Tony Giles is Principal of Mahurangi College, located in Warkworth north of Auckland. It caters for students from years 7 to 13 and has a roll of about 1,600 students. He took on the role in 2021 following five years as Associate Principal at Rangitoto College. He has been in teaching for 35 years, including single-sex, co-ed, Catholic & state schools across a range of deciles. Mahurangi College has undergone significant transformation since 2021, focusing on embedding evidence-based teaching methods and cultivating a culture of respect and engaged learning.

In this keynote presentation at SBP Te Tai Tokerau, 14 September 2024, Tony discusses the rationale behind these priorities and the progress they have made in the past three years. He will elaborate on key aspects of the transformation including: resource allocation, disciplinary literacy implementation, professional development for teachers, and efforts to foster a learning-focused culture promoting success and equity. Tony shares lessons learned for school leaders considering similar transformations.