Michael Chittenden’s administrative skills are excellent, he never misses a deadline and his name is a by-word for organisation and efficiency. His keen eye for details and thorough preparation make him entirely reliable.

I have rarely encountered any person better equipped than Michael Chittenden to lead a group towards mutually agreed goals. His leadership qualities are "up front" and patently apparent in the school situation. He has a natural and innate ability to bring out and use the talents of fellow professionals and workers whilst enabling those who have appropriate strengths and abilities to take the lead. Michael was, and is, an outstanding school leader and one of the very few leaders about whom I have heard no criticism. One of his great strengths is in the development of leadership potential amongst his staff.

In conclusion I would add that the foregoing gives a strong impression of an outstanding and competent administrator. Michael is certainly this but equally he has great competence as a curriculum innovator and impressive educational leader who understands teaching and learning. My experience as an educator has been in three Australian States and in four education systems as a teacher, principal and systems administrator. I consider Michael Chittenden to be in the first rank of all educators in my experience.

Michael Chittenden has been a very senior leader in a range of schools - see his CV. All of the schools have been large, complex and committed to outstanding educational outcomes. He is an outstanding educator who knows his way across a range of curriculum frameworks. He leads well across all dimensions of a senior educational leader's role: educational leadership, development of educational capacity of teachers and others, financial management, community development and engagement etc.

He is dynamic, rigorous and committed to ensuring the best outcomes for all students within his responsibility. He sees that teacher capacity is at the heart of this endeavour.

He has the capacity to develop excellent professional relationships, such that his colleagues respect and follow him as an authentic educational leader. He continues to strive for excellence in all that he does. Michael is not constrained by in the box thinking, but uses his considerable intellectual powers to generate creative and innovative solutions.

Through my long professional association with Michael Chittenden, I have always valued his deep knowledge of education, of leadership and of change management. Michael’s knowledge, skills and experiences as a leader of learning are exceptional. He is equally adept at leading the learning of young children and adults, his vast repertoire of instructional skills and his engaging character enable him to do both, and his ability to lead the learning of young people has always been a strength in his leadership of teachers. As an instructional leader Michael has few peers.

As a school leader he builds a strong culture of high expectations for all staff and students and engaged with families while doing so. One of the characteristics of Michael’s work that I have observed on many occasions is his ability to develop the professional capabilities staff, and to lead them in the development of contemporary professional practices.

He is a person of high moral standards and is highly ethical. He has enormous intellectual capacity, energy and commitment to work.