The Cathedral School welcomes Louise Anderson as Head of Junior School, replacing Luke Baills who has begun his tenure as School Principal. Louise has extensive experience in the Junior School environment and is tremendously excited about joining the Cathedral Team.

Louise has recently returned from two years at the Australian International School in Bangkok where she was Deputy Head of Primary, and Curriculum Leader. Prior to that she spent eight years at Clairvaux Catholic Primary School in Victoria, where she held the position of Deputy Principal and Educational Leader.
Louise is a life-long learner and most recently completed her Masters of Leadership at The Australian Catholic University in Melbourne and an Advanced Leadership for Women Program at the National Excellence in School Leadership Institute.

My Journey to Cathedral

‘I was inspired to be a teacher from a very young age. Two of my sisters were teachers and visiting their classrooms was an exciting part of my school holidays. My imaginary play often consisted of a blackboard (I am showing my age) and chairs set up for my students.

I am a passionate life-long learner.

My parents were not educated past teenage years, but they placed a huge emphasis on educating myself and my seven siblings. I am so grateful for the sacrifices they made so each of us could follow our passions and career paths. I aspire to instil the love of learning and the importance of education into my children and grandchildren.
I am so inspired by the way schools are evolving and adapting to our ever changing, fast-paced world. Classrooms can now be noisy and messy places as students collaborate and explore, ask questions and find solutions. This is so different to the classrooms I grew up in, where children were “seen and not heard”. I love coming to school every day. I am so blessed to be part of a community of learners, where we can celebrate our successes together and have fun learning.

From Melbourne to Townsville.

I visited Townsville for the first time in July 2022. My son was relocating from Victoria to Queensland, and I joined him for three weeks on his road trip along the east coast. The weather was stunning as was the scenery. The beaches, the islands, and the mountains took my breath away. I made the passing comment “I could live here.” and the following year I moved to Townsville. I am thoroughly enjoying the mix of city and nature, and as an added bonus my three grandchildren have also moved here.

Working abroad and leadership roles.

I had always wanted to work overseas, and in 2021 I had the opportunity to work at an international school in Bangkok. The school was in the heart of the city and the students and teachers were from all around the world. I had never been to Thailand previously and when I arrived everything was in Lockdown due to the Covid pandemic. I saw streets and shopping malls literally empty. I now know they are usually bustling with people, cars and motorbikes. I was fortunate to spend each term break travelling around Thailand, from visiting the beaches to the jungles, from the temples to the floating markets. I experienced their amazing food, culture, and people. I will cherish my time working in Bangkok forever.

Even though I am in leadership I still call myself a teacher. Everything I do, and aspire to do, is for the betterment of the students within a school. When I became a leader for the first time, I realised I could have a greater impact across a school, guiding and supporting a larger number of students and teachers. Each leadership course I have completed has given me greater insight into leading teams of people and managing the systems that operate within an organisation. Through the leadership courses I also made connections with other leaders who have inspired and mentored me throughout my leadership journey.

Building upon a strong foundation.

My main goal for the Junior School is to continue building on the tradition of excellence already visible across The Cathedral School. Delivering high-quality and research-based teaching practices is vital in schools, and my goal is to support teachers in maintaining and building their efficacy across all curriculum areas, this in turn will improve student outcomes. I value positive relationships and my aim is that all staff, students and families in the Junior School have opportunities to be welcomed, heard and celebrated.

I would encourage Junior School staff to continue to hone their craft and build their bank of curriculum knowledge. This will grow their confidence when planning and teaching all curriculum areas. I would also encourage all staff to share their expertise with others. Each of us has our own set of strengths and upskilling each other benefits both staff and students. The teaching staff are such an important part of the Junior School learning community, so I wish them all health and happiness, and most importantly enjoyment, as they teach our young children to be engaged, inspired and active learners.

For the parents and wider community, I would like to say how amazing the school facilities and resources are at The Cathedral School. This creates a positive and vibrant environment that caters for exceptional learning experiences and outstanding opportunities for growth. You will see first-hand the development of your child and the skills they will gain through exploring, learning, collaborating and being part of a remarkable school community. My advice to all students is to make the most of their learning journey. To enjoy the successes along the way, but also see mistakes or setbacks as part of the process. Fabulous learning opportunities are everywhere, so don’t overlook them. Be a life-long learner!

Becoming part of the Cathedral community.

I am so excited to be working with you all at Cathedral School. I have been so humbled by the warm welcome I have received. Please know that my door is always open throughout this year and beyond. I look forward to meeting more of you in person, and for a positive and successful year ahead.’

Louise Anderson – Head of Junior School.