Assistant Principal - Primary - Adamstown

St Columba's Primary School, Adamstown is seeking an inspiring and dedicated Assistant Principal to join our leadership team in a permanent full-time capacity, commencing in 2027.

With a proud tradition of educational excellence, St Columba's Primary School, Adamstown is a vibrant and welcoming Catholic primary school where every child is known, valued and encouraged to thrive. Nestled in a picturesque location close to the heart of Newcastle and its renowned beaches, the school offers an exceptional environment in which students and staff can flourish.

Our strong and connected school community is committed to providing a holistic education that nurtures the academic, social, physical and spiritual growth of every student. As Assistant Principal, you will have the opportunity to work alongside a passionate leadership team, inspire high-quality teaching and learning, and contribute to a culture where faith, innovation and student success are at the centre of all we do.

POSITION DESCRIPTION

The Assistant Principal will assist the Principal to lead across the school community to:

• Model faith in action
• Develop and shape a shared vision focused on providing quality educational experiences and learning outcomes for all students
• Nurture positive relationships between students, teachers and all other stakeholders
• Support and monitor the learning and growth of effective teachers
• Set high standards for students and staff performance

EXPERIENCE/CRITERIA

• Practising Catholic with a personal commitment to Catholic Education who can clearly demonstrate their vision and commitment to leading and learning within our Diocesan community
• A strong background in and command of a core content area in education with the ability to model evidence-based practice and effectively utilise data to optimise student outcomes
• Demonstrated success in creating and leading effective professional learning and building the capacity of teachers as leaders in learning
• Demonstrated ability to think and act strategically; initiate and drive change and ensure a culture of continuous improvement
• High level communication and interpersonal skills with the capacity to develop and sustain constructive and respectful relationships within and beyond the school community
• Capacity to strengthen and integrate equity and diversity, work health and safety and performance management principles in the ongoing management and development of staff
• Experience in the role of Religious Education Coordinator (primary schools), or in the roles of Ministry Coordinator and/or Leader of Learning Religion (secondary schools) (Desirable)

QUALIFICATIONS

• Four-year trained teacher classification and at least six, preferably eight years, successful teaching experience
• Postgraduate qualification in Religious Education or Theological Studies or willingness to complete within four years of appointment
• Current NESA Teacher Accreditation
• Working with Children Clearance number
• Completion of anaphylaxis training
• Postgraduate qualifications in Educational Leadership (Desirable)

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

Salary is in accordance with New South Wales & Australian Capital Territory Catholic Systemic Schools Enterprise Agreement 2025.

BENEFITS OF WORKING WITH US

• Work in quality schools where students are nurtured, challenged and encouraged to excel and grow
• A corporate fitness program through Fitness Passport (T&C's apply)
• Employee assistance program (EAP)
• Training and staff development programs
• Paid parental leave for eligible employees
• Access to long service leave after just five years for eligible employees

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION

Contact Jenny Howard, Principal on Tel: (02) •••• •642 or via email: ••••@mn.catholic.edu.au

TO APPLY, CLICK ON THE APPLY BUTTON BELOW AND

• Please provide a cover letter along with your resume
• Within your cover letter address each of the selection criteria as listed under EXPERIENCE/CRITERIA above and ensure your response to each criteria is no longer than 300 words.
• Xref Reference Checks

  As part of the recruitment process, you will be required to complete two separate reference checks through Xref:

  1. Professional Referee Checks
  You will receive an email from Xref requesting you nominate at least two (2) professional referees, including your current Principal, and provide their contact details.

  2. Parish Priest Reference
  You will receive a separate email from Xref requesting you nominate your Parish Priest and provide their contact details.

  Please ensure you carefully read each Xref request and nominate the appropriate referees before submitting your details.

  Once submitted, each referee will receive an email and SMS from Xref inviting them to complete the reference. Completed references will be automatically returned to the hiring manager for review as part of the recruitment process.

Please note, not adequately addressing the selection criteria may result in your application not being shortlisted.

Applications for this position will only be considered if submitted through the following platforms: our careers page on our website, mnpeople, Indeed, Seek, or LinkedIn.

Applications close: Wednesday 18 August 2026 at 11.59pm

Additional information

The Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle is committed to safeguarding children and vulnerable persons and preventing those in our care from suffering abuse or neglect.  It is committed to implementing and maintaining compliance with the NSW Child Safe Standards and the National Catholic Safeguarding Standards and takes a zero-tolerance approach to abuse of children or vulnerable persons.  All who work in the name of the Diocese must comply with the Diocesan Safeguarding Framework Policy and act in accordance with the Diocese’s Code of Conduct which includes the Diocese’s Safeguarding Commitment Statement. Employees are required to undergo a National Police Check and retain a valid NSW Working with Children Check where necessary, in accordance with legislation.