their welfare and a supervisory role in maintaining the school’s tone, standards and engagement expectations.
• Be committed to ensuring all those engaged in our school promote the fundamental rights of all children and young people to be respected and nurtured in a physically, emotionally and culturally safe, respectful and inclusive school environment. This includes being a champion of Child Safe policies and practices.
• Support staff in creating an environment that is supportive, safe and empowering for students.
• Support process around supervision, duty of care and child safety for students
• Support in the development of the Student Leadership Program.
• Support initiatives around Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.
• Oversee the attendance and engagement of students in collaboration with the Wellbeing Coordinator and team.

Leadership of Daily Operations and other Matters:

• Daily school/student operational management – teachers, students, classes, daily attendance, timetabling, unplanned adjustments, troubleshooting, managing teacher absenteeism / CRTs and general daily school coordination.
• Management of School Handbooks for staff and students.
• Manage and implement special projects as defined and required by the Principal (for example, Respectful Relationships or eSmart).
• An ability to work with parents/carers and the community to develop the school and build supportive partnerships and connections.
• Ensure the safety and compliance of students and staff. Develop and implement systems and processes that are aligned to policy and governance.
• Work with the Principal to deliver on the next 5-year Strategic Plan.
• Work with the Principal to ensure VRQA minimum standards and other governance and compliance requirements for the conduct of a school are satisfied.
• Develop relationships with relevant external providers and other bodies.
• To develop and maintain positive and respectful working relationships with key services and the community.
• Support, lead and perform other duties and responsibilities as directed by the Principal or delegate.

Key Selection Criteria

1. Clear capacity to meet the needs of EAL learners from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) backgrounds, many with complex trauma and/or low literacy.
2. Outstanding teaching experience with capacity to initiate improvement in teaching, learning and classroom practice, preferably in a flexible applied learning setting.
3. Demonstrated success in implementing curriculum planning, with skill and initiative, attuned to students’ needs.
4. Leadership skills to manage people well and build the capacity and performance of individuals and teams and leaders.
5. Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to relate effectively with a diverse range of professional staff (teachers/trainers, student support workers and external stakeholders).
6. Ability to implement change within a flexible school setting in a rapidly changing world.
7. Ability to set vision within an educational organisation.

Qualifications, experience and credentials

• Master's level qualification in Education, Educational Leadership, Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL), Learning Intervention or similar.
• Minimum 5 years leadership experience, preferably in working with young adult students from diverse backgrounds in a school setting.
• Victorian Institute of Teaching – full and current registration.

Employment Conditions

• Competitive salary commensurate with qualifications and experience; access to the tax-effective salary packaging; training and development opportunities, and an employee assistance program.
• Appointment of the successful applicant will be subject to:
  • Reference checks
  • A satisfactory Pre-Employment Disclosure Declaration
  • Evidence that the applicant has completed training in Child Safety prior to commencement (a DET link to on-line training for non-government schools will be provided).
  • National Police Check – willingness to apply for.
• A 6-month probationary period will apply, and induction and professional support programs will be provided.
• The position reports to the Principal.

A position description is attached.