At St John Vianney's Catholic Primary School, Doonside students enjoy an enriching and fulfilling education underpinned by learning experiences that empower them to be responsible, reflective and independent learners. St John Vianney's is a school that lives the spirit of our faith and is a great place for students to grow in faith and learning. We value each student as an individual and share the values of the Gospel to help them discover the hope that is within and to experience a meaningful and flourishing life.

Our expert staff are enthusiastic and committed to the growth of every student and ready grow their capabilities as collaborative professionals.

CSPD is committed to responding to the needs of all students. With over 6,500 employees located across 80 primary and secondary schools and office communities, our aim is to transform learning and unlock the full potential of each of our 46,000 students while enriching the professional lives of staff.

As part of a network of schools, you will join a community of leaders who work collaboratively to ensure no school leads in isolation.

We are currently inviting applications for an ongoing full-time Principal to share in the leadership of our Catholic school community. This position will commence Term 1, 2026.

About the Opportunity

We are actively seeking a committed and passionate Principal with the ability to drive vision, execute the continued long-term, strategic development of our schools and deliver strong academic outcomes within the communities that we serve which are embedded in the Catholic world view. 

The successful candidate will be able to translate ideas and concepts into action, analyse complex situations and engage others proactively in change and improvement. You will be responsible for strengthening the professional lives of staff, to improve the learning outcomes for each student within a Catholic faith community and to lead in a system of schools within the Parramatta Diocese. 

Key Capabilities:

• Belief in every learner – You set and model high expectations for all students, designing inclusive and supportive environments where every child can learn, grow and excel. You use evidence and data to personalise learning, foster student agency, and make learning visible.
  

• Driving quality teaching – You lead consistent, high-quality teacher practice across your school. You embed high-impact teaching strategies, establish clear curriculum expectations, and ensure accountability through shared protocols. You champion ongoing professional learning and a culture of collective efficacy.
  

• Proximity to learning – You are a visible leader of learning. Through learning walks, co-teaching, coaching, and dialogue with students and staff, you stay close to the core work of learning and teaching. Your presence builds trust and guides responsive, evidence-informed decision making.
  

• Building high-functioning teams – You foster collaborative professionalism. You create purposeful structures for staff to reflect, learn and grow together, modelling disciplined dialogue and feedback. You develop collective capacity, align practice to a shared vision, and lead teams that are coherent, confident and focused on student learning.

Selection Criteria

Respond to the following criteria including some specific examples to demonstrate the impact of your work:

• Demonstrated ability to build effective relationships across the school community, leading and challenging the community to give witness to the Catholic faith
  

• Evidence of research-informed pedagogical leadership, knowledge of curriculum and contemporary approaches to learning in order to implement the CSPD Effective Learning and Teaching Model.
  

• Experience leading teams to improve student performance with evidence of improved learning outcomes for students
  

• Demonstrated ability to promote the growth and wellbeing of students and staff and build partnerships with parents

• Demonstrated commitment to ongoing professional learning and formation for self and commitment to leading others in these areas

Qualifications, Accreditations & Experience

• Meet the requirements of Category E of the Accreditation to Work, Teach and Lead Policy or agree to meet these requirements in your first contract term. This includes four units of postgraduate study in RE/Theology and/or Catholic Leadership in addition to those undertaken for Category D.

• Be accredited to teach Religious Education (Category D).

• During the recruitment process, you will need to provide:

1. Certified copy of a Certificate of Accreditation for Category D and E

2. Copy of Baptism Certificate

• Compliance with NSW Child Protection Legislation - Working with Children Check clearance

• Eligibility according to the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA)

Child Safeguarding Statement

This position involves working with children. The appointment of successful applicants will be subject to satisfactory employment screening for child-related employment including a valid Working with Children Check and adoption and compliance with CSPDs Child Safeguarding Procedures and Code of Conduct When Working With Students and Children. For more information, please visit The Office of The Children's Guardian here. Applicants wishing to work in any of the schools within the Diocese, either as a casual, temporary or full time employee, must be classified with the CSPD. If you are not already classified, you will need to complete the online registration for teachers process found on the CSPD Website.