High-quality school leadership is critical to delivering the best outcomes for Australian learners in all contexts.

These resources will support you as you prepare and step into your role as a school leader in a rural or remote context.

video case studies

Hear two principals share their experiences of school leadership in rural and remote contexts.

Holy Rosary School

Holy Rosary School in Derby, Western Australia, is located in a very remote region in the Kimberly. The school has a population of over 100 students with Indigenous students making up almost 60% of the school population. Yvette Clifton was the principal at Holy Rosary. In this interview she speaks about the steps she took to prepare herself for the role, what her initial priorities were and the importance of building strong relationships within the school and community.

View the full transcript here

Thangool State School

Thangool State School is a rural school located approximately 90 mins from Rockhampton in Queensland. The school has over 150 students with most travelling by bus from farming properties. Fiona Byrne, Principal at Thangool State School has a focus on developing leadership capacity. Hear how leadership is shared across the school and how teachers are enabled to develop their leadership capabilities.

View the full transcript here

Guide to stepping into the role

Stepping into the role: A guide to being a school leader in rural and remote contexts, unpacks some of the common challenges faced by new leaders in rural and remote contexts. It provides tips and guidance to support you address three key areas:

  • building relationships in the first few months
  • fostering an effective school culture and
  • building leadership.
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guide to stepping into the role1