Primary Principal

Lead with Purpose. Inspire with Heart.

Are you a visionary educational leader ready to shape the future of Catholic education? This is your opportunity to step into a Principalship where faith, innovation, and community come together.

St Paul's Primary School, Gateshead is dedicated to nurturing young minds and building a culture of excellence, inclusion, and connection. We’re seeking a Principal who leads with authenticity, inspires with clarity, and brings a deep commitment to student success, staff development, and community engagement.

If you’re ready to make a meaningful impact and guide a thriving school into its next chapter, we invite you to lead with us.

About the Role

• Lead with Purpose – Guide the strategic direction of St Paul’s, shaping a vibrant learning environment where students grow as thinkers, creators, and problem-solvers.
• Build a Thriving Culture – Foster a school culture grounded in care, connection, and inclusion, where wellbeing is prioritised, diversity is celebrated, and every person feels seen and valued.
• Empower and Inspire – Lead a united and motivated team, mentoring staff through trust, collaboration, and a shared commitment to excellence.
• Champion Community Engagement – Strengthen authentic partnerships with families and the wider community, ensuring the school feels like home and every voice is part of the journey.

About You

• You are a practising Catholic committed to the mission of Catholic education, ready to lead with vision, compassion, and purpose.
• You are a visionary and inclusive leader who builds strong, faith-centred communities where every individual is valued, supported, and inspired to thrive.
• You bring deep expertise in contemporary primary education, with a passion for evidence-based practice, student wellbeing, and meaningful family engagement.
• You lead with clarity and collaboration, empowering others, communicating with purpose, and driving innovation through trust, strategy, and a calm, solutions-focused approach.

The Principal will lead across the school community to:

• Model faith in action
• Develop and shape a shared vision focussed 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 active in the life of a Eucharistic community, with an understanding of their baptismal call to share and witness the good news of Jesus Christ
• Demonstrated ability to articulate and create a shared improvement agenda that aligns with system priorities and embeds an evidence-based practice with high expectations for student learning and teacher practice.
• Proven strong interpersonal and communication skills with demonstrated capacity to build solid trusting relationships with students, staff, families, and all stakeholders
• An ability to effectively analyse and respond to student data on Catholic identity, academic performance, behaviour, and wellbeing to enhance learning outcomes.
• Demonstrated ability to effectively optimise the school’s human, financial and physical resources to deliver high quality organisational and educational outcomes
• Demonstrated understanding of relevant legislative and legal frameworks including equity and diversity, work health and safety and performance management principles in the management of staff and the capacity to implement relevant plans and policies to ensure strong governance
• 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)
• Experience working across more than one school setting (Desirable)
• Active participation and leadership in education forums (i.e. Principal/Assistant Principal Professional Associations/Networks) (Desirable)

QUALIFICATIONS

• Qualifications as a four-year trained teacher or Master of Education qualification (or approved as Threeyear trained due to significant prior experience as a Teacher within the system).
• Postgraduate qualifications (Category E) in Religious Education, Theological Studies, or a willingness to enrol and complete within four years of appointment
• Postgraduate qualifications (Category E) in Educational Leadership combined with a minimum of ten years teaching experience or an equivalent combination of experience, training, and achievement
• Active NESA Accreditation
• Current paid NSW Working with Children Check (WWCC) number
• Completion of anaphylaxis training.

How to Apply

Please submit your application and include:

Cover Letter (max 2 pages):

Address the selection criteria and describe your suitability for the role, referencing key responsibilities.

Resume:

Highlight your professional experience, qualifications, and achievements relevant to the role.

References:

You will receive an email via Xref requesting you to nominate at least two professional referees. In addition, you will be asked to provide contact details for your Parish Priest, whose reference will also be collected through Xref.

For Further Information

View the Candidate Pack here or for a confidential conversation, contact:

• Angela Bryant – [email protected] | 0409 738 421
• Sarah O’Leary – [email protected] | 0428 777 359

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: Sunday 14th September 2025 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.