Dio School Principal: The Truth About Teenage Girls & NZ’s Education System!

Heather McRae has been the principal of Auckland’s Diocesan School for Girls for the past 17 years.

In this episode we talk about what really goes on inside elite private schools, how teenage girls are coping with phones and social media, the pressure of leading through crises like COVID and the floods, and what she’s learned about leadership, resilience, and raising strong young women.

We also talk about her childhood on a Wairarapa farm, her unexpected journey from organic chemist to educator, the importance of values and ethics in education - and why she’s quietly changed some of Dio’s oldest traditions.

Whether you're a parent, teacher, or just someone interested in the future of education in New Zealand, this is a wide-ranging chat full of perspective, humour, and heart.

Topics include:

Why she’s stepping down after 17 years

The rise of “pink tax” and gender pay gaps

How to spot when your teenager’s struggling (and what to do)

Phones in schools — and what happened when Dio banned them

The complicated impact of social media and Andrew Tate

Why Heather's proudest legacy might be what students don’t see

Public vs private education: does the $30K fee make a difference?

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