Throughout 2025, Trinity Grammar School held a new Professional Growth Initiative, designed to focus on the experience of women educators in boys’ schools.
All Trinity staff – academic, professional, and administrative – were invited to join the events held once per term across the year. Dr Kimberley Pressick-Kilborn (Head of Research and Professional Growth) led this initiative, and says that ensuring this was a whole staff approach was essential to its success.
“These events were for everyone – female staff, along with male colleagues who seek to contribute to building our positive and inclusive community.”
A mix of panel discussions and discussion circles held over breakfasts, the events focused on various aspects of women’s experiences in boys’ schools.
Term 1’s panel discussion featured female teachers from across campuses discussing their unique experiences educating in a boys’ school, what they’ve been found to be helpful, and how they believe Trinity – and other boys’ schools – can continue to grow their culture of inclusivity.
In concluding the panel discussion, Ms Nadene O’Neill (Year 3 teacher, Preparatory School) shared her hopes for the future of women working with boys.
“Hopefully, over time, we’ll just be ‘people’ in a boys’ school, but I’m glad to be a part of this conversation that will get us there. It’s about inclusivity for everyone and having a balance of all different types of people.”
The theme of the Term 2 discussion circles expanded on the panel discussion. The focus reading was Chapter 1, ‘Gender Justice and Teaching Boys’ from the book ‘Teaching Boys: Developing classroom practices that work’ by Australian academics Amanda Keddie and Martin Mills (2007).
Dr Pressick-Kilborn said that the reading got each campus discussion group thinking about the differences amongst boys, not just the differences in what can be a stereotyped gender dichotomy.
“It also focused us on the Productive Pedagogies Framework, which highlights intellectual quality, connectedness, supportive classroom environment, and working with and valuing difference, as dimensions through which we can challenge and broaden constructions of masculinity in teaching boys.”
The panel discussion in Term 3 focused on women in leadership roles across Trinity. The panellists discussed imposter syndrome, stereotypes, Trinity’s legacy culture, the importance of different perspectives, as well as how male colleagues can step up to call out and support when things aren’t right.
The fourth and final event in the Women Educating in Boys’ Schools 2025 initiative was a discussion circle in Term 4, held on each campus across 4 weeks.
In advance of the discussion, participants read a journal article published in 2024 in School Leadership and Management written by Australian researchers Barbara Watterson and Lisa Ehrich: ‘Women’s Leadership development is everybody’s business: if not now, when?’
An important emphasis in this article was on the advantages of having diversity in schools as workplaces, but also amongst educational leaders in schools.
Dr Kimberley Pressick-Kilborn says that across the year’s discussions, her highlight is the space that has been created for Trinity staff – with different roles and experiences – to share their perspective and reflections, leading to growth in understanding of each other.
“We are choosing to set aside some time, away from the busyness of everyday life in our School, to talk about big issues that matter in our society more widely, and in our own School context more specifically.”
“This 2025 Program has enhanced a sense of belonging and connection for many of the female staff in our School, as well as focusing us on the importance of mentoring and networks to support women aspiring to leadership in educational contexts.”
To read the full story and explore more about Trinity’s Professional Growth Initiative, visit: https://www.trinity.nsw.edu.au/2025/11/28/women-educators-in-boys-schools-2025-trinity-grammar-school-professional-growth-initiative/
