Dorothy Eleanor Whitehead

Dorothy Eleanor Whitehead (9 August 1908 – 1 July 1976) was an Australian headmistress. She served during World War II and then led Ascham School in Sydney and Firbank Girls' Grammar School in Melbourne.

Life Whitehead was born in 1908 in Geelong. Her parents had both been born in Australia. Her mother was Jessie (born Brown) and her father, James Whitehead, was a clerk. She graduated from the University of Melbourne as a qualified teacher but instead of teaching she worked as a secretary before the war. under the direction of Headmistress Margaret Bailey. The next head who served the school for several years was Whitehead.

Whitehead continued with the Dalton Plan at Ascham until in 1961, when she became the head of Firbank Girls' Grammar School in Melbourne. and during her time the students were allowed more freedom. She continued with using the Dalton Plan at Firbank. She replaced exams with tests and removed the streaming of students. New buildings were introduced for physical education and to increase the boarding facility.

Whitehead died in 1976 in Malvern.