Headquarters:
Gadigal Country, Sydney Square, Sydney, NSW 2000
Year founded:
1885
Number of employees:
306
Phone:
+61 2 9286 9500
Email:
info@sacs.nsw.edu.au
Website:
sacs.nsw.edu.au
LinkedIn:
linkedin.com/school/st-andrew's-cathedral-school
“We put our customers at the centre of our business, responding to brokers in a proactive and timely manner and working with the customer to understand their unique risk profile and tailor appropriate solutions”
Erica Kofie, QBE
Dr Julie McGonigle
Head of School
Brad Swibel
Deputy Head of School (Secondary)
Rhonda Robson
Deputy Head of School (Primary)
Leadership
Dr Julie McGonigle is an internationally renowned teacher and school leader and a Fellow of the Royal Society of the Arts. She is the recipient of a number of awards for teaching and leadership, including a Global Teacher Award, and national recognition for her Outstanding School Leadership.
Originally from Northern Ireland, she studied English Literature and Language at Queens University Belfast before pursuing postgraduate studies at the University of Oxford. She completed a Master’s and then a PhD in Philosophy in Education.
In 2017, Dr McGonigle was seconded to St Andrew’s Cathedral School for a year as Deputy Head, Academic Improvement, where she led on evidence-informed approaches to teaching and learning. Dr McGonigle then took on the role of Head of School for both St Andrew's Cathedral School and Gawura School in 2022.
Head of School
Dr Julie McGonigle
Brad Swibel is responsible for overseeing academic progress, wellbeing, cocurricular, policies and staffing across the Secondary School.
He has led teams to introduce and develop the IB Middle Years Programme (MYP), Character Strengths, Positive Education, Data Dashboard analytics, a restorative action discipline system, as well as establishing approaches to evidence-informed teaching and Christian education.
Winner of the Dr Alan Loughlin Leadership Award and the ACEL NSW Leadership Award, Swibel is an outstanding educational and transformational leader.
Deputy Head of School (Secondary)
Brad Swibel
Rhonda Robson oversees the Junior School and Gawura School at St Andrew’s Cathedral School.
Rhonda has overseen the development of high-quality teaching and learning programmes that have led to exceptional academic improvement. In addition, intentionally individualised pastoral care and student wellbeing programmes have created a warm and joyous culture, where all children are valued and thriving.
At the end of 2021, Robson was awarded Primary School Principal of the Year for all Independent schools, across Australia, by the Australian Education Awards. This prestigious award was given in recognition for her work to transform St Andrew’s Cathedral School's Junior School into the outstanding school it has become. Rhonda brings much expertise – she has taught for more than 30 years and been a primary school principal in two schools for more than 14 years. She has taught at primary, secondary and university levels, both the HSC and the International Baccalaureate and has lectured in Educational Psychology and Developmental Psychology.
Deputy Head of School (Primary)
Rhonda Robson
“We put our customers at the centre of our business, responding to brokers in a proactive and timely manner and working with the customer to understand their unique risk profile and tailor appropriate solutions”
Erica Kofie, QBE
“We continue to see cyber as a key opportunity and will be further developing customer-centric solutions across various geographies and segments in line with our growth aspirations”
Erica Kofie, QBE
Leadership
“We continue to see cyber as a key opportunity and will be further developing customer-centric solutions across various geographies and segments in line with our growth aspirations”
Erica Kofie, QBE
“We put our customers at the centre of our business, responding to brokers in a proactive and timely manner and working with the customer to understand their unique risk profile and tailor appropriate solutions”
Erica Kofie, QBE
Leadership
Dr Kirsten Macaulay
Deputy Head (Quality Teaching K – 12)
Dr Kirsten Macaulay leads the ongoing development and excellence of teaching across St Andrew's Cathedral School. Beginning her career as a music teacher, she went on to become Head of Performing Arts before being appointed Director of Teaching at St Andrew's Cathedral School in 2018 – a role that allowed her to pursue her passion for supporting teachers and improving student outcomes.
In 2020, Dr Macaulay was awarded the Dr Paul Brock Medal (Australian College of Educators, NSW) for Commitment to Educational Excellence. Her leadership continues to shape a culture of quality teaching through professional learning, thought leadership educational conferences and coaching, grounded in a Christian ethos.
Deputy Head (Quality Teaching K-12)
Dr Kirsten Macaulay
Nicola Warwick-Mayo
Executive Director of Operations
Nicola Warwick-Mayo is responsible for the business and operational aspects of the School. This includes Operational and Strategic Oversight of IT, Risk Management, Facilities, Community Engagement and Fundraising.
She is a Chartered Accountant and Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. Before she came to the School she worked primarily in finance roles in the Financial Services and Corporate Treasury sectors.
Warwick-Mayo is passionate about enabling better strategic decision making through effective analysis and communication of information, as well as developing and leading teams that have a positive strategic impact. She loves the opportunity to have collaborative input into the many different activities that support teaching and learning.
Executive Director of Operations
Nicola Warwick-Mayo
St Andrew’s Cathedral School is a school unlike any other. For 140 years, it has been Sydney’s quintessential city school – a vibrant, diverse and future-focused community shaped by the dynamic heart of the CBD.
Grounded in its Christian foundation, The School holds deep convictions about the value of each child – believing that every student is precious, deeply loved by God and uniquely gifted for a purpose.
This belief underpins everything the School does, from academic programmes to student wellbeing. Character and conviction are at the heart of a St Andrew’s Cathedral School education. These qualities lay the foundation for academic excellence and holistic pastoral care, helping students to grow in wisdom, resilience and hope – so they can use their learning to positively shape the world around them.
Teachers at St Andrew’s Cathedral School are experts in their fields who thrive on the relational nature of education. They are deeply involved in the growth of each child, both in and beyond the classroom, and are continually developing their own practice through a forward-thinking professional learning programme.
At the heart of the School is Gawura School, recognised nationally for its outstanding First Nations-led approach to education. As noted by the 2020 School of the Year judges, Gawura is “a lighthouse programme in Indigenous education with wonderful, almost unheard-of outcomes.”
“We continue to see cyber as a key opportunity and will be further developing customer-centric solutions across various geographies and segments in line with our growth aspirations”
Erica Kofie, QBE
Phil Thai
Director of People and Finance
Jackie Isenegger
Director of Strategy and Marketing
Claire Napoli
Director of Advancement and Engagement
Adam Wollins
Director of ICT
Phil Thai has over 15 years’ experience as a Chartered Accountant. Following the completion of his Bachelor of Commerce at UNSW, Thai worked with Ernst & Young for six years and the Australian Red Cross for five years.
He joined St Andrew’s Cathedral School in 2022 as Director of Finance, taking on the role of Director People and Finance in 2024. Phil enjoys seeing organisations reach their strategic goals, through collaborative and respectful decision making. He loves growing high performing teams where the whole is greater than the sum of individuals.
Director of People and Finance
Phil Thai
Jackie Isenegger brings a wealth of commercial experience to her role as Director of Strategy and Marketing. Isenegger's experience covers roles in advertising and marketing, and client-side in fundraising, development, community engagement, marketing, strategic planning and sustainability.
Jackie came to St Andrew’s Cathedral School in 2018 and since then has facilitated much of the School's strategic direction, most notably the 2020-2025 St Andrew's Cathedral School Strategic Plan, the recent 2024 Restoration Action Plan and the School's inaugural First Nations Strategic Plan. She is currently facilitating the development of the 2026-2031 St Andrew's Cathedral School Strategic Plan.
Jackie is passionate about driving social justice and leading meaningful change, harnessing the dynamism and energy of the School environment. Her leadership continues to shape more inclusive, future-focused Schools —where strategy and purpose go hand in hand.
Director of Strategy and Marketing
Jackie Isenegger
As the director of advancement and engagement, Claire Napoli’s role encompasses internal and external communications, enrolment, branding, school events, community relations, alumni, archiving and reception. She has a degree in business and over 20 years of marketing and business development experience. Napoli started her career in public relations and event management before moving into marketing and business development roles in the professional services sector, particularly corporate law firms.
Director of Advancement and Engagement
Claire Napoli
Adam Wollins joined Hills Grammar in July 2023. He has over 20 years of experience in the education sector, including in schools, TAFEs, universities and the NSW Department of Education. He has a proven track record in the effective creation, development and leadership of high-performing ICT transformational and operational support teams.
Director of ICT
Adam Wollins
Adam Wollins joined Hills Grammar in July 2023. He has over 20 years of experience in the education sector, including in schools, TAFEs, universities and the NSW Department of Education. He has a proven track record in the effective creation, development and leadership of high-performing ICT transformational and operational support teams.
Director of ICT
Adam Wollins
Adam Wollins joined Hills Grammar in July 2023. He has over 20 years of experience in the education sector, including in schools, TAFEs, universities and the NSW Department of Education. He has a proven track record in the effective creation, development and leadership of high-performing ICT transformational and operational support teams.
Director of ICT
Adam Wollins
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Medal
Overall service level
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BDM support
Turnaround time – claims
Broker's Pick – Personal Accident and Illness Insurance
Brokers’ Pick – Professional liability
Small business
Professional Teachers’ Council Professional Service award and the Rising Stars 2024 award
staff recognised as The Educator’s Most Influential Educators
speaking at numerous national and international conferences
30 staff presented at the in-house Professional Learning program delivered within the Hills Grammar The Learning Centre
partnering with the NSW Teacher Guild to provide professional learning to regional and remote teachers
“As a school, we celebrate the contribution our staff are making both in the school and beyond in the broader educational community,” says Yager.