Career advancement

As a teacher, you have many opportunities to progress your career. You can choose to stay in the classroom or move into school administration.

If you are interested in remaining in the classroom, but would like to take on a leadership role, you can apply to become:

• a Senior Teacher
• a Level 3 Classroom Teacher.

If you would aspire to school leadership and would like to become a principal, deputy or head of a learning area, you can become:

•  a school administrator.

Senior Teacher

Senior Teachers are experienced teachers committed to quality teaching and ongoing professional learning who provide a wealth of knowledge and skills to their school communities. Senior Teachers use their experience and skills to perform duties additional to their normal teaching role, including:

• contributing to curriculum development
• mentoring graduates, returning teachers and those trained overseas
• supervising pre-service teachers
• assisting in the professional learning of colleagues.

Benefits of becoming a Senior Teacher include:

• formal recognition of classroom experience and professional learning
• career advancement that allows teachers to stay in the classroom
• an increase in salary.

Find out more about the conditions and allowances of teaching in a public school: School Education Act Employees’ (Teachers and Administrators) General Agreement 2011.

Find out how to become a Senior Teacher.

Level 3 Classroom Teacher

Level 3 Classroom Teachers are exemplary teachers recognised and rewarded for their exceptional teaching practices. They play an important part in the provision of quality teaching and leadership in schools.
Level 3 Classroom Teachers are highly skilled in:

• meeting the learning needs of their students
• developing and implementing student assessment and reporting strategies
• reflecting on and improving their teaching practice
• developing and delivering professional learning for colleagues
• providing leadership in their school community.

They are experienced, innovative teachers able to role model successful best practice for their colleagues and mentor new teachers. This ability means they are a huge asset for their school and highly valued.

Level 3 Classroom Teachers also exert influence beyond their classroom by playing an important leadership role in the larger arena of the school community. They assist other teachers to improve classroom practice, enhance student learning and solve classroom problems.

As successful leaders, they:

• develop, implement and evaluate curriculum policy and programs
• effectively manage change when there are new initiatives
• promote consultation and collaboration between school staff
• foster and support productive teams
• build partnerships with teachers and the community.

Benefits of becoming a Level 3 Classroom Teacher include:

• formal recognition of your expertise and dedication
• career advancement that enables you to stay in the classroom
• sharing your experience and professional learning with colleagues
• taking on a leadership role
• a salary increase to $98,887.

Find out more about the conditions and allowances of teaching in a public school: School Education Act Employees’ (Teachers and Administrators) General Agreement 2011.

The opportunity to become a Level 3 Classroom Teacher was initiated in 1997 as part of a new career structure for classroom teachers. This new level was negotiated in the Government School Teachers’ Enterprise Agreement (1996) between the Australian Education Union (WA Branch) and Department of Education.

Find out how to become a Level 3 Classroom Teacher.

School administrator

All head of learning area, deputy principal and principal positions are advertised through the State Government Job Board – JobsWA. Visit jobs.det.wa.edu.au for the latest advertised positions.

For information on how to use the JobsWA website visit – Apply to work in a public school.

If you are a female principal who would like to advance to a senior leadership position, you can access support through the Women in Leadership initiative.  Level 4 and 5 principals may be eligible for the Senior Leadership Primary Program and Level 6 principals can apply for the Executive Women's Program.

For more information:

Women in Leadership

Find out more about the conditions and allowances of teaching in a public school: School Education Act Employees’ (Teachers and Administrators) General Agreement 2011.