Headquarters:
220 Burwood Highway, Wantirna South, VIC 3152
Year founded:
1982
Number of employees:
140
Phone:
03 8805 3800
Email:
info@knox.vic.edu.au
Website:
knox.vic.edu.au
LinkedIn:
linkedin.com/school/the-knox-school-melbourne-australia
Nikki Kirkup
Principal and Chief Executive
Liana Gooch
Associate Principal and Head of Learning, Teaching, and Innovation
Toni-Ann Bright
Associate Principal and Head of Community, Culture and Operations
Leadership
With over 20 years of experience in education and leadership across three continents, Nikki Kirkup, originally from the UK, came to Australia in 2015 as Director of Senior Years at Melbourne Girls Grammar (MGGS), where she was instrumental in developing, launching and leading the innovative MGGS Senior Years Holistic Model.
In 2020, Nikki joined The Knox School (TKS) originally as Deputy Principal, subsequently taking on the role of Principal and Chief Executive in 2021. With her passion for collaborative leadership, student-centred approaches, community engagement and innovation in education, Nikki continues to champion the vision of TKS as a leader in personalised learning.
Principal and Chief Executive
Nikki Kirkup
Liana Gooch has amassed a wealth of experience in the field of education, having worked in five schools across three countries in various leadership positions focused on enhancing teaching and learning.
Passionate about education, she exhibits a fervent interest in numerous facets, such as curriculum design, pedagogy, learning spaces, professional development, student wellbeing, project-based learning, technology integration, entrepreneurship and innovation.
Associate Principal and Head of Learning, Teaching, and Innovation
Liana Gooch
Toni-Ann Bright started her teaching career in South Africa, cementing her belief that all students have the right to access quality education that provides the best opportunities available and meets students’ academic and wellbeing needs. Further teaching and leadership roles in the UK and Australia provided her a wealth of operational, administrative, curriculum and strategic experience across a range of learning environments.
Toni-Ann hopes her enthusiasm and love of learning inspire others to engage positively with their education. She is dedicated to fostering an environment that is student focused, engages the community, develops leadership and encourages students and teachers to achieve their best.
Associate Principal and Head of Community, Culture and Operations
Toni-Ann Bright
Janelle Mathias
Associate Principal and Head of Senior School
Janelle Mathias successfully completed a double degree at the University of Melbourne, specialising in both science and education. Her passion for teaching led her to commence her career in education, teaching mathematics, at The Knox School (TKS) in 2009. Throughout her tenure at TKS, Janelle has held various roles that have contributed to her development as both a teacher and a leader within the school community.
She is dedicated to the holistic development of her students and is committed to fostering a learning environment that provides opportunities for students to grow and achieve their personal best.
Associate Principal and Head of Senior School
Janelle Mathias
Simon Cowell
Associate Principal and Head of Junior School
Simon Cowell is a 1995 The Knox School alumni. He has completed a degree in community development at Deakin University, leading him to work in the international community development sector. He was a board member of an educational charity in Cambodia, and this position directed him to education.
Simon completed a degree in both primary and secondary education. He has taught in various roles across both primary and secondary schools in the UK and Australia.
Simon has a strong focus on the inquiry process through a concept-driven curriculum and the Design Thinking Model.
In his own time, he enjoys travelling, especially to Cambodia, where he still maintains strong connections to the educational set.
Associate Principal and Head of Junior School
Simon Cowell
Tracey Costello
Chief Financial Officer
Isaac Rule
Head of Digital Strategy
Fiona Kapkidis
Head of People and Culture (Human Resources)
David Sexton
Director Business Services
Tracey Costello is an accomplished strategic leader with a breadth and depth of finance, governance and strategic executive experience, including 10 years with a Big 4 accounting consultancy, working in Australia, USA and Canada, and 10 years as a senior executive in both government and commercial organisations.
Chief Financial Officer
Tracey Costello
Isaac Rule is a digital strategy and operations leader with experience across New Zealand, the United Kingdom and Australia. With a background in primary education and a Master of Educational Leadership, he brings his experience in the classroom to system-level execution.
He leads digital projects to improve systems and is committed to building staff capability, strengthening digital literacy and aligning innovation with strategic priorities. His portfolio includes oversight of the school’s Learning Management System and stakeholder engagement.
Rule is passionate about supporting students to develop their critical thinking skills and independence. His work as Timetabler supports delivery of the school’s academic program, aligning staffing, subject offerings and resource allocation to maximise the benefit to students.
Head of Digital Strategy
Isaac Rule
With more than 20 years in people and culture, Fiona Kapkidis combines her HR experience with a strong background in business and music education. A graduate of the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music at the University of Melbourne, she later completed postgraduate qualifications in business management at Monash University, shaping her holistic approach to people development. Her career includes over five years in Asia with a major communications company, where she led professional development, team engagement and training programs across culturally diverse organisational environments.
Prior to joining The Knox School, she worked in the property industry, leading people strategy, recruitment and stakeholder engagement. Passionate about creating positive workplaces and building authentic connections, Kapkidis believes that when people feel valued and supported, they bring their best to what they do. She remains deeply connected to the music community, teaching piano privately and having previously served as a board director for both the Victorian Music Teachers’ Association and Melbourne Youth Orchestras.
Head of People and Culture (Human Resources)
Fiona Kapkidis
As Director of Business Services, David oversees the financial, operational and commercial aspects of the School. In this role, he contributes to shaping and implementing strategic initiatives, supports business sustainability and enables the next phase of campus development, including the 10-year Master Plan and Strategic Plan (2026–2028).
He is an accomplished executive leader with over 25 years of experience at C-Suite and Board level spanning diverse sectors including education, not-for-profit, disability, sport and professional services. He has extensive experience shaping and executing strategic plans, driving income growth and diversification, master planning and major capital projects, stakeholder engagement, leading high-performing teams and managing complex budgets.
Director Business Services
David Sexton
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Stephen McMillan first entered the financial services Industry when he joined GE Capital as a finance analyst in 2008, from which he progressed through roles working both onshore and offshore. From there, he moved into Pacific Premium Funding as a financial planning and analysis leader in 2012 and was a key resource in the evolution of the business, first with the successful sale to Macquarie Pacific Funding and then the following progression into IQumulate Premium Funding, where he is now the commercial manager.
As commercial manager, McMillan leads a team that is responsible for commercial analysis and business support, identifying and reporting improvement initiatives, and the securitization and treasury functions of the business.
Product Manager
Claire Watson
Stephen McMillan first entered the financial services Industry when he joined GE Capital as a finance analyst in 2008, from which he progressed through roles working both onshore and offshore. From there, he moved into Pacific Premium Funding as a financial planning and analysis leader in 2012 and was a key resource in the evolution of the business, first with the successful sale to Macquarie Pacific Funding and then the following progression into IQumulate Premium Funding, where he is now the commercial manager.
As commercial manager, McMillan leads a team that is responsible for commercial analysis and business support, identifying and reporting improvement initiatives, and the securitization and treasury functions of the business.
Commercial Manager
Stephen McMillan
“Having close connections with our parents, staff and community, is integral to a rich learning environment. When we work together, we can achieve amazing things”
Karen Yager,
Hills Grammar
“I believe that students learn in a supportive environment with passionate and inspiring teachers and staff. We surround our students with positive creative and inspiring people, enthusiastic about their own learning and keen to immerse students in the spirit of life-long learning across the whole community”
Karen Yager,
Hills Grammar
The Knox School is an independent, values-driven learning community for girls and boys from Early Learning to Year 12 in Melbourne. It boasts a distinguished reputation for providing personalised learning for all students, who become the architects and advocates for their learning journey as they strive to achieve their personal best.
Founded in 1982, The Knox School is a non-denominational establishment. Its values are at the core of all its endeavours. It celebrates each student’s uniqueness, and through a close-knit community, they can find their niche and become proud to belong.
The educators at The Knox School connect, shape, provoke, challenge and position the students to thrive in an ever-evolving global landscape. They activate engaging and rewarding learning experiences that support students to contribute positively and impactfully to their communities. Design thinking, agency and project-based learning are hallmarks of many learning experiences, engaging students in the development of character, high-quality work and the mastery of skills and knowledge. Whether in the classroom or on the sporting field, a TKS student stands out for their confidence, passion and unwavering commitment to lifelong learning.
Learning designed for educators
The centrepiece of Hills Grammar’s approach to staff development is its Professional Learning Model, led by director of professional learning Dr. Chris Furner. Grounded in adult learning pedagogies, aligned with the school’s strategic intent and staff profile and standards, the model deliberately moves away from compliance-driven professional development towards something more meaningful. This is delivered as learning that is authentic, research-based and tailored to where each educator is in their career journey.
Supporting this is the Learning Centre Staff Program, which creates structured opportunities for staff to share practice, reflect on their work and learn from one another. Mentoring, leadership development and action research opportunities are embedded throughout, making professional growth a continuous and collegial practice rather than a periodic obligation. It is a model that reflects Hills Grammar’s commitment to investing in the people responsible for delivering its educational vision.
Future-forward leadership
The school’s commitment to its team extends to how Hills Grammar approaches leadership. Working in partnership with the governing council, school leaders maintain a shared focus on developing what the school describes as a ‘future fit’ graduate and the workforce equipped to teach them. Innovation is encouraged, and the culture is one where academic ambition and professional development are seen as inseparable.
Wellbeing in a remarkable setting
Staff also benefit from complimentary wellbeing programs, a genuine commitment to work-life balance and access to an Employee Assistance Program. Additionally, for educators who value a workplace where the physical environment itself is part of the daily experience, Hills Grammar’s picturesque campus offers a setting that is as restorative as it is inspiring.
There is also a proactive approach to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), such that employees are informed and educated through integrated professional learning frameworks. Hills Grammar is proud to be actively shaping bold thinkers, and in turn empowering the people who teach them.
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