Our Head of Junior School reflects on a joyful start to 2026, welcoming new families and inviting students to embrace a year of curiosity, confidence and endless possibility.
Dear Parents and Guardians,
Welcome to the 2026 school year at Camberwell Girls Grammar School! I hope you enjoyed some relaxing time with family and friends during the holiday break and that everyone is excited about returning to school!
Following a number of energising staff days, we’ve enjoyed welcoming our students back to school with the Year 7 students onsite from last Friday followed by staggered returns with all students on Tuesday. This is always an energising time as you feel the excitement of the promise of new beginnings and opportunities, especially for students beginning at the significant entry milestones in Early Learning 3, Foundation and Year 7.
This year we are welcoming 123 new students and their families to Camberwell Girls – 58 students in Junior School, 63 students in Year 7, and 12 students in Years 8 to 12. I look forward to meeting parents and guardians at our welcome events across the next two weeks having already held our Year 7 Commencement Service and Dinner as well as our Parents and Friends Association Welcome Evening last night.
At the conclusion of 2025 we celebrated many student talents, reflections and achievements at Presentation and Graduation events. This was followed by the news of another year of outstanding VCE results and subsequent university offers for the Class of 2025. Our outstanding VCE results include:
There is also a great sense of satisfaction in the personal stories behind the achievements of the Year 12 cohort at the end of the year. As we all know, the ATAR tells only one part of the story and our students’ contributions to the Camberwell Girls community and service to the wider community are also valuable in a holistic education.
I would like to thank our VCE teachers for their commitment to and support of the girls during their final years of schooling. It is important to also recognise teachers from earlier years as they too engaged, inspired and supported the girls throughout their journey to young adulthood.
Over the holiday period works have continued with our Barbara Sutton Hall renovation and the project is still running to time. The Early Learning Centre playground has also been developed with greater soft fall areas and playground equipment. There have been a number of staff office conversions as well as replacement of external building panels in Junior School. We maximise this period of time to undertake planned and preventative maintenance across the school.
We commence the year with a number of staff in new positions of responsibility and also new staff to the school. Ms Kate Manners, current member of our Senior Management Team is moving into the role of Director of Teaching and Learning (Years 7-12) this year. Kate was our Director of Strategic Initiatives and has also held the position of Deputy Head of Senior School -Teaching and Learning at Camberwell Girls. She will work closely with the Heads of Department to enhance our evidence-informed practices to drive improvement in student learning outcomes as well as nurture the skills and attributes needed for the future.
We have also welcomed to Camberwell Girls for ongoing positions a number of new leaders and teachers with extensive experience and interests. They are:
Junior School
Mrs Kellie Morgan – Head of Junior School
We are delighted to welcome Kellie Morgan as our new Head of Junior School. Kellie is an experienced and highly respected educational leader with more than 30 years in Early Years and Junior School education. She has held the role as Head of Junior School at Loreto Mandeville Hall Toorak, Mentone Girls’ Grammar and Melbourne Girls Grammar, and she currently serves as an Executive Member of the Independent Primary School Heads Association.
In her most recent role as Director of Rathfarnham (Head of Junior School) at Loreto Toorak, Kellie led the strategic and operational programs from Preparatory to Year 6, overseeing staff development, curriculum design and student wellbeing. Her earlier leadership roles have included responsibility for Early Learning Centres, curriculum reform.
Kellie is known for her relational leadership, calm and collaborative style, and her deep commitment to student and staff wellbeing. She brings significant expertise in curriculum innovation, professional learning and values-based education, with a clear focus on developing capable, confident and compassionate learners. Her approach is grounded in curiosity, inclusion and joy in learning – creating purposeful environments where every student, and every teacher, can flourish.
Miss Jayde Kermeci – Inclusive Learning Specialist
Jayde is joining our Junior School team as an Inclusive Learning Specialist for Semester 1. Jayde brings diverse teaching experience as a classroom teacher and performing arts teacher from schools in Melbourne, London and Dubai.
Secondary School
Ms Emma Agius – Director of Learning Practice and Partnerships
Emma has joined us as our new Director of Learning Practice and Partnerships and as an English teacher. Emma was most recently at Ivanhoe Grammar School, where she was the Head of Curriculum across three campuses. She has extensive experience leading whole school approaches to curriculum and pedagogy, in setting strategic direction and building operational efficiency. Emma is very excited to have joined Camberwell Girls, and she will focus on continuous improvement through the development of our professional learning programs as well as the development and implementation of our partnership strategy.
Mr Darren Smyth – Director of School Operations
Darren has been appointed as our Director of School Operations and will also be teaching Mathematics. He brings extensive experience from across both Australia and the UK, and most recently from Wesley College where he was the Daily Organiser and taught Mathematics. Darren has previously held senior roles such as Head of Mathematics at Peninsula Grammar School, St Michael’s Grammar School, and Ivanhoe Grammar School.
Beyond his school based leadership, Darren is well known for his significant contributions to Mathematics education through digital learning. He is the creator and developer of the MaffsGuru website and YouTube channel, a widely used resource that supports students through clear, engaging explanations of key mathematical concepts. Darren also brings rich industry experience as a Content Developer at Edrolo and, more recently, as a Content Creator with Nelson/Cengage and Cambridge University Press. based leadership, Darren is well known for his significant contributions to Mathematics education through digital learning. He is the creator and developer of the
Mrs Bridget Forster – Head of Library
Bridget is our new Head of Libraries and will also be joining our English Department. She was most recently at Mentone Girls’ Grammar, where she was the Head of the Kerferd Library and taught VCE Literature and Enrichment.
Bridget brings broad experience across library leadership and English education, having previously served as both Head of Library and Head of English at Flinders Christian Community College, as well as working as a Teacher Librarian at Strathcona.
Bridget’s work has been widely recognised across the sector. In 2023 she was awarded a prestigious Reading Australia Fellowship, she appeared on The Educator Hot List of Influential Educators in 2022, and she received the School Library Association of Victoria Innovators Award in 2020.
Ms Emma Perrett – Head of Upskill
Emma joined us in November 2025 and this year she will be working across both the Junior and Secondary School campuses. In 2025 Emma was the Expert Teacher in Residence for the Technologies Discipline for the Victorian Academy of Teaching and Leadership, on a secondment from Caulfield Grammar School. At Caulfield Grammar, Emma was the Head of STEM at the Malvern Campus. Emma is also a Camberwell Girls Grammar School Old Grammarian.
Dr Angus McAndrew – Secondary School Teacher (Intern)
Angus is joining our Mathematics Department as a Secondary School Teacher. He is currently completing a two year Master of Teaching (Secondary) Internship through the University of Melbourne and brings an exceptional academic background, including a PhD in Mathematics from Boston University, as well as a Bachelor of Science, Master of Science and Master of Philosophy in Mathematics, all from the University of Melbourne.
Alongside his academic achievements, Angus was most recently the Program Manager at Math Minds, has previously worked as an Adjunct Lecturer at Boston University and as a Postdoctoral Researcher at the Australian National University.year Master of Teaching (Secondary) Internship through the University of Melbourne and brings an exceptional academic background, including a PhD in Mathematics from Boston University, as well as a Bachelor of Science, Master of Science and Master of Philosophy in Mathematics, all from the University of Melbourne.
Claire Warr – Secondary School Teacher (English)
Claire is joining us as a part-time Secondary School English. She was most recently the Head of Faculty (English & Literature) at Balcombe Grammar School and brings extensive experience teaching VCE English and Literature across a range of leading schools, including Ruyton Girls’ School, Kingswood College, Carey Baptist Grammar School and St Catherine’s School.
Claire is also a longstanding VCAA Assessor, contributing her expertise across English, Literature, EAL, GAT and NAPLAN assessments. She has been widely engaged as a presenter, lecturer and workshop leader through VATE, ACMI and a range of schools, and her work also includes authorship and contributions to exam guides, study resources and publications for Insight Publications, Jacaranda and VATE—reflecting her commitment to highquality curriculum support.standing VCAA Assessor, contributing her expertise across English, Literature, EAL, GAT and NAPLAN assessments. She has been widely engaged as a presenter, lecturer and workshop leader through VATE, ACMI and a range of schools, and her work also includes authorship and contributions to exam guides, study resources and publications for Insight Publications, Jacaranda and VATE—reflecting her commitment to highquality curriculum support.
We are also delighted to welcome back from leave Ms Katherine Barbadonis, Ms Hannah Brooksbank, and Ms Karoline Walter.
At Camberwell Girls we are committed to the importance of a quality holistic education as we prepare our students for their future.
With very best wishes for the year ahead.
Debbie Dunwoody
Principal
Our Head of Junior School reflects on a joyful start to 2026, welcoming new families and inviting students to embrace a year of curiosity, confidence and endless possibility.
More than 400 parents came together for the Annual PFA Welcome Evening, celebrating connection, conversation and a warm start to the year as a community.
A new school year begins with the energy of new students, exceptional VCE results, and important developments shaping the year ahead at Camberwell Girls.
