Teagan Collins, Associate Principal at Westbourne Grammar School, is a respected educational leader with extensive experience across the independent school sector. She is deeply committed to enhancing student experience, professional learning, and school culture. Guided by the belief that schools thrive when people feel supported and valued, Teagan fosters environments where communities flourish through high support and high expectations. A strong advocate for evidence-based practice, she has led whole-school initiatives in teaching, wellbeing, co-curricular programs, digital transformation, and leadership development—all centered on people and purpose.
Throughout her career, Teagan has held senior roles including Deputy Principal, Director of Programs, and Director of Sport, and has been featured on The Educator’s Hotlist. Holding a Master of Education, an Executive MBA, and a Harvard Business School credential in strategy, she is currently pursuing a PhD at Deakin University. Teagan is admired for leading with clarity, compassion, and conviction.
In this conversation with K12 Digest, Teagan shares her thoughts on leadership, learning, and the evolving role of schools in today’s complex world. Drawing from her rich experience across the independent education sector, Teagan discusses the importance of fostering trust-based relationships, building staff capacity, and embedding wellbeing into every layer of school life. She also opens up about Westbourne’s thoughtful embrace of AI in education, the power of listening deeply to school communities, and the wisdom behind her TEDx talk that draws lessons from nature. Below are the excerpts of the interview.
You’ve had a fascinating journey from classroom teacher to Associate Principal. Could you share a few defining moments or lessons that shaped your leadership philosophy along the way?
I’ve been incredibly fortunate to have been mentored and encouraged by some of the best leaders in education. They believed in me – sometimes before I even believed in myself. A formative moment came when a Principal I deeply admired said, almost offhandedly; “When you’re a principal, you’ll remember that.” That sentence has stuck with me, and I am often reminded of it. It helped me to understand that leadership is not just about doing, the responsibility, the service or the innovation; it’s about using your position to create a school culture you believe in and building the capacity of those around you. I can recall so many of these defining moments and conversations, which have been coupled with opportunities to lead, study, and grow. I always said yes to these opportunities and challenges – sometimes with great fear, doubt or hesitation, but I knew I would find a way to get it done to the best of my ability. This position of yes has afforded me with many formative experiences, which have shaped me into the leader I am today. A leader who believes in fostering purposeful relationships and building the capacity of those around me, in a nurturing and high-trust environment.
On The Principal’s Perspective podcast, you and Dr Adrian Camm discussed “what it really takes to lead a school in 2025.” How do you see the role of a school leader changing in the next few years?
Schools are becoming increasingly complex places. When Dr Adrian Camm and I spoke on The Principal’s Perspective about what it really takes to lead a school in 2025, we kept returning to a simple truth – the role of schools has changed, therefore the role of school leadership must change with it. For some time now, schools have become the village with communities looking for connection, guidance and support. More so than ever before, schools are being asked to step in where the social contract is breaking down, or where the village once was. In this context, leadership is less about managing and more about sense and meaning-making. The essence of our work is to keep the purpose of the school vivid and shared, to offer a coherent narrative that helps students, staff, and families make sense of a rapidly changing environment, without pretending the complexity isn’t real.
Too often, the story of leadership and schools is told in the negative. The pressures, risks and tensions facing leaders are real, but staying in that narrative doesn’t serve our communities or our profession. Schools need leaders who will step forward, refocus attention on what’s working, and amplify it. The work is complex, but it is also profoundly hopeful.
To do this, we need to listen and not just to the loudest voices, but listen deeply to students’ lived experience, to staff who are carrying invisible loads, and to families who want partnership. When we listen authentically, we can make timely decisions that align with our purpose. We can move towards the complexity and find a way to provide clarity where the terrain is ambiguous.
Westbourne Grammar has a strong reputation for academic excellence and innovation. How is the school currently embracing AI or other emerging technologies to enhance teaching and learning?
Excellence in teaching and learning remains central to what we do. It underpins our vision of shaping learners who inspire the world. Importantly, doing so means being unafraid to innovate. It was a deliberate decision when ChatGPT launched in late 2022 to say that we are not banning AI; we are embracing it. We are transparent with our community about how we are using it, and quite intentional in our approach. It is most certainly not about using AI to shortcut learning or make the messiness of learning faster or easier. It is, however, about teaching our students to think critically and to be creators of tomorrow’s technology today. Our community understands the transformative power and benefits of AI and are interested in harnessing the technology’s potential to enhance learning in new and exciting ways. We want our students to understand the power and complexity of AI, and to be able to question, evaluate, and ultimately harness it to scale their learning to new heights.
You’ve spoken publicly about the importance of wellbeing and teacher support. What systems or practices have you found most effective in building a sustainable and thriving school culture?
When our teachers are thriving, our students thrive too. That’s why I’m unapologetic about building a culture where both staff and students feel empowered, seen, and supported. For me, well-being isn’t a program on the side; it needs to be embedded in all that we do.
Practically, that starts with focus. By stripping away unnecessary administrative load and making expectations clear, our staff can spend their energy on high-impact work. Clarity is a kindness and when everyone understands the “why,” the work becomes lighter and the outcomes for learners – stronger. Alongside clarity, we design for flexibility and understand that autonomy is a professional necessity. We create structures that provide teams room to deliver exceptional learning experiences through flexibility and collaborative planning rhythms, with permission to move quickly and adapt their practice as required. Distributed leadership networks underpin this way of working.
Wellbeing is not a one-size-fits-all approach, so we meet staff where they are and walk alongside them. This looks like differentiated professional learning and opportunities for growth, access to coaching, allied health services on campus, thoughtful workload design and an understanding that what works for one staff member may not work for all.
Your TEDx talk beautifully connects lessons from nature to leadership. What inspired that metaphor, and how do you bring those ideas into your professional practice?
I never imagined I’d find myself on a TEDx stage, although it never ceases to amaze me how persuasive young people can be! The talk was inspired by a childhood memory and the metaphor of the wise old owl proverb: “A wise old owl sat on the oak; the more he heard, the less he spoke; the less he spoke, the more he heard”. My parents often reminded me of the poem when I was younger. It instilled within me a deep respect for patience, observation, and the power of truly listening. The TEDx talk focused on four takeaways the owl has taught me about leading schools – sit high and see wide, speak less and hear more, stillness can be strength, and wisdom is in the echo. These lessons spoke to themes of vision and perspective, deep listening, emotional regulation, culture building, and leaving a legacy. I often find myself reflecting on the lessons of the owl in my daily practice. Leadership isn’t always about having the loudest voice, but it is about creating space for others to speak, dream, and lead.
Beyond school life, what are some personal pursuits or values that keep you grounded and what advice would you share with students or young educators aspiring to lead in the future?
Pursuing my PhD continues to provide intellectual challenge, rigor and sparks curiosity of thought. It keeps me connected and informed, ensuring I am apprised of current research and literature. My research focuses on the work of independent school principals and the ways in which they manage and understand the pressures of their work. It aims to contribute to the understanding of how work intensification has exacerbated the many challenges principals face.
I value the opportunity to contribute and give back – whether that be through voluntary governance roles, professional networks, presenting at conferences or mentoring current and future leaders. Of course, my family keeps me grounded, and our 1-year-old certainly keeps me on my toes!
To any educators aspiring to lead in the future, my advice is simple. Be curious, courageous, listen and say yes to opportunities that may present themselves along the way. As leaders, we are not in the pursuit of perfection. We are however, committed to doing our best – including the hard things, with heart.