Dr Anne Johnstone, Head of Cranbrook School, has been awarded a Fellowship of the Teachers’ Guild of New South Wales in recognition of her visionary leadership and enduring contribution to education.
During the 2026 Fellows Dinner and Presentation of Awards on Friday 31 July 2026, Dr Johnstone was one of 22 exemplary educators from across the state’s education sectors to receive the honour this year in celebration of their excellence in education. Further reflecting the calibre of educators associated with Cranbrook, the guest of honour was Old Cranbrookian and former Cranbrook teacher Dr Phil Cummins, a distinguished education leader and Hooke Family Professor of Practice in Educational Leadership at the University of Sydney.Founded in 1892, the Teachers’ Guild of New South Wales is the oldest professional association of educators in Australia. The Guild’s Awards honour those who make a profound difference in the lives of their students and school communities. Its Fellowship is one of the Guild’s highest honours, awarded to educators who have demonstrated exceptional professional achievement, leadership and service to education through outstanding practice, educational research or leadership across the profession. Fellowship is conferred by the Guild’s Council following a rigorous assessment against strict selection criteria.
“These awards provide a public platform to acknowledge and thank educators who embody excellence in teaching,” said Dr Frederick Osman, President of the Teachers’ Guild of New South Wales. “They are shaping an informed, cohesive, and compassionate society through their tireless commitment to student growth, wellbeing, and learning.”
The Fellowship follows Dr Johnstone’s earlier recognition by the Guild, including the Phyllis Evans Medal in 2022 for her “distinguished standing” as an educator, and a Teachers’ Guild of NSW Award for Excellence in Teaching.
Dr Johnstone is widely recognised as one of Australia’s pre-eminent educators. In 2024, she was named both Australian School Principal of the Year and Australian School Principal of the Year (Non-Government) at the Australian Education Awards. In 2025, she was recognised for the third consecutive year in The Educator’s Most Influential Educators list, having previously been included in The Educator’s Hot List in 2022 and 2023.
Further reflecting her commitment to advancing educational practice, Dr Johnstone was also awarded a Churchill Fellowship to research resilience in learning at the University of Cambridge. Her contributions have also been acknowledged through an Australian Speech and Communication Association Award for Excellence and a commendation at the Positive Education Global Summit for her outstanding leadership in the field of positive education.
The Cranbrook community extends its heartfelt congratulations to Dr Johnstone on this distinguished recognition and celebrates her remarkable leadership, commitment to education and ongoing contribution to Cranbrook and the wider educational community.
For more information, visit www.teachersguild.nsw.edu.au
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