AISWA is pleased to be able to offer a new series of six masterclasses designed to support both curriculum and pastoral middle leaders. These masterclasses explore evidence-based strategies and practical approaches that can be taken back and used directly in school.
Schools recognise the importance of middle leaders’ influence as they manage upwards and lead downwards. The significance of developing middle leaders’ skills was highlighted by the publication of AITSL’s 2025 ‘Australian Professional Standards for Middle Leaders’. Providing tailored professional learning is an effective way for AISWA to contribute to the growth and development of middle leaders in schools.
Details of the masterclasses on offer are provided below. Each workshop is delivered as a distinct, standalone masterclass, giving schools flexibility to choose sessions individually. For schools wishing to enrol multiple staff or attend several sessions, a bundle of six places is also available for any combination of workshops and participants.
If you have any questions regarding the Middle Leader Masterclasses, feel free to make contact with Dr Julie Harris jharris@ais.wa.edu.au.
Masterclasses
Bundle Offer
To enable schools with multiple interested staff members to participate more cost-effectively, we are offering a bundle of six workshop places for $1500 plus GST. This allows schools to access a range of sessions and participants in any combination across the program.
For example, a school could allocate two Heads of Year to attend one workshop on secondary pastoral concerns, and four Heads of Department to attend another workshop. Or four middle leaders interesting in tackling the question of working with challenging families could sign up for one workshop and the remaining two places in the bundle could be offered to other staff. Alternatively, one middle leader could attend all six workshops, or six people could attend a single workshop together. The choice is yours!
Speaker
Dr Julie Harris
Dr Julie Harris GAICD is an accomplished educational leader with extensive experience across Independent schooling and strategic leadership in Western Australia, New Zealand and the UK. She is recognised for her expertise in teaching and learning, having built a distinguished career in high-performing schools, spanning classroom practice, senior leadership and principalship.
Dr Harris has held significant leadership roles across respected Independent schools in Perth, including Christ Church Grammar School, St Hilda’s Anglican School for Girls and Guildford Grammar School, where she contributed to teaching excellence and whole-school improvement initiatives. She is widely regarded for her ability to connect educational research with practical classroom application, with a strong focus on pedagogy, coaching, curriculum development and student engagement.
In 2022, Dr Harris was appointed Principal of Carmel School, where she led a vibrant learning community and championed excellence in teaching as well as staff development and wellbeing. As a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and with a PhD in Education and qualifications in mediation and coaching, Dr Harris is committed to fostering inclusive, high-performing learning environments and strengthening the impact of education through evidence-based practice and collaborative leadership.