16 Influential Leaders Shaping Teaching in Sydney

Last updated: August 2026.

Sydney's classrooms are led by a wide network of people: system chiefs, school principals, university teacher educators and the presidents of the subject associations that support teachers week to week. As of August 2026, this directory brings together 16 current leaders whose roles connect directly with teaching and teacher practice in Sydney and across the New South Wales public, Catholic and independent school sectors headquartered here.

The list is intentionally broad. It includes leaders whose offices sit in Sydney and whose decisions shape how teachers are trained, supported, represented and recognised across the state. Read each profile as a starting point, then follow the linked organisation page for the latest detail on that person's current role.

This guide is for principals, teachers, education researchers and anyone who wants a clearer picture of who is currently steering teaching practice, policy and professional support in Sydney. The names are presented alphabetically for easy navigation.

Why leadership in teaching matters

Teaching does not run on classroom effort alone. Curriculum authorities, employing systems, universities and subject associations all shape what a Sydney teacher experiences on a Monday morning, from the syllabus they teach to the professional learning available to them.

When these roles are filled by capable, visible leaders, the flow-on effect reaches every staffroom. A department secretary who prioritises teacher supply affects staffing in every school. A subject association president who builds strong professional learning affects classroom confidence in every subject. Understanding who holds these roles helps teachers, parents and school leaders see how the wider system supports the people standing in front of students.

1. Ann Caro

President, NSW Secondary Principals' Council

Ann Caro is President of the NSW Secondary Principals' Council, the professional association representing principals of NSW public schools with secondary enrolments. The council's own materials note that 94 per cent of eligible principals are members, giving the role a genuinely representative voice across the state.

She is included here because the council speaks directly for the people who lead teaching and learning inside Sydney's public high schools every day. Her welcome message on the council's website sets out a model built on expert reference groups and regional representation. Read the council's president's welcome.

2. Prue Car

Deputy Premier and Minister for Education and Early Learning, NSW Government

Prue Car is Deputy Premier of New South Wales and Minister for Education and Early Learning, with portfolio responsibility for the public, early childhood and non-government education systems administered from Sydney. She has held the education portfolio since March 2023.

Her inclusion reflects the direct link between ministerial decisions and the conditions Sydney teachers work under, from staffing to curriculum reform. The NSW Government's own ministerial page confirms her current title and portfolio. Read the NSW Government's ministerial page.

3. Danielle Cronin

Executive Director, Sydney Catholic Schools

Danielle Cronin is Executive Director of Sydney Catholic Schools, the system leading more than 147 Catholic primary and secondary schools across the Archdiocese of Sydney. Her own welcome message on the Sydney Catholic Schools website describes a system built around students' academic, artistic, physical, emotional and spiritual growth.

She belongs on this list because she leads one of Sydney's three largest schooling systems and, with it, thousands of Sydney teachers. Read her current message to the Sydney Catholic Schools community.

4. Murat Dizdar PSM

Secretary, NSW Department of Education

Murat Dizdar PSM is Secretary of the NSW Department of Education, the system responsible for more than 2,200 government schools and around 95,000 teachers and school leaders across the state. The department's own profile records his path from social sciences teacher to senior principal before he took on the state's top public education role.

His inclusion reflects the direct reach of the Secretary's office into every Sydney public school's staffing, curriculum support and teacher development. Read the department's profile of the Secretary.

5. Margery Evans

Chief Executive, Independent Schools NSW

Margery Evans is Chief Executive of Independent Schools NSW, the Sydney-headquartered peak body representing independent schools across the state. Her recent commentary for the organisation has covered enrolment growth in low-fee independent schools and how schools are approaching artificial intelligence in classrooms.

She is included because Independent Schools NSW directly supports teacher accreditation, teacher workforce planning and curriculum services for Sydney's independent school teachers. Read her commentary on the Independent Schools NSW newsroom.

6. Kelly Freebody

Head of School, Sydney School of Education and Social Work, University of Sydney

Professor Kelly Freebody is Head of School of the Sydney School of Education and Social Work at the University of Sydney, a role she took on in January 2024. The school's education programs span early childhood, primary and secondary teaching, covering initial teacher education from early childhood through to secondary specialisations.

Her leadership shapes how a large share of Sydney's future teachers are trained. Read the school's current profile of its Head of School.

7. Anne Gripton

President, History Teachers' Association of NSW

Anne Gripton is President of the History Teachers' Association of NSW, elected to the association's 2026 board. She brings more than 30 years of teaching across government, Catholic and independent schools, and has previously received the association's own Premier's teaching scholarship as well as a national scholarship for Holocaust history education.

She is included here because subject associations like this one directly support the professional learning that keeps Sydney history teachers current in their discipline, through conferences, journals and curriculum resources. Read the association's current governance page.

8. Jacquie Lockyer

President, NSW Primary Principals' Association

Jacquie Lockyer is President of the NSW Primary Principals' Association, the professional association representing principals across more than 1,800 NSW public primary schools. The association's own newsletters carry her regular messages to the state's primary school leadership community, covering the issues affecting primary teaching and school leadership across the state.

She is included because the association gives Sydney's public primary principals, and through them their teaching staff, a direct professional voice on staffing, curriculum and wellbeing matters. Visit the NSW Primary Principals' Association.

9. Tony Loughland

Head of School, UNSW School of Education

Tony Loughland is Head of School at the UNSW School of Education, which the university describes as the preferred provider of initial teacher education in NSW by student preference, with the highest average ATAR of any initial teacher education program in Australia. The school also partners with NESA to deliver professional development for practising teachers.

His leadership of one of Sydney's largest teacher training pipelines, spanning initial teacher education and ongoing professional learning, earns him a place on this list. Read the school's welcome from its Head of School.

10. Jacqueline McCarthy

President, Science Teachers' Association of NSW

Jacqueline McCarthy is President of the Science Teachers' Association of NSW, known as STANSW. She has more than 20 years of experience teaching science from kindergarten to senior secondary, and has contributed to syllabus development and professional learning for science teachers across the state, alongside her ongoing classroom teaching.

She is included because STANSW's council directly supports the professional practice of science teachers across greater Sydney, from curriculum guidance to the association's annual conferences. Read the association's current council page.

11. Stuart McPherson

Headmaster, Sydney Grammar School

Stuart McPherson became the 13th Headmaster of Sydney Grammar School on 1 January 2026. He taught at the school from 1990 to 2000 before a career that included teaching at Eton College and serving as Headmaster of Worth School in England.

His return to lead one of Sydney's oldest independent schools, after two decades of international school leadership experience, makes him a notable current addition to Sydney's teaching leadership landscape. Read Sydney Grammar School's announcement of its new Headmaster.

12. Rachel Powell

Principal, Sydney Girls High School

Rachel Powell is Principal of Sydney Girls High School, describing herself on the school's own website as honoured to be the school's twelfth principal. She brings more than 30 years of teaching experience, 20 of them specialising in gifted education in selective and non-selective schools in the United Kingdom and Australia.

She is included as a current leader of one of Sydney's oldest state schools, established in 1883. Read her welcome on the Sydney Girls High School website.

13. Henry Rajendra

President, NSW Teachers Federation

Henry Rajendra is President of the NSW Teachers Federation for the 2026 to 2027 term, the registered trade union representing teachers who work for the NSW Department of Education, TAFE NSW and the NSW Education Standards Authority. The Federation is headquartered in Surry Hills, Sydney, and its Presidential Officers are elected by the union's members.

His inclusion reflects the Federation's direct role in representing the working conditions and professional voice of Sydney's public education teachers, from salaries to class sizes and staffing. Read the Federation's current leadership page.

14. Chloe Read

Managing Director, TAFE NSW

Chloe Read was appointed Managing Director of TAFE NSW in April 2025, bringing more than 20 years of public sector education experience, including five years as Deputy Secretary, Education and Skills Reform, at the NSW Department of Education.

She is included because TAFE NSW trains a significant share of the state's vocational education and training teachers and works closely with Sydney schools on pathways programs. Read the NSW Government's announcement of her appointment.

15. Michele Simons

Dean, School of Education, Western Sydney University

Michele Simons is Dean of the School of Education at Western Sydney University, which trains a significant share of teachers working across Greater Western Sydney and the wider metropolitan area. The school's own staff page lists her as Dean alongside its academic leadership team, spanning curriculum, professional practice and early learning.

Her leadership of a major Sydney-based teacher education provider, training future teachers for schools across the western suburbs and beyond, earns her a place on this list. Read the school's current people page.

16. Sarah Warby

President, English Teachers Association NSW

Sarah Warby is President of the English Teachers Association NSW, as recorded in the association's own mETAphor member publication. The association supports English teachers across Sydney and the state with professional learning, curriculum resources, journals and advocacy on behalf of the subject.

She is included because the association's work reaches directly into how English is taught in Sydney classrooms, from junior literacy to senior English studies. Read the English Teachers Association NSW website.

What these leaders show us about teaching in Sydney

Looking across these 16 profiles, a pattern emerges: teaching leadership in Sydney rarely sits in one place. It is shared across government, Catholic and independent systems, across universities that train new teachers, and across the subject associations that keep experienced teachers current in their fields.

Several of these leaders moved into their roles directly from the classroom or from school leadership, including principals who taught for decades before stepping into system or association leadership. That path from classroom practice into broader leadership is a recurring feature of Sydney's teaching sector, not an exception.

The mix also shows how much of Sydney's teaching leadership is renewed regularly. Several of the people on this list moved into their current roles within the past two years, a reminder that this is a living, changing list rather than a fixed one.

How to use this list

Start with the organisation, not just the name. Each profile links to a current official page where you can read more about that person's work and the wider priorities of their organisation this year.

If you are a teacher looking for professional learning, the subject associations on this list, including the science, history and English teachers' associations, are a practical first stop for conferences, journals and classroom resources.

If you are a parent, school leader or researcher trying to understand how Sydney's school systems fit together, use this list as a map of the public, Catholic, independent and university sectors rather than a single hierarchy.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are all the leaders on this list based in Sydney?

Most hold roles headquartered in Sydney, including system, university and school leadership positions. A small number lead statewide NSW organisations whose head offices and primary operations are based in Sydney.

Does this list include every leader relevant to teaching in Sydney?

No single list can. This is a curated set of 16 current leaders across government, Catholic, independent and university sectors, chosen to show the breadth of roles that shape teaching in Sydney.

How often does this list change?

Roles like these change through appointments, elections and organisational restructures. This version reflects the roles current as of August 2026, and readers should check each organisation's own page for the latest detail.

Why are principals included alongside system leaders?

Principals lead teaching and learning directly inside their schools, while system leaders shape the conditions principals and teachers work within. Both perspectives are needed to understand teaching leadership fully.

Can I suggest someone for a future update?

This guide focuses on verified, current leaders with a clear public role. Readers are welcome to follow the linked organisations directly for the latest on their leadership teams.

Conclusion

Teaching in Sydney is shaped by more people than any single classroom shows. System secretaries, school principals, university teacher educators and subject association presidents each hold a piece of the picture, and together they shape what teaching looks like across the city.

This list is a starting point for anyone who wants to understand that wider picture, whether you are a teacher choosing a professional association to join, a parent trying to understand how your child's school system works, or a researcher mapping Sydney's education landscape. Follow the linked organisation pages to stay current as these roles continue to change.

Related Reading

- 13 Proven Signs You're Not Burned Out, You're Carrying What Your Team Won't - 13 Warning Signs You Are Avoiding a Difficult Conversation - 50 Essential CEOs Globally to Follow on LinkedIn

A note for school leaders

Many of the pressures facing Sydney's teaching leaders, from staff retention to difficult conversations that keep getting delayed, are the same pressures I work through with principals and executive teams. If your school or system is working through a leadership challenge, I would love to help you build a culture where good teachers choose to stay. Get in touch at jonno@consultclarity.org.

About the Author

Jonno White is a Brisbane-based leadership consultant, keynote speaker and Certified Working Genius Facilitator, and the author of Step Up or Step Out. He works with schools, corporates and nonprofits around the world. To enquire about a keynote, workshop or facilitated leadership session, email jonno@consultclarity.org.