Wangaratta is a Rural City located just two and a half hours north of Melbourne along the Hume Freeway, with Canberra a similar distance to the north. The vibrant CBD has daily rail services between Melbourne and Sydney stopping at Wangaratta Station.
Wangaratta services the surrounding agricultural area and provides strong recreational, commercial, educational, tourism and health facilities. There are more than 30,000 people living in the Rural City of Wangaratta, approximately 18,800 of whom live in the town. Wangaratta is surrounded by historic and beautiful townships and villages where our students come from, such as Boorhaman, Cheshunt, Eldorado, Everton, Glenrowan, Oxley, Milawa, Moyhu, Peechelba, Springhurst, Tarrawingee, Whitfield and Whorouly. Students also come from as far as Yarrawonga, Corowa and Benalla.
Wangaratta is in the epicentre of all that is wonderful about North East Victoria¿fine food and wine; world-class sporting facilities in every discipline; and the best skiing in Victoria at Mount Hotham, Mount Buller and Falls Creek. In every direction are stunning rivers, mountains and camping opportunities. See www.livewangaratta.com.au for more.
Our School
Wangaratta High School (WHS) was established in 1909. This began a tradition of encouraging and supporting each student to be their best¿to develop intellectually and socially, reach their full potential, and in doing so give back to their local community.
WHS is the only public secondary school in Wangaratta and has a significant focus on supporting students to achieve their own individual pathway programs. The school attracts students from surrounding areas for its Academic, Arts, Technology and Performing Arts programs. WHS has extensive modern teaching facilities, a performing arts centre, sports centre, sports fields and courts, and world-class digital technology throughout.
A comprehensive and well-resourced wellbeing program is in place, and our students and families often report on the level of care provided by staff across all areas of the school¿we see wellbeing as everyone¿s work. Our dedicated Wellbeing Centre is home to our Wellbeing Coordinator, Counsellors, Mental Health Practitioner and School Nurse. It is a welcoming space for all students.
Notable Alumni include:
Darcy Vescio, AFLW footballer
Jenny Macklin, MP
Mette-Marit, Crown Princess of Norway
Nick Cave, Musician
Nick Morris, Paralympian and recipient of the Medal of the Order of Australia
The vision for Wangaratta High School is to empower all students to grow academically, socially and emotionally. An outstanding learning environment built on high expectations for success enables all students, with support, to experience quality teaching within a positive climate for learning. Our graduates are independent, lifelong learners who are equipped to make a positive impact on the world around them. We are proud of the variety of pathways they pursue post-secondary school.
In 2022 the school had an enrolment of 650 students, and this is expected to continue to grow.
Throughout all stages of schooling at Wangaratta High School we aim to develop learners who strive to:
Achieve their Personal Best
Be Ready to Learn
Be Respectful
Be Safe
To achieve this goal, we offer quality teaching and learning programs delivered by highly skilled, innovative and enthusiastic professionals.
Our contemporary buildings and grounds provide a stimulating learning environment where students are able to maximise their potential.
Our Year 7 to 9 programs build strong foundations for future success. We emphasise core literacy and numeracy skills across all subjects, and students access Italian as their language study. As they progress, students have increasing opportunities to refine their own pathways through a broad range of electives.
Over the past decade, significant research has been conducted into engaging Year 9 students and preparing them for the demands of their final years of school. Wangaratta High School has responded to this research, alongside our school data, to develop a Year 9-specific program centred on developing the academic, creative, physical and emotional aspects of our students. Our flagship Community Leadership Challenge (CLC) program is an engaging, inquiry-based learning experience that fosters greater independence and reignites a passion for learning.
Ensuring our Year 7 students feel happy, secure and confident with a strong sense of belonging is a priority for all staff at Wangaratta High School. A multi-day transition program before the commencement of Year 7 sets students up for success. We are pleased with how quickly our Year 7s develop a sense of ownership and pride in their environment and a strong sense of belonging within their cohort and classes.
The Select Entry Accelerated Learning (SEAL) Program is an innovative program for highly able students that has been running successfully at Wangaratta High School for more than a decade. The program has attracted some of the brightest regional students, who move through a section of the Year 7¿9 curriculum at a faster pace in a separate class group. The Department of Education and Training introduced the SEAL Program into selected Victorian schools to meet the needs of gifted and high-achieving students. SEAL Academy schools provide quality and leading-edge programs to gifted and talented students. The SEAL program is well embedded at Wangaratta High School and is a key part of the school¿s DNA.
As students transition into later years (Years 10¿12) the opportunities to refine their pathways expand. Students are provided with a diverse range of subjects across VCE, VET and VCAL. Year 10 students are encouraged to undertake VCE/VET units to help prepare them for the rigours of a full VCE/VET program the following year.
Our Executive Principal
Our Executive Principal is Dave Armstrong B.A, Dip Ed, MBA, GAICD, MACEL, Vincent Fairfax Fellow. He has worked across the independent, public and international education sectors in Victoria, NSW and the NT, all in regional schools. He was most recently the Principal of Port Vila International School in Vanuatu. He is a passionate educational leader, driven to make a difference in the lives of others, with a strong background in school leadership, experiential and outdoor education, business education and wellbeing.
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Educational Leadership: Outstanding capacity for visionary and exemplary educational leadership, alongside highly developed skills in leading and managing change.
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Financial, Managerial, and Administrative Ability: Outstanding financial, organisational, and resource management skills.
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Planning, Policy, and Program Development: Exemplary values appropriate to student learning, high-level implementation of Department policies, and commitment to using learning technologies.
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Leadership of Staff and Students: Capacity to motivate staff, build effective teams, and foster a learning environment that meets individual student needs.
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Interpersonal and Communication Skills: Highly developed communication skills in individual, group, and community contexts, with a strong ability to work with parents and the community.
Following the recent appointment of our current Assistant Principal as the new Executive Principal at Benalla P-12 College, we seek an energetic and capable leader to join Wangaratta High School's Principal team. The commencement date is set at mid-term three however we are open to negotiation.
Assistant Principals at Wangaratta High School are part of the School Leadership Team, working to meet the goals of the school: Strategic Plan and Annual Implementation Plan. This role includes a teaching load alongside leadership duties.
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Pedagogical Leadership: Model exemplary classroom practices, conduct learning walks, and provide evidence-based feedback to teaching staff.
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Staff Coaching: Conduct weekly coaching sessions with Learning Area Leaders (LAL) and Learning Specialists (LS).
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Data & Assessment: Lead the collection and monitoring of NAPLAN and PAT data to inform point-of-need teaching.
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Targeted Initiatives: Lead and monitor targeted learning programs such as MYLNS and TLI, supporting students in need of literacy and numeracy intervention.
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Curriculum Coordination: Oversee curriculum leaders, resource allocations, and the implementation of Professional Learning Communities (PLCs).
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Community Engagement: Actively involve parents in case management meetings to support student progress.
Appropriately qualified individuals currently registered or eligible for registration with the Victorian Institute of Teaching.
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
[email protected]
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.
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:
https://www2.education.vic.gov.au/pal/child-safe-standards/policy
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:
https://www2.education.vic.gov.au/pal/values-department-vps-school-employees/overview
Please ensure that your application includes:
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a resume including relevant experience as well as personal details (name, address and contact numbers, business and home)
- a section addressing the selection criteria and the requirements for application under the Who May Apply section
- names and contact numbers (telephone and email if possible) of two referees
Please note that the selection panel may seek additional referees beyond those you name. Consistent with policy, we shall advise you if we will take this action.
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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 http://www.education.vic.gov.au/hrweb/Pages/default.aspx
To be eligible for employment, transfer or promotion in the principal or teacher class:
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The person must have provisional or full registration approved by the Victorian Institute of Teaching; and
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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
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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.
