Teacher - Special Education - Les Powell School

Les Powell School, located in Mount Pritchard, South Western Sydney, is a Kindergarten to Year 12 School for Specific Purposes (SSP) supporting students with moderate to high support needs and complex learning requirements. The school caters to students with moderate to severe intellectual disabilities, many of whom also experience autism, sensory impairments, physical disabilities, communication challenges, mental health issues, and behaviours of concern. With approximately 76 students, the school serves a highly diverse community, with around 95% from an English as an Additional Language or Dialect (EAL/D) background, primarily Arabic and Vietnamese, and about 4% identifying as Aboriginal.

Committed to a safe, inclusive, and supportive learning environment, Les Powell School personalises education to each student’s strengths, interests, and needs. Programs focus on functional literacy and numeracy, communication, social skills, self-regulation, independence, and life skills, fostering confidence, relationships, choice-making, and community participation. The school emphasises culturally responsive practices and equity for students from EAL/D backgrounds through targeted support and differentiated teaching.

Learning at Les Powell School is personalised to reflect each student's strengths, interests, abilities and individual learning needs. Programs prioritise the development of functional literacy and numeracy, communication, social interaction, self-regulation, independence and essential life skills. The school recognises that meaningful student growth extends beyond academic achievement and encompasses the development of confidence, relationships, choice-making and participation in everyday life. Strong partnerships with parents and carers, School Learning Support Officers, allied health professionals and external service providers support a coordinated approach to each student's learning, wellbeing and future pathways. Individualised transition planning ensures students and families are supported to identify meaningful post-school opportunities that reflect their needs and aspirations.

Building staff capacity through ongoing professional learning, leadership, coaching, and teamwork enables the use of evidence-based strategies tailored to diverse student needs. Through a culture of high expectations and continuous improvement, Les Powell School is dedicated to ensuring every student achieves measurable progress and is supported to reach their full potential, embodying the belief that every student can connect, thrive, and succeed.

Les Powell School, located in Mount Pritchard, South Western Sydney, is a Kindergarten to Year 12 School for Specific Purposes (SSP) supporting students with moderate to high support needs and complex learning requirements. The school caters to students with moderate to severe intellectual disabilities, many of whom also experience autism, sensory impairments, physical disabilities, communication challenges, mental health issues, and behaviours of concern. With approximately 76 students, the school serves a highly diverse community, with around 95% from an English as an Additional Language or Dialect (EAL/D) background, primarily Arabic and Vietnamese, and about 4% identifying as Aboriginal.

Committed to a safe, inclusive, and supportive learning environment, Les Powell School personalises education to each student’s strengths, interests, and needs. Programs focus on functional literacy and numeracy, communication, social skills, self-regulation, independence, and life skills, fostering confidence, relationships, choice-making, and community participation. The school emphasises culturally responsive practices and equity for students from EAL/D backgrounds through targeted support and differentiated teaching.

Learning at Les Powell School is personalised to reflect each student's strengths, interests, abilities and individual learning needs. Programs prioritise the development of functional literacy and numeracy, communication, social interaction, self-regulation, independence and essential life skills. The school recognises that meaningful student growth extends beyond academic achievement and encompasses the development of confidence, relationships, choice-making and participation in everyday life. Strong partnerships with parents and carers, School Learning Support Officers, allied health professionals and external service providers support a coordinated approach to each student's learning, wellbeing and future pathways. Individualised transition planning ensures students and families are supported to identify meaningful post-school opportunities that reflect their needs and aspirations.

Building staff capacity through ongoing professional learning, leadership, coaching, and teamwork enables the use of evidence-based strategies tailored to diverse student needs. Through a culture of high expectations and continuous improvement, Les Powell School is dedicated to ensuring every student achieves measurable progress and is supported to reach their full potential, embodying the belief that every student can connect, thrive, and succeed.

1. Approval to teach special education and/or extensive experience working with students with moderate to severe intellectual disabilities, Autism Spectrum Disorder, physical disabilities, and complex behaviour.
2. Demonstrated experience in using a variety of assessment data to inform teaching practices, monitor individual student progress, and adapt learning programs to improve educational outcomes for students with complex needs.
3. Strong skills in behaviour management and wellbeing strategies, with a demonstrated ability to create a positive learning environment that supports students’ emotional, social, and cognitive development.
4. Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, including the ability to collaborate effectively with colleagues, engage with families, and build trusting relationships with students and external service providers in a supportive team environment.

1. Approval to teach special education and/or extensive experience working with students with moderate to severe intellectual disabilities, Autism Spectrum Disorder, physical disabilities, and complex behaviour.
2. Demonstrated experience in using a variety of assessment data to inform teaching practices, monitor individual student progress, and adapt learning programs to improve educational outcomes for students with complex needs.
3. Strong skills in behaviour management and wellbeing strategies, with a demonstrated ability to create a positive learning environment that supports students’ emotional, social, and cognitive development.
4. Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, including the ability to collaborate effectively with colleagues, engage with families, and build trusting relationships with students and external service providers in a supportive team environment.

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.

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.

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.

Merit selection application guidelines for classroom teachers, executives and principals provide clear advice for applicants and selection panels. The guidelines are available here.

To meet the page limits outlined in the guidelines, all application attachments must be submitted in PDF format. Please note that late applications will not be accepted.

If you are new or returning to the Department of Education and have relevant prior professional experience, you can submit a Salary determination for classroom teachers application form to request a salary determination. Until the outcome of any such determination is confirmed, your salary offer will remain at Step 1 then be updated at a later date (typically a 1–2-week processing time post receipt of the form). For further details on this process, please see the Department’s policy here: Salary determination.

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.

Merit selection application guidelines for classroom teachers, executives and principals provide clear advice for applicants and selection panels. The guidelines are available here.

To meet the page limits outlined in the guidelines, all application attachments must be submitted in PDF format. Please note that late applications will not be accepted.

If you are new or returning to the Department of Education and have relevant prior professional experience, you can submit a Salary determination for classroom teachers application form to request a salary determination. Until the outcome of any such determination is confirmed, your salary offer will remain at Step 1 then be updated at a later date (typically a 1–2-week processing time post receipt of the form). For further details on this process, please see the Department’s policy here: Salary determination.

Merit selection application guidelines for classroom teachers, executives and principals provide clear advice for applicants and selection panels. The guidelines are available here.

To meet the page limits outlined in the guidelines, all application attachments must be submitted in PDF format. Please note that late applications will not be accepted.

For technical support in applying for the role please contact School Recruitment Support at 1300 863 694.

Merit selection application guidelines for classroom teachers, executives and principals provide clear advice for applicants and selection panels. The guidelines are available here.

To meet the page limits outlined in the guidelines, all application attachments must be submitted in PDF format. Please note that late applications will not be accepted.

For technical support in applying for the role please contact School Recruitment Support at 1300 863 694.