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Therese Turner-Jones, Head of English at Ascham School in NSW, has consistently led the English Department to exemplary HSC results.
In 2020, Ascham was ranked first among all NSW Independent Schools and sixth across all schools and fourth independent school in 2021. This ranking in the State was then recalculated by SMH (24 January 2022) as second in the State for English across all schools for the harder and more challenging courses in English, when taking into account the numbers in the cohort at the school. This ranking placed Ascham as the second highest performing school in English for 2021. Beyond the inspiring work at her own school, Therese has provided mentorship to school staff across sectors for Stage 6 English Courses.
In recognition of this work, she was named an Awardee of Excellence at the Australian Education Awards in the Department Head of the Year category, and just notched up another accolade by being named one of Australia’s Most Influential Educators for 2022.
“I am very focused on building teacher capacity, and teacher leadership has been a key focus since doing my Master of Education degree in educational leadership in 2014, so I am very committed to educational excellence,” she says.
“I am very ambitious to make a difference for staff, students, parents and the wider community, so this award means the world to me.”
Therese says her educational philosophy is centred on the Dalton Plan, which is celebrating its 100th anniversary.
“The Dalton plan has three key pillars, and these influence my educational philosophy. The three pillars are the Assignment, which is what everybody learns from in a particular year group; the Lesson, where we deliver the assignment work; and then we have the Study,’ she says.
“The study component is exciting because I can have any student within my classes spending their time within this study in a period allocation and be helping, mentoring, working around the room, and getting girls to help girls in other year groups.”
One of the key areas where Therese believes she can make a meaningful difference is in driving awareness within the wider community about the importance of literacy in young people’s lives.
188 New South Head Rd, Edgecliff, NSW
(02)83567000
therese.turnerjones@ascham.nsw.edu.au
linkedin.com/in/therese-turner-jones-b2b61a58
ascham.nsw.edu.au
Therese Turner-Jones
Head of English
Ascham School
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2020–present
Insurance Business Magazine | Key Media
Deputy Principal at Australian Christian College - Southlands
Doctor of Education
2020–present
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2021
Ted Talk in collaboration with key media
Year 7 Community Leader and Leader for Learning Technologies and Platforms at Northern Beaches Christian School
Master of Business Administration, 2017–2019
2021
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2013
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Master of Education (Curriculum and Pedagogy)
2013
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Ted Talk in collaboration with key media
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Ted Talk in collaboration with key media
Bachelor of Education (Primary)
2009–2012
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1986–1996
1997–2004
2006–2012
2013–2016
2017–present
Therese Turner-Jones
Head of English
Ascham School
Read on
Special Report
Home
Bio
Milestones
Profile
Milestones
Insurance Business Magazine | Key Media
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Ted Talk in collaboration with key media
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Ted Talk in collaboration with key media
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Ted Talk in collaboration with key media
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Ted Talk in collaboration with key media
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1986–1996
1997–2004
2006–2012
2013–2016
2017–present
Therese Turner-Jones
Head of English
Ascham School
Read on
Special Report
Home
Bio
Milestones
2017–present
2013–2016
2006–2012
1997–2004
1986–1996
2017–
present
Insurance Business Magazine | Key Media
Ascham
Excellence Awardee, Australian Education Awards, 2021
Excellence Awardee, Department Head of the Year, 2021
The Educator’s Most Influential Educators, 2022
2017–present
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2013–2016
Human Resources Magazine | key media
Corpus Christi, 2013
Trinity Grammar School, 2014–2016
Certificate of Recognition Award Issued by Australian College
Teachers’ Guild of NSW Highly Commended Research Award. Teachers’ Guild of NSW, Fifth Annual Poster Presentation, University
Co-op Bookshop Prize; ‘The Power of Teacher Leadership’, 2014
Honorary Fellowship of the Teachers’ Guild of NSW, 2015
2013–2016
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2006–2012
Human Resources Magazine | key media
St Joseph’s Catholic High School
Certificate of Recognition Award, Australian College of Educators (Illawarra/South Coast Region). Award for expertise in English 7–12, and contributions to enhancing student learning at school, regional and state levels, 2011
2006–2012
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1997–2004
Human Resources Magazine | key media
Frensham
1997–2004
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1986–1996
human resources | key media
Chevalier College
1986–1996
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Milestones
“Schools and communities have been working hard to lift literacy outcomes, and the Covid-19 pandemic certainly hasn’t helped, so I do feel that we need a greater level of expertise and community engagement – not just in schools but in the broader community,” she says.
“The best advice I can provide to people who are in the profession, about to enter the profession, and also those who are outside the profession, is to keep positive, work on connections and foster a cheerful and optimistic learning environment.”
She believes that one of the ways she has been doing this is by recording all of her lessons so that her Year 12 students can access them at any time.
“Students find that wonderful because they can revisit the lessons at their own pace and in their own time, and for many students this helps them retain the information,” she says.
“Students also comment on how the teacher’s voice soothes them and makes them feel like they can achieve. This is such an important part to our visible wellbeing approach. Ascham is a school where we ensure that everybody does thrive.”
She says that Term 1 2022 was “probably the hardest term” for Australian educators.
“It’s certainly been one of the hardest terms in my career of 36 years, and I think this is because we’re supporting school systems with illness, loss, grief and a loss of a sense of connection and belonging,” she says, adding that the Dalton Plan has helped the school weather these storms.
“Dalton is a remarkable support network that is helping our students with their individual needs and also making them great learners within the collective as well, so I feel confident that we are on track in all the ways that matter.”
She says that while Ascham School has been a high performer within NSW, her intent is not focused on high marks and results.
“That’s just the product, the consequence of what happens when you help people to thrive.”