Haileybury Rendall School principal Andrew McGregor extends term to 2027
A Darwin principal’s term at a competitive private school has been extended, ensuring stability at the college. Here’s what the school’s future looks like.
Education
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Haileybury Rendall School has extended its current principal’s term to the end of 2027 after the college went from strength to strength under his leadership.
Andrew McGregor took the competitive private school‘s reins in 2021 after inaugural principal Craig Glass returned to Melbourne.
Since then, the student numbers have rocketed from 426 to 1032 and the school lifted its average ATAR score to 86.
Mr McGregor said the extended term meant Territory families could count on Haileybury to offer “real stability” for their children’s education.
He said his focus as principal so far has been growing the school and fostering its culture.
“Early on, I decided there were just three things (students and staff) needed to remember – so I go around quoting my three things,” he said.
“(They are): be kind, get involved, and do your best.”
Moving forward, Mr McGregor said he expected the school’s growth trajectory to slow as the college reaches capacity, but he plans to keep students at the heart of the school’s plans.
As such, Mr McGregor said he was focused on driving strong outcomes for the Territory’s Indigenous population.
He believed the school was a “centre for excellence in Indigenous education” with 15 per cent of its student population identifying as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander.
Mr McGregor said about 90 of Haileybury’s 104 boarders were enrolled in the school from more than 30 remote communities.
“They’re walking in two wonderful worlds,” he said.
“They’ve got their world with amazing culture and connections back at home, and then they’ve got this world where we’re teaching Western ways and education.
“They’re doing a great job of juggling those two experiences.”
Mr McGregor said he was dedicated to creating a culturally safe space for his students to learn and thrive – the school hosts regular smoking ceremonies, celebrates and displays Indigenous artworks, and employs a full time community relations director.
He said the community relations director‘s sole role was to travel – sometimes with executive staff such as himself – to remote communities and maintain the school’s relationship with families.
“When we go out to community, we just sit down with the families and say, ‘how’s it going, what are we doing well, what can we do better?’” he said.
Mr McGregor said he also has a Principal’s Advisory Committee made up of the school’s Indigenous staff.
He likened the team to the school’s “Voice”.
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