• Job Reference: 0000BCJQ
• Closing date: September 9, 2026, 2 a.m. (AEST)
• Location: Maclean-Yamba Rd, Palmers Island 2460 NSW, Australia
• Type: Full-Time
• Status: Permanent
• Contact: Leah Essex 0405209593

About this job

Position Information

Palmers Island Public School is a small rural school located in the Lower Clarence Valley, with a current enrolment of 50 students. Student enrolments have fluctuated over time, and this transient trend is anticipated to continue. In 2026, approximately 14% of students identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander. The school has a FOEI of 135 and an ICSEA of 934, reflecting our low socio-economic rural school context. Palmers Island Public School has 2 MC support classes and 2 mainstream classes and is committed to providing a highly inclusive, supportive and individualised learning environment where every student is known, valued and supported to achieve their potential. Our school caters for a diverse range of learners and is committed to ensuring equitable access to high-quality education for all students.

Specific Selection Criteria

1. Approval to teach special education and/or experience teaching students with autism and mild to moderate intellectual disability, using evidence-based strategies to support complex communication, sensory, social, behavioural and learning needs.
2. Demonstrated capacity to collaboratively develop and implement individualised supports, including PLaSPs, behaviour response plans and tailored risk management plans, with a strong understanding of student wellbeing, complex behaviour and trauma-informed practice.
3. Demonstrated ability to design, deliver and evaluate high-quality, differentiated teaching and learning programs, using data, explicit teaching, evidence-based practice and high expectations to improve students’ academic, social and behavioural outcomes.
4. Highly developed communication, interpersonal and collaborative skills, with the capacity to work effectively as part of a multidisciplinary team and build positive partnerships with students, staff, parents/carers, external support agencies and the wider community to promote an inclusive school culture.

Conditions

An unconditional full approval to teach is a requirement. If you do not hold a full approval to teach with the NSW Department of Education, you are required to commence the application process at the same time as you apply for this teaching opportunity.

Special Notes

Applicants are to include details of their WWCC clearance number as part of this application.

About the NSW Department of Education

The Department of Education is the largest provider of public education in Australia with responsibility for delivering high-quality public education to two-thirds of the NSW student population. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, including but not limited to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people, people of any age or gender, people from culturally and linguistically diverse groups and/or from the LGBTQIA+ community, veterans, refugees, people with disability, people with sensory differences, and neurodiverse people. If we can make some adjustments to our recruitment/interview process to better help you shine, please reach out to the contact person for this recruitment, details listed above. For more information, visit the NSW Department of Education’s Diversity, equity and inclusion webpage.