POSITION DESCRIPTION

Position: Upper Primary English & Debating Teacher
School: The Launceston Preparatory School
Location: Launceston, Tasmania
Employment:  initially Long Service Leave Replacement
Commencement: Term 1, 2027
Duration: Terms 1 & 2, 2027
FTE: initially FTE 0.6
Reports to: Principal

Make a Difference. Leave a Legacy.

At The Launceston Preparatory School (The LPS), we believe primary education should do more than prepare children for the next year of school.

It should prepare them for life.

We are seeking an outstanding Upper Primary Teacher who is passionate about exceptional teaching, meaningful relationships and the development of capable, thoughtful and confident young people.

This is an opportunity to join a small-by-design school where teachers know their students deeply, where every child matters, and where professional relationships, high expectations and intellectual curiosity sit at the heart of our work.

Our school is built around a simple belief:

Be Thoughtful.

Thoughtful in how we plan, teach and enrich.
Thoughtful in how we lead.
Thoughtful in how we speak to children.
Thoughtful in how we challenge them.
And thoughtful in how we contribute to the community around us.

The Opportunity

The successful applicant will join our Upper Primary team, working with students in the senior years of primary school and contributing to a rich, challenging and highly personalised learning experience.

Initially, the role will include responsibility for teaching across the Upper Primary English curriculum, with a particular emphasis on explicit instruction through enrichment of text, alongside opportunities to contribute to and run Debating and other areas of the curriculum according to experience and school need.

We are looking for an educator who understands that Upper Primary students require both challenge and connection. High standards in nurturance, structure and balanced fun through the learning experience of being a highly engaged, thoughtful and rounded human.

They need teachers who can stretch their thinking, explicitly teach the knowledge and skills they need, cultivate independence and hold high expectations, while also understanding the individual child sitting in front of them and their needs.

This is not simply a role for someone who can deliver lessons.

It is a role for someone who can make learning matter. Someone who desires validation through success and works as part of a collaborative team and connected community of belonging.

Our Approach to Teaching and Learning

Teaching at The LPS is purposeful, evidence-informed and relational.

We value teachers who can combine strong instructional practice with the ability to engage students in genuine thinking.

Our approach draws on:

• explicit and highly effective teaching practices;

• structured approaches to literacy and numeracy;

• rich discussion and questioning;

• Paideia-inspired learning;

• didactic, coaching and Socratic approaches;

• purposeful use of assessment and student learning data;

• differentiation and responsive teaching;

• opportunities for students to reason, articulate, challenge and refine their thinking;

• authentic opportunities for students to apply their learning.

We expect our teachers to know what they are teaching, why they are teaching it and how they know whether students have learned it.

We also believe that excellent teaching is never finished.

The strongest teachers at The LPS are reflective practitioners who welcome feedback, seek to improve and are willing to learn alongside their colleagues.

Key Responsibilities

1. Exceptional Teaching

The successful applicant will:

• Plan and deliver engaging, purposeful and appropriately challenging learning experiences.

• Demonstrate strong pedagogical knowledge and an understanding of how children learn.

• Deliver high-quality English teaching, including reading, writing, spelling, vocabulary, comprehension and oral language.

• Develop students' capacity to think critically, communicate clearly and work independently.

• Use explicit teaching, modelling, questioning, guided practice and purposeful independent application.

• Create learning environments where students are expected to participate, think and contribute.

• Differentiate teaching in response to student need without lowering expectations.

• Develop students' confidence, curiosity, agency and love of learning.

• Contribute to Philosophy and discussion-based learning experiences where appropriate.

2. Student Learning and Progress

The successful applicant will:

• Know their students well: academically, socially and personally.

• Use assessment information to identify strengths, gaps and next steps.

• Monitor student progress and respond to evidence of learning.

• Maintain accurate and purposeful records of student achievement.

• Work collaboratively with colleagues to ensure continuity of learning.

• Contribute to intervention and support processes where required.

• Communicate student progress clearly and constructively with families.

3. Classroom Culture

We expect our teachers to create classrooms that are:

Calm. Purposeful. Respectful. Challenging. Safe.

The successful applicant will:

• Establish clear routines, expectations and learning behaviours.

• Model the school's Be Thoughtful expectation consistently.

• Build positive and respectful relationships with students.

• Manage behaviour proactively, calmly and fairly.

• Develop student responsibility and independence.

• Create an environment in which students feel safe to make mistakes, ask questions and share their thinking.

• Ensure learning time is protected and purposeful.

4. Relationships and Community

At The LPS, relationships are central to our work.

The successful applicant will:

• Build strong, trusting relationships with students and families.

• Communicate professionally, warmly and respectfully with parents and carers.

• Contribute positively to the wider life of the school.

• Participate in school events, excursions, camps and community activities as required.

• Support the development of a strong sense of belonging across the school.

• Understand that every interaction contributes to the culture of The LPS.

5. Professional Contribution

The successful applicant will:

• Work collaboratively and generously with colleagues.

• Contribute to planning, curriculum development and school improvement.

• Participate actively in professional learning.

• Seek, receive and act upon feedback.

• Reflect honestly on their own practice.

• Share expertise and contribute to the professional growth of others.

• Support agreed whole-school priorities and initiatives.

• Demonstrate initiative and take responsibility for improving outcomes for students.

What We Are Looking For

We are seeking a teacher who demonstrates:

Capability

A highly capable classroom practitioner with strong curriculum knowledge and a proven capacity to deliver excellent learning outcomes.

Character

A person of integrity, warmth, humility and professionalism who genuinely cares about children.

Culture Add

Someone who will contribute positively to our community, bring energy and ideas, and strengthen the culture of The LPS.

Child-Centred Practice

An educator who knows that excellent teaching begins with knowing the child, while maintaining ambitious expectations for every student.

Growth Mindset

A reflective practitioner who is curious, open to feedback and committed to continual improvement.

The LPS Teacher

A teacher at The LPS is more than a classroom teacher.

They are a:

Teacher. Coach. Mentor. Role Model. Learner.

We want our students to remember the teachers who taught them, not simply because they were knowledgeable, but because they made them feel known, challenged their thinking, believed in their potential and helped them become better versions of themselves.

Our teachers are expected to bring both professional excellence and genuine humanity to their work.

Essential Criteria

Applicants should demonstrate:

• Appropriate teaching qualifications and current Tasmanian teacher registration, or eligibility for registration.

• Demonstrated experience teaching primary / middle school-aged students, preferably in Upper Primary.

• Strong knowledge of the Australian Curriculum and contemporary primary pedagogy.

• Demonstrated capacity to teach English to a high standard.

• Strong classroom management and relationship-building skills.

• Ability to use assessment data to inform teaching and improve student outcomes.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

• Commitment to child safety and student wellbeing.

• Commitment to professional learning and reflective practice.

• Capacity to work collaboratively within a small, highly professional team.

• A giving and emotionally intelligent human who shows kindness, a growth mindset and a deep trust in building connection through vulnerability

Desirable Criteria

Experience or demonstrated interest in:

• Philosophy or Socratic discussion;

• Paideia approaches to learning;

• Structured Literacy;

• evidence-informed teaching;

• student leadership and mentoring;

• extension and enrichment;

• curriculum development;

• coaching and professional collaboration.

What You Can Expect at The LPS

The successful applicant will join a school that values:

Small-by-design education
Students are known deeply and relationships matter.

High expectations
We believe every child is capable of growth and deserve teaching that challenges them.

Professional trust
We want teachers to think, contribute, innovate and take ownership.

A culture of improvement
We believe great teachers never stop learning.

Strong relationships
We work together: staff, students and families to create the best possible environment for children.

Purpose
Everything we do should contribute to our central purpose:

Preparation for Life.

How to Apply

Applicants are invited to submit:

1. A current CV; and

2. A covering letter addressing why you believe you would be a strong fit for The Launceston Preparatory School and this position.

Applications should be addressed to the Principal, Timothy Bristow. To apply, please complete the online form below. All application are to be submitted by 1st Sepetmber, 2026.

A full Position Description is available from The LPS School Office.

Make a Difference.

Grow with Us.

Leave a Legacy.