20 New Zealand Public School Principals to Know

New Zealand public schools are led by people working across very different communities, from large urban colleges to small primary schools and area schools. The leaders below are current principals, tumuaki, heads or acting principals serving those communities.

This is a practical introduction to 20 people worth knowing. The order is alphabetical by first name.

Why school principals matter

A principal shapes more than a timetable. The role sits where teaching, culture, family relationships, staff development and community trust meet. In public education, that work has to stay practical because every school serves a real community with its own history, strengths and needs.

The people in this list show that there is no single model of strong school leadership. Some lead large secondary colleges. Others lead primary schools where close relationships and local knowledge are central to the work.

1. Claire Amos

Principal, Albany Senior High School

Claire Amos is the principal of Albany Senior High School in Auckland. The role brings responsibility for the people, learning and culture of the school community.

Amos has held leadership roles with the Education Council, NetSafe and DisruptEDNZ. This gives school leaders a useful reminder that public education is built through both day-to-day care and deliberate choices about culture, learning and community.

2. Greg Thornton

Principal, Rangitoto College

Greg Thornton is the principal of Rangitoto College in Auckland. The role brings responsibility for the people, learning and culture of the school community.

Thornton returned to Rangitoto College after seven years as principal of Cambridge High School. This gives school leaders a useful reminder that public education is built through both day-to-day care and deliberate choices about culture, learning and community.

3. Robert Gilbert

Principal, Papanui High School

Robert Gilbert is the principal of Papanui High School in Christchurch. The role brings responsibility for the people, learning and culture of the school community.

Papanui offers pathways including an accelerated learning programme, low sensory classes and Te Whatukura Kaupapa Māori. This gives school leaders a useful reminder that public education is built through both day-to-day care and deliberate choices about culture, learning and community.

4. Nardi Leonard

Principal, Jean Batten School

Nardi Leonard is the principal of Jean Batten School in Māngere East, Auckland. The role brings responsibility for the people, learning and culture of the school community.

Jean Batten calls its learners High Fliers and sets a vision for confident lifelong learners in a culturally rich world. This gives school leaders a useful reminder that public education is built through both day-to-day care and deliberate choices about culture, learning and community.

5. Sarah Martin Sao

Principal, Stonefields School

Sarah Martin Sao is the principal of Stonefields School in Auckland. The role brings responsibility for the people, learning and culture of the school community.

Stonefields opened in 2011, and Martin Sao is described by its trust as an educational provocateur. This gives school leaders a useful reminder that public education is built through both day-to-day care and deliberate choices about culture, learning and community.

6. Kevin Carter

Principal, Rongotai College

Kevin Carter is the principal of Rongotai College in Wellington. The role brings responsibility for the people, learning and culture of the school community.

Carter has been principal since Term 2 2009 and has co-authored geography texts. This gives school leaders a useful reminder that public education is built through both day-to-day care and deliberate choices about culture, learning and community.

7. Ngaire Ashmore

Principal, Auckland Girls’ Grammar School

Ngaire Ashmore is the principal of Auckland Girls’ Grammar School in Auckland. The role brings responsibility for the people, learning and culture of the school community.

In a February 2026 school update, Ashmore reflected on the school’s 2025 NCEA and University Entrance results. This gives school leaders a useful reminder that public education is built through both day-to-day care and deliberate choices about culture, learning and community.

8. Fraser Hill

Principal, Waimea College

Fraser Hill is the principal of Waimea College in Richmond, Nelson. The role brings responsibility for the people, learning and culture of the school community.

Waimea College frames its work around Manaakitanga, Whanaungatanga and Akoranga. This gives school leaders a useful reminder that public education is built through both day-to-day care and deliberate choices about culture, learning and community.

9. Michelle Fearon

Principal, Waikanae School

Michelle Fearon is the principal of Waikanae School in Waikanae, Wellington region. The role brings responsibility for the people, learning and culture of the school community.

Fearon joined the school in 2009 and became principal in 2022. This gives school leaders a useful reminder that public education is built through both day-to-day care and deliberate choices about culture, learning and community.

10. Karen Brinsden

Principal, Botany Downs Secondary College

Karen Brinsden is the principal of Botany Downs Secondary College in Auckland. The role brings responsibility for the people, learning and culture of the school community.

The college’s Whānau system is described as the foundation of its pastoral support. This gives school leaders a useful reminder that public education is built through both day-to-day care and deliberate choices about culture, learning and community.

11. Andy Fraser

Principal, Ōtaki College

Andy Fraser is the principal of Ōtaki College in Ōtaki, Kāpiti. The role brings responsibility for the people, learning and culture of the school community.

Ōtaki College has a long focus on whānau relationships and hybrid learning. This gives school leaders a useful reminder that public education is built through both day-to-day care and deliberate choices about culture, learning and community.

12. Lesley Inch

Acting Principal, Oxford Area School

Lesley Inch is the acting principal of Oxford Area School in Oxford, Canterbury. The role brings responsibility for the people, learning and culture of the school community.

Oxford Area School includes outdoor education and equine studies among its provision. This gives school leaders a useful reminder that public education is built through both day-to-day care and deliberate choices about culture, learning and community.

13. Glen Beadle

Principal, Concord School

Glen Beadle is the principal of Concord School in Dunedin. The role brings responsibility for the people, learning and culture of the school community.

Concord describes education as a partnership between home and school and highlights a student cooking facility. This gives school leaders a useful reminder that public education is built through both day-to-day care and deliberate choices about culture, learning and community.

14. Melissa Ward

Tumuaki / Principal, Pine Hill School

Melissa Ward is the tumuaki / principal of Pine Hill School in Dunedin. The role brings responsibility for the people, learning and culture of the school community.

Ward’s principal message focuses on individual learning needs, tailored support and lifelong learning. This gives school leaders a useful reminder that public education is built through both day-to-day care and deliberate choices about culture, learning and community.

15. Fiona Hawes

Principal / Tumuaki, Tauranga Primary School

Fiona Hawes is the principal / tumuaki of Tauranga Primary School in Tauranga. The role brings responsibility for the people, learning and culture of the school community.

The school’s strategic goals centre on Ako, Whakawhanaungatanga and Hauora. This gives school leaders a useful reminder that public education is built through both day-to-day care and deliberate choices about culture, learning and community.

16. Ruth Woolhouse

Principal, Tamatea School

Ruth Woolhouse is the principal of Tamatea School in Napier. The role brings responsibility for the people, learning and culture of the school community.

The school publishes the learner-focused motto “Caring, Connected, Creative, Life-long Learners”. This gives school leaders a useful reminder that public education is built through both day-to-day care and deliberate choices about culture, learning and community.

17. Rachelle Moors

Principal, North East Valley Normal School

Rachelle Moors is the principal of North East Valley Normal School in Dunedin. The role brings responsibility for the people, learning and culture of the school community.

The school describes itself as a years 1 to 6 community school near the University of Otago. This gives school leaders a useful reminder that public education is built through both day-to-day care and deliberate choices about culture, learning and community.

18. Sam Ainsworth

Principal / Tumuaki, Hillmorton High School

Sam Ainsworth is the principal / tumuaki of Hillmorton High School in Christchurch. The role brings responsibility for the people, learning and culture of the school community.

Ainsworth progressed from assistant principal to deputy principal to principal at Hillmorton, whose values include belonging, interconnectedness, respect and learning. This gives school leaders a useful reminder that public education is built through both day-to-day care and deliberate choices about culture, learning and community.

19. Sonja Bailey

Acting Principal, Christchurch Girls’ High School

Sonja Bailey is the acting principal of Christchurch Girls’ High School in Christchurch. The role brings responsibility for the people, learning and culture of the school community.

Bailey’s acting status is kept visible rather than treated as a permanent appointment. This gives school leaders a useful reminder that public education is built through both day-to-day care and deliberate choices about culture, learning and community.

20. Jenny Foote

Principal, Roseneath School

Jenny Foote is the principal of Roseneath School in Wellington. The role brings responsibility for the people, learning and culture of the school community.

Foote’s leadership work is closely connected to the school community she serves. This gives school leaders a useful reminder that public education is built through both day-to-day care and deliberate choices about culture, learning and community.

What these leaders show us about public school leadership

The first lesson is that context matters. A secondary college, a primary school and an area school cannot be led with the same habits or the same language. Strong leaders understand the community in front of them and make the school’s purpose visible in everyday decisions.

The second lesson is that leadership is shared. Senior teams, whānau, boards, teachers and local communities all shape the work. A principal may carry the role, but the culture is created by many people acting together.

The third lesson is that values need to become practice. Words such as belonging, respect, care and learning only matter when students and staff can see them in routines, relationships and choices.

How to use this list

If you work in education, choose one profile that feels close to your own setting and one that feels very different. Ask what the leader appears to protect, what the school makes visible and what you could test in your own context this term.

If you are looking for a speaker, facilitator or leadership partner, use this list as a starting point for understanding the different communities that school leaders serve. The best next conversation will be grounded in the school’s actual priorities, not a generic leadership idea.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is this list for?

It is for educators, school boards, education partners and anyone interested in practical leadership in New Zealand public schools.

Is the list in any special order?

No. The list is alphabetical by first name, so the order does not suggest that one leader is better than another.

Are all of the roles permanent?

Most are current principal roles. Where a school identifies an acting principal, that status is stated clearly in the profile.

How current is the information?

School leadership can change, so check the school website before using this list for a formal approach.

Conclusion

Public school leadership is local work with a wide reach. These 20 principals and heads show the value of clear purpose, strong relationships and practical attention to the people a school serves.

The useful question is not which leader to copy. It is what each profile helps you notice about your own school, your own team and the next small improvement you could make.

Related Reading

You may also like school leaders building staff culture, Working Genius for schools, and how to build a coaching culture in schools.

A practical next step

Choose one leadership practice from this list and discuss it with your team. Keep the conversation small, specific and connected to the students and staff you serve.

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, organisations and leadership teams around the world.