Westbourne Grammar School is proud to announce three major wins at the 2025 Australian Education Awards – including the highest individual honour of the evening.

Principal of the Year

Principal and Managing Director, Dr Adrian Camm, has been named the 2025 Compass Education Australian School Principal of the Year, as well as Principal of the Year – Non-Government.

The Compass Education Australian School Principal of the Year is awarded to one leader from across the nation who has demonstrated exceptional vision, innovation and impact. This recognition comes at a defining moment in Westbourne’s 160-year history.

Through sector-leading employment conditions, reduced workloads and clear pathways for leadership, Dr Camm has cultivated a culture where staff can do their best work and emerging leaders are encouraged to step forward. Under his leadership, Westbourne has:

• Increased student enrolment by 650 students
• Launched an AI Academy
• Reimagined chaplaincy
• Delivered major building projects
• Commenced development of a new campus for 1,500 students that will shape learning in Victoria for decades to come

National award for innovation in curriculum design

In addition to Dr Camm’s achievements, Westbourne was also named the winner of the 2025 Australian Education Award for Innovation in Curriculum Design.

This award celebrates the bold thinking behind GearED – Westbourne’s distinctive Middle School learning approach that blends digital fabrication, physical computing, and student agency. GearED empowers students to design solutions to real-world problems, combining creativity and critical thinking with hands-on, multi-disciplinary experiences.

“To be recognised on the national stage is a proud moment for Westbourne,” Dr Camm said. “The progress we have made as a school would not have been possible without the Board’s belief in Westbourne’s potential to be one of Australia’s leading independent schools, the support of our executive leadership team, and the dedication of our staff. We don’t do what we do to win awards – but this moment is an important opportunity to pause, reflect, and celebrate all that we have achieved together.”