Head of Learning Area - Arts

This is a permanent full-time position commencing Term 1, 2027

At Kent Street Senior High School (SHS) we aim to build highly skilled, knowledgeable, flexible young people who have a commitment to life-long learning and contributing to a vibrant and caring community. Our teachers promote a culture of endeavour and achievement and take pride in being innovative, nurturing, creative and adventurous. The school is characterised by educational programs that maximise the engagement of our students.

Kent Street SHS is an Independent Public School located within 5 kilometres of the Perth CBD. We cater for a diverse clientele from across WA (Western Australia) who travel great distances or reside at the Rotary Residential College located on our site to engage in our approved specialist programs. We also work as part of the Curtin Education Community to actively engage our local primary schools in the Victoria Park area. Kent Street’s motto of ‘Courage to Achieve’ underpins our mission to empower students to achieve through innovative teaching and mutual respect.

Find out more about our school by visiting www.kentstreetshs.wa.edu.au or Schools Online.

The Role

Kent Street SHS is seeking a highly motivated, energetic and innovative Head of Learning Area (HOLA) – Arts to provide exemplary team leadership and maximise outcomes for all students. The successful applicant would provide purposeful and focused leadership within the Arts Learning Area, establishing accountability for the effective daily management of programs, staff, and student achievement. With the ability to lead change and innovation, you would use evidence-informed practices and data to drive decision-making, continuous improvement, and high-quality teaching and learning outcomes.

This role may include responsibility for the leadership and management of the Languages Learning Area. Applicants should demonstrate the capacity to lead across multiple learning areas, foster collaboration among staff, and support a culture of excellence, innovation, and student success.

The successful applicant would be responsible for the management of a collaborative and innovative team. You should display a high level of understanding of the Australian Professional Teacher and Leadership Standards, the Western Australian curriculum, and innovative practice in the teaching of Arts. The role includes a responsibility to promote and support extra and co‑curricular programs that celebrate student achievement in the Arts department, enhance community connection and contribute to a vibrant and inclusive school culture.

This role plays a pivotal part in leading and supporting the Fashion and Design Specialist Program through strategic program development, the promotion of student engagement, and the cultivation of strong community partnerships. Knowledge of the Western Australian Curriculum, Including Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR), General and Vocational Education and Training (VET) pathways, along with a commitment to inclusive and differentiated learning would be advantageous.

As the successful applicant, you will ideally lead continuous improvement through strategic, proactive, and supportive leadership. You would be responsible for analysing performance data within the Arts learning area and using this information to develop and implement strategic plans that enhance teaching and learning outcomes. These plans should align with school priorities while addressing the specific needs of the learning area.

The successful applicant should have highly effective interpersonal skills that will enable them to lead the implementation of contemporary pedagogies focused on fostering critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, and independent learning. Through expert curriculum leadership and instructional strategies, they will ensure all teachers deliver high-quality teaching and learning programmes that meet the individual needs of students through problem-based learning, curiosity, and deep learning pedagogies. It would be advantageous for the successful applicant to have the capacity to teach Visual Arts and Fashion and Design across lower and senior school programmes, including ATAR, General and Vocational Education and Training (VET) pathways.

The successful applicant should support the implementation of the school’s business plan, work and teach in a team environment, be committed to whole school approaches and initiatives, and have a strong evidence-based approach to teaching. As part of their standard practice, teachers should embrace opportunities to reflect on and assess the effectiveness of their teaching practices using a variety of methods available within the school. We are ideally seeking applicants that will have a growth mindset and a desire for continuous improvement.

Finally, the successful applicant should place high emphasis on parent partnerships and desires to communicate with parents regularly throughout the year. We are ideally seeking highly organised people who have good communication skills, are solution focussed and want to contribute to the entire school community.

Professional Benefits

Working for the Department of Education you will enjoy a range of benefits including competitive salaries, flexible working arrangements, training and career development opportunities and attractive leave provisions. Find out more about the benefits by visiting professional and personal benefits.

Want to know more?

Full details of the role, selection criteria and training requirements are listed in the attached Job Description Form (JDF).

For more information about this opportunity, please contact Philip Hulbert, Deputy Principal on (08) 9262 0500 or emailing Philip.Hulbert@education.wa.edu.au.

Agency Referrals:

Public sector agencies seeking to refer surplus employees should contact Recruitment at schoolsrecruitment@education.wa.edu.au during the advertising period.

Equity and Diversity

We are committed to an inclusive and culturally responsive workforce reflecting the diversity in our schools and the Western Australian community. We welcome and encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, young people, people of diverse sexualities and genders, people with disability, and people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.

Explore our Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Plan 2021-2025 for more details.

Eligibility

To work with us, you must:

• be an Australian or New Zealand citizen, permanent resident or have a valid visa with relevant work rights for the term of the appointment.
• hold registration with the Teacher Registration Board of Western Australia
• obtain a valid Working With Children Check before you start; and
• consent to a Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check and obtain a current Screening Clearance Number issued by the Department of Education’s Screening Unit before you start.

More information about employment eligibility can be found on our website or in the attached application package.

Additional eligibility and training requirements are outlined in the attached Job Description Form (JDF).

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