Headquarters:
Glenelg
Year founded:
2019
Number of employees:
120
Phone:
08 7221 6203
Email:
mperkins@spw.sa.edu.au
Website:
spw.sa.edu.au
LinkedIn:
linkedin.com/school/st-peters-woodlands-grammar-school
“We are developing capable and responsible citizens that we hope will do a better job of looking after the planet and each other than previous generations”
Helen Finlay,
St Peter’s Woodlands Grammar School
Helen Finlay
Principal
Sarah Noell
Deputy Principal/Head of Early Years
Kerry Ramsay
Head of Primary
Leadership
Helen Finlay is a passionate principal and board member of the Association of Independent Schools South Australia. With extensive experience as head of junior school and director of teaching and learning K–12, she excels in public speaking, research, management and leadership. Finlay holds a Certificate of Gifted Education, a Master of Education from the University of NSW and a Certificate in School Leadership and Management from Harvard University. She is currently completing a Master of Business Administration to further enhance her leadership skills and strategic vision, driving excellence and innovation in education.
Principal
Helen Finlay
Sarah Noell is the current deputy principal/head of early years at St Peter’s Woodlands, with a master’s degree in education specialising in educational psychology. With 29 years of experience in primary education, she is deeply committed to fostering strong, positive relationships with students and their families to create an environment where learning is both enjoyable and impactful. She is a passionate advocate for the importance of quality early years education and believes in laying a solid foundation for lifelong learning and growth.
Deputy Principal/Head of Early Years
Sarah Noell
Kerry Ramsay is a dedicated and innovative educator with over 20 years of experience across both the United Kingdom and Australia. Currently serving as head of primary, she oversees the education of students in Years 3–6. Her career has seen her take on leadership roles such as head of learning and teaching, deputy head teacher and acting head teacher in the UK. Throughout these roles, Ramsay has made a significant impact on curriculum design, teaching practices and pedagogy. As an accredited coach, she is passionate about empowering staff to improve student outcomes. She is also a strong advocate for building meaningful relationships with families to support the holistic development of students.
Head of Primary
Kerry Ramsay
"We are developing capable and responsible citizens that we hope will do a better job of looking after the planet and each other than previous generations”
HELEN FINLAY,
ST PETER’S WOODLANDS GRAMMAR SCHOO
“We believe in sharing ideas with others, not in competing with other schools. Our purpose is ensuring a rich, meaningful education for all”
HELEN FINLAY,
ST PETER’S WOODLANDS GRAMMAR SCHOOL
Leadership
“We believe in sharing ideas with others, not in competing with other schools. Our purpose is ensuring a rich, meaningful education for all”
Helen Finlay,
St Peter’s Woodlands Grammar School
“We are developing capable and responsible citizens that we hope will do a better job of looking after the planet and each other than previous generations”
Helen Finlay,
St Peter’s Woodlands Grammar School
Leadership
Lisa Harris
Head of Teaching, Learning and Innovation
With over 30 years of dedicated experience in primary education, Lisa Harris is a passionate advocate for innovative teaching practices and holistic student development. As the head of learning, teaching, and innovation, she has played a pivotal role in shaping curriculum design and implementation, ensuring that educational programs are responsive to the diverse needs of learners in today’s fast-evolving world.
Harris’ broad international experience has significantly enriched her educational approach, bringing a global perspective to her work. As a former PYP coordinator, she has led successful initiatives that promote inquiry-based learning and inspire a lifelong love of learning in students.
Head of Teaching, Learning and Innovation
Lisa Harris
David Brock
Business Director
A dedicated and dynamic leader with extensive experience in a variety of educational settings, Jeremy Otto has held positions of responsibility as deputy principal (teaching and learning), head of learning, head of middle school and dean of teaching and learning. As Westbourne’s director of teaching and learning, he brings in-depth understanding of both VCE and IB programs and is a passionate advocate for achieving excellent student outcomes through facilitating great teaching. Otto is secretary of the Vic/Tas branch of the Australian College of Educators and a member of the Institute of Company Directors.
Director of Teaching and Learning
Jeremy Otto, BEd, B Creative Ind, MEd, Cert School Mgmt & Leadership, GAICD
St Peter’s Woodlands Grammar School fosters an environment of innovation in education by combining new teaching methods, technologies and evidence-based practices to make learning engaging and impactful in both Primary School and Early Learning settings.
Committed to continuous professional development, SPW encourages its educators to collaborate, adapt and explore the latest educational research, creating a community focused on growth and excellence. This approach supports the school’s mission to nurture students’ academic, spiritual and personal development, ensuring that each child feels valued and inspired.
Principal Helen Finlay says, “We are developing capable and responsible citizens that we hope will do a better job of looking after the planet and each other than previous generations. We do this through several initiatives aligned to our school value of service.”
These initiatives teach students empathy, awareness and civic responsibility through real-world engagement.
One SPW program involves students selecting a local, national or global cause to research and take action on, whether through fundraising or raising awareness. The Children’s Kindness Convention, originally developed in New South Wales, has been introduced by SPW to South Australia, engaging Year 5 students in discussions with peers from other schools on issues such as the declining bee population, fast fashion, online bullying and ocean plastics.
“We believe in sharing ideas with others, not in competing with other schools. Our purpose is ensuring a rich, meaningful education for all”
Helen Finlay,
St Peter’s Woodlands Grammar School
Kate Hockley
Director of Human Resources
Keith Schlosser
Global Chief Information Officer
Dan Draper
Group Chief Underwriting Officer
Simon Williams
Chief Strategy & Distribution Officer, Arch Insurance International
and Active Underwriter, Syndicate 1955
Emma Watters is an innovative educator, an experienced teacher-researcher and a strong advocate for the Reggio-Emilia philosophy of education, Project Zero’s Cultures of Thinking and the Maker Movement. Prior to joining Westbourne, Watters was at The Geelong College, where she was leader of learning for Years 4–8 and was previously the numeracy curriculum coordinator PP-10 at Nyikina Mangala Community School at Jarlmadangah, WA. While at MMCS, she was awarded the Kate Mullin Prize for Excellence in Language and Literacy Outcomes for her work in leading the implementation of the Walker Learning Approach.
Deputy Head of Junior School
Emma Watters, BEd
Keith Schlosser is global chief information officer at AXIS Capital, where he leads the company’s global information technology and data strategy. He is also responsible for driving change throughout the organisation by delivering high-quality, future-oriented IT services in line with AXIS Capital’s business strategy. Schlosser has more than 30 years of insurance industry experience, spanning roles in information technology, business solutions, marketing and sales. Prior to AXIS, he served as chief information officer for Chubb’s Overseas General Insurance division, where he spearheaded a number of growth, innovation, digital and change initiatives. Before that, he served as CIO at The Travelers Companies international division. Schlosser was also a vice president for marketing technology and web communications at AIG.
Global Chief Information Officer
Keith Schlosser
Dan Draper was appointed group chief underwriting officer in September 2022. He had previously served for more than two years as group head of underwriting at AXIS. Prior to that, he had been group chief risk and actuarial officer at VIBE. Before joining VIBE, Draper spent eight years with AXIS, holding a number of leadership roles that included group chief actuary, chief risk analytics officer, and insurance segment chief risk officer. Before that, he held managerial positions at the Financial Services Authority, XL Capital, and EY.
Group Chief Underwriting Officer
Dan Draper
Kimi leads the Estate Planning and Wealth Protection team and is a member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners. She understands the complex and delicate nature of family estate planning, the technical requirements around probate and estate administration, and the importance of preserving wealth for future generations. Her advice is accurate, commercial, strategic and tailored to each situation.
Partner
Kimi Shah
Kimi leads the Estate Planning and Wealth Protection team and is a member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners. She understands the complex and delicate nature of family estate planning, the technical requirements around probate and estate administration, and the importance of preserving wealth for future generations. Her advice is accurate, commercial, strategic and tailored to each situation.
Partner
Kimi Shah
Kimi leads the Estate Planning and Wealth Protection team and is a member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners. She understands the complex and delicate nature of family estate planning, the technical requirements around probate and estate administration, and the importance of preserving wealth for future generations. Her advice is accurate, commercial, strategic and tailored to each situation.
Partner
Kimi Shah
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1. Research-driven – SPW partners with prominent educators, such as Dr. Ron Ritchhart of Harvard University, to embed leading research in its curriculum.
2. Innovative – The school remains at the cutting edge of educational practices, continually refining its approach.
3. Student-centred – SPW involves students in shaping their own learning experience, fostering a global perspective and encouraging social responsibility.
4. Extraordinary – SPW aims to nurture well-rounded, educated young people committed to making a positive difference.
SPW staff also model the school’s values through a dedicated service day, where they volunteer for local charities, reinforcing the importance of community engagement.
The school’s unique DARE (Dream Achieve Reach Experience) – Year 6 Graduate Diploma program spans the entire school year, helping students develop practical skills and values through diverse activities. Highlights include passion projects, cooking meals for family, understanding reconciliation, obtaining first aid and CPR certification, completing 20 hours of community service and planting trees at ForkTree with Dr Tim Jarvis. Students also explore civics and citizenship in Adelaide by visiting a homeless shelter, fire brigade, Parliament House, and a news station.
SPW further supports student growth with Project RISE, a bespoke learning framework organised around four core pillars:
Reflecting on Project RISE, Finlay says, “This framework has allowed us, as a leader in primary education, to make strategic decisions on academics and partnerships. It also provides a balanced approach, ensuring foundational literacy and numeracy skills while offering rich, student-led investigations.”
SPW values collective thinking and collaboration, with Helen noting, “We believe in sharing ideas with others, not in competing with other schools. Our purpose is ensuring a rich, meaningful education for all.”
digital pedagogies
performance infrastructure
virtual village
horizon scanning
progressive educational curriculum frameworks (futures thinking, metaverse, cryptocurrencies and autonomous vehicles)
Westbourne Grammar School embodies a dynamic, inclusive and forward-thinking culture grounded in Shaping Learners who Inspire the World, which reflects its commitment to excellence and innovation.
Principal Adrian Camm champions and models innovative practices, notably via his fully interactive AI Avatar and digital twin on Westbourne’s website, which answers questions in real time. A teaching and learning version is being deployed to provide similar 24/7 support to teachers and students.
“Innovation and continuous improvement are integral to our culture. We embrace new ideas and technologies, continually evolving our teaching practices, operational strategies and student opportunities, to stay at the forefront of education,” says Camm. “A characteristic of our school is that we don’t stand still. We honour the past, acknowledge the present and set course for an ambitious and bold new future.”
Westbourne’s innovation is multifaceted and targets elevating its teaching and learning experience to world class by implementing into the curriculum and administrative processes:
Westbourne’s innovative mindset is further evident in its academic performance and student/staff engagement, leading to the second-best ATAR and NAPLAN results in its 158-year history.
While the adoption of emerging technologies has delivered measurable savings and reduced administrative workloads, real-time data dashboards show key performance metrics and project status, enabling faster, more informed decision-making.
“We regularly survey parents, students, staff and board members to gauge their satisfaction with the school’s programs and initiatives,” Camm says.
“High levels of satisfaction and increased student motivation and engagement are direct indicators of the success of our innovative approaches. Staff accolades, such as those awarded by The Educator, The Australian Education Awards and other prestigious organisations, further validate the positive impact of our initiatives in our community.”
Plans are underway to create immersive educational environments that further enhance student exploration of complex concepts in a hands-on, interactive manner, delivered through innovation labs located in the new $50 million middle school. There is also the continued development of a new state-of-the-art ELC – Year 12 campus for 1,500 students north of Geelong.
“Our commitment to continually evolving our digital strategy is unwavering and includes the ongoing refinement of our real-time data dashboards and the implementation of new digital pedagogies that leverage the latest research and technology,” says Camm. “By staying at the forefront of digital innovation, we can ensure our educational experience is both relevant and future focused.”
Another innovation is Westbourne’s bespoke CyberTrail micro-credentialing program, providing students and staff with the opportunity to earn industry-recognised qualifications in emerging fields.
Camm says, “The program ensures our community remains at the forefront of technological advancements – an objective of the school’s digital strategy.”
To further develop the school’s award-winning digital strategy, themes that have been revised include:
integration of advanced technologies
artificial intelligence (AI academy for students from Year 5 to 12 to develop AI applications)
machine learning
blockchain and biometric technologies
