Vacancies

About Us

Heretaunga College is a state, co-educational school with approximately 850 students.  The school is zoned and situated within five minutes of the centre of Upper Hutt (30 minutes by car from the centre of Wellington).  We are a multicultural school with 25% of our students identifying as Māori, and a small population of Pacific Island and Asian students.

Our school has a strong, collegial staff, who are committed to improving teaching strategies around teaching mixed ability classes.  Professional learning over the last 18 months has focused on developing Mātauranga Māori capability, implementation of the new NCEA standards, and strengthening our restorative practices. We are continuing with this learning for our whole staff and linking it all to Cultural Relationships for Responsive Pedagogy.

The school is looking to employ passionate, motivated teachers with an understanding of, and ability to differentiate their lessons.  Teachers need to be focused on increasing engagement for all their students through the use of a variety of teaching strategies, and a focus on contextualised learning for individual student needs and interests.  The ability to develop stimulating learning environments and to foster strong working relationships with students is essential.  


Teaching Positions are advertised via the Education Gazette

Secondary Day Relief Teachers

We are seeking qualified classroom teachers with proven experience, for day to day relief on a casual basis.


To register your Interest, please email: John Murdoch, Principal

at:  vacancy@heretaunga.school.nz 

Vacancies

Transform the Future of Sport at Heretaunga College

Director of Sport

Permanent, Full-time (40 hrs/week, 52 weeks) | Salary $79,000-$90,000 per annum (Grade 5, Steps 1-5), with placement on the scale dependent on relevant skills and experience.

Are you a visionary sports leader ready to build a high-performing department from the ground up? Heretaunga College is reshaping its extracurricular and active recreation landscape, and we are looking for a strategic, dynamic Director of Sport to drive this transformation.

This is not just an administrative role—it is a senior strategic leadership opportunity. Starting in Term 4 2026, you will take immediate ownership of our sport culture, connect and strengthen our 3-to-5-year vision, and build the 2027 calendar. Crucially, you will lead the strategic restructure of the department, bringing on and mentoring your own support team to bring your vision to life.

The Role:

  • Strategic Leadership: Develop and execute a bold 3-to-5-year sports and active recreation strategy.
  • Department Ownership: Lead, recruit, and mentor the incoming sports team and volunteer network.
  • Culture & Engagement: Drive participation, remove barriers to access, and elevate the profile of Heretaunga College sport across the region.
  • Commercial & Operational Management: Manage budgets, secure sponsorships, oversee risk/safety, and build key alliances with College Sport Wellington and regional bodies.

What You Bring:

  • Proven leadership experience in sports management, execution, and team development.
  • A strategic mindset with strong financial acumen, budget oversight, and commercial drive.
  • Outstanding relationship-building skills to engage students, staff, whānau, sponsors, and regional sports organizations.
  • High cultural intelligence, integrity, and a commitment to inclusive, student-centered values.

Why Apply?

If you have the experience to lead change, the ambition to shape a whole-school culture, and the drive to build your own high-performing team, we want to hear from you.

To apply for this position, please select the “Director of Sport Position Description and Application Form” link below.

Applications including covering letter, current CV and completed application form should be addressed to Mr John Murdoch, Principal and emailed to:  vacancy@heretaunga.school.nz

Target Start Date: Term 4 (October 2026)

Applications Close: Friday, 18 September 2026 @ 3.00 pm

Best Teaching Practice at Heretaunga College

We prepare for our learners by:

  • having high expectations

  • using an advanced organiser to state learning intentions.

  • planning and providing relevant, challenging, and differentiated  work for all students in our class.

  • planning for authentic and localised learning experiences 

  • planning to embed key competencies.

  • structuring lessons to provide opportunities for students to transfer knowledge of learned material to new situations.

  • exploring innovative practices and trying new things.

  • structuring our lessons to include a literacy and numeracy intention.

We create a settled school by:

  • providing consistent routines including:

  • lining-up Yr 9-10 students at the start of each lesson.

  • checking uniforms and sending students without permits to SLT.

  • using teacher assigned seating for year 9-10.

  • keeping students in class and using “out of class permission” when students are released from class for any reason.

  • establishing end-of-class routines.

  • being punctual.

  • applying ‘away for the day’ policy for mobile phone access and use

  • providing clear oral and visual instructions

  • behaving restoratively in all interactions with ākonga

  • modelling and encouraging care for our whenua/environment, including recycling.

We facilitate learning by:

  • providing appropriate integration of ICT into lessons and ensuring Google Classrooms are kept up to date to support learning.

  • providing varied, contextualised and differentiated activities in each lesson.

  • using cooperative learning approaches where applicable.

  • providing authentic learning opportunities that foster independence.

We show we value our students by:

  • greeting students at the start of each lesson.

  • having all exchanges in a respectful and restorative way.

  • providing an attractive learning environment.

  • communicating high expectations, with ākonga.

  • giving regular, prompt and precise feedback which includes specific improvement steps.