Canberra Girls Grammar School (CGGS) is an independent, non-selective Anglican school in the heart of Australia's national capital. Founded in 1926 by the Community of the Sisters of the Church, the School celebrates its centenary this year, marking a century of educational excellence, connection and opportunity. A school of more than 1,300 students in Deakin, CGGS is co-educational from the Early Learning Centre to Year 3 and female-focused from Year 4 to Year 12. It is Canberra's first authorised International Baccalaureate continuum school, offering the Primary Years, Middle Years and Diploma Programmes. Its Boarding House, the first in the ACT, remains the Territory's only exclusively female boarding community.
Founded for girls and focused on girls, CGGS is a place where academic ambition is celebrated, leadership is developed, and intellectual curiosity thrives. Guided by its values of integrity, courage, respect and inclusion, the School exists to graduate fiercely independent young women, confident in their purpose, courageous in their choices, ethical in their actions and capable of shaping a hope-filled future. Learning is holistic, rigorous, and engaging, enriched by more than 100 co-curricular opportunities spanning the performing arts, sport, service learning and academic enrichment. Chapel is an integral part of school life, upholding the values and traditions of the Anglican Church while welcoming students of all faith backgrounds.
The Board now seeks to appoint the next Principal to lead Canberra Girls Grammar School into its second century. This is a rare opportunity to shape the future of a school with a proud history and a hope-filled horizon, at a defining moment in its story. The successful candidate will be an inspiring educational leader with a deep commitment to girls' education and the development of the whole person. They will bring a proven record of senior leadership in a complex educational setting, strategic vision matched by disciplined delivery, and the relational skills to engage and unite a diverse community of students, staff, families, Grammarians, the Anglican Diocese of Canberra-Goulburn, and the wider Canberra community. The next Principal will uphold the School's Anglican values and traditions, champion rigorous and engaging learning across the school and nurture a community of care and accountability in which the values of CGGS are visible and lived. This is an exceptional opportunity to build on a remarkable legacy and to make a lasting difference to the lives of generations of young women.
Canberra Girls Grammar School is supported in this appointment by the executive search firm, Perrett Laver. For further information, or to discuss the role in confidence, please contact James Boyd (Managing Partner, Australia) and Claudia Roth (Associate Consultant, Australia) via email at CGGSPrincipal@perrettlaver.com.
To apply, please upload your curriculum vitae and candidate statement below quoting reference 8659 by 9am AEDT, Monday 19th October 2026.
Perrett Laver will conduct an executive search process in parallel with the public advertisement of the role. The Selection Panel will meet to agree a shortlist in late October, following which formal interviews with the School will take place in early - mid November. If you require any reasonable adjustments to assist you in the selection process, please advise us so that we can make appropriate arrangements.
Canberra Girls Grammar School is committed to providing quality education and care to children and young people, and to the safety and wellbeing of every student. The successful candidate will be required to hold current ACT Working with Vulnerable People registration, be eligible for registration with the ACT Teacher Quality Institute and undertake a national Police Check. International candidates will be required to undertake an international Police Check.
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