Oak Flats school staff look to future after securing permanent roles

They are among nine staff members - seven teachers and two student learning support officers (SLSOs) - at the school who this year have moved from temporary to permanent positions under a workforce transition program.

The four are thrilled to have secured permanent roles at the school, having worked there already for between three and five years.

Ms Ucles, a visual arts teacher and year adviser, said it meant she was able to plan further into the future, rather than one-year increments.

"I think it's definitely the stability [that is a benefit], but also looking at long-term goals," she said.

Ms Wills, an English teacher is also thinking differently about her future.

"Now that I'm permanent, I wouldn't mind getting to explore different leadership roles," she said.

It was also nice to stay in the community, she said, and not have to choose between remaining where she wanted to be and job security at another school.

PDHPE teacher and sports coordinator Mr Hooper said he was offered permanent jobs elsewhere when he graduated university, but they did not suit his circumstances at the time.

"This school was where I wanted to be," he said.

Meanwhile Mr Willis is studying to become a human society and its environment (HSIE) teacher while working full-time as a SLSO under the Grow Your Own teacher training program.

He said locking in a permanent job meant he was better able to focus on his studies.

The four expect they won't be the only ones who reap the benefits of their continuing employment.

With their positions at the school secured, Mr Hooper said they intended to be around to support the new year seven students right through until they finished high school, which would be rewarding to do.

Oak Flats High School principal Angela Byron shared her newly permanent staff members' excitement, describing the three teachers as "exceptional" with "so much leadership potential".

Ms Byron said she had been "nagging" Mr Willis to consider teaching for years, and was glad he had taken it on as the students "absolutely loved" him.

She looked forward as principal to supporting these young educators achieve their career goals.

"When the list [of staff offered permanent roles] came through... I was so excited, I was absolutely ecstatic," she said.

Across NSW, almost 17,000 teachers and support staff have converted from temporary to permanent positions in public schools since 2023

Public school students begin returning to school from February 1.