The Independent Primary School Heads of Australia

The Independent Primary School Heads of Australia

Formation	September 1952
Membership	380 member schools
Federal President	Deb Dalwood
Executive Assistant	Simone Larwood
Website	ipsha.org.au

The Independent Primary School Heads of Australia (IPSHA) formerly Junior School Heads Association of Australia (JSHAA), is an incorporated body representing the heads of independent primary schools in Australia. Officially established in September 1952, the Association is broken into state branches, with six offices across Australia. The organisation currently has a membership of nearly 380 Full Members, 60 Associate and Life Members and 23 Overseas Members. Combined, the member schools employ around 6,000 people, and are responsible for educating about 100,000 primary aged children.

The IPSHA evolved largely from informal gatherings of New South Wales headmasters, which called itself the Junior Schools' Conference. The Organisation was established in 1952, when a conference was held at Cranbrook School, Sydney, where a constitution was agreed upon for the establishment of the Junior Schools' Conference of Australia.

The organisation holds biennial conferences, which alternate between states. At the biennial Conference in Perth in 1984, the Constitution was amended and the Heads of Independent Girls' Schools became eligible for membership of the IPSHA. Along with this change, came eligibility for heads of co-educational junior schools to join, which provided a significant boost in membership.

The IPSHA has branches in each of Australia's six states, New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria and Western Australia. Each state has an elected representative.

With over 120 members from city, suburban and regional primary and middle schools, the New South Wales Branch of IPSHA has a wide diversity of schools represented. Member schools range from stand alone primary schools to K-12 campuses in both single sex and coeducational settings. All are independent and many reflect a variety of faith based and philosophical missions.