PHILLIP HEATH

Phillip Heath achieved a First Class Honours degree in Reformation History and taught at Trinity Grammar School Sydney and King’s School Ely (UK), before becoming Deputy Head of The William Clarke College in Kellyville, and then Headmaster of St Andrew’s Cathedral School, Sydney, where he formed the Gawura Campus for indigenous inner city children. Author of “Trinity, the Daring of Your Name”, and numerous journal articles, Mr Heath became fifth Principal of Radford College ACT in 2009 and the school received the Order of Australia Association (ACT) Award for Community Service twice under his leadership. He was made a Fellow of the ACT Branch ACEL in 2011 and in 2018 was awarded as a Member in the general division of the Order of Australia for his service to education and his commitment to creating greater opportunities for Indigenous students.

Mr Heath was appointed as the Head of Barker College in 2014. In 2016 it was announced that the School would transition to be fully coeducational by 2022 with female students commencing in Years Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten in 2018, Year 3 in 2019 and Year 7 in 2020. In 2016 Mr Heath formed the Darkinjung Barker Campus for Indigenous children on the Central Coast of New South Wales and in 2020 the Ngarralingayil Barker Campus for Indigenous children in the Hunter Region of New South Wales. An MOU was signed in 2020 with the Yothu Yindi Foundation in Dhupuma with the intention to form a school for Indigenous children in North East Arnhem Land.

Mr Heath has served on the NSW Board of Studies representing the Independent Sector (2000-2009) and is also a past National Chair of the Association of Heads of Independent Schools of Australia (2013-2015). He is currently working on an unpublished manuscript titled “One Life at a Time”, exploring his journey and work to create greater educational opportunities for Australia’s First Nations people.

Phillip is married to Alison, who is also an educator with expertise in English literacy and language acquisition.

Leading successful learning in a changed world

So what has changed? Will we simply re-establish our familiar ways when the Covid age ends? A new metaphor for Education is required, a new narrative, a new language to suit a new age of change. When test scores no longer assess successful education, what might we set in their place? Education must equip us for an uncertain future, but one lived for others and drenched in hope, gratitude and vision.