When you meet Brooklynne Coombe, you immediately notice her passion for people and her love for teaching.
As Head of Middle School at King’s Baptist Grammar School, Brooklynne describes her work as both a calling and a privilege. “I absolutely love teaching,” she says. “From the age of three, I decided I was going to be a teacher.”
Over the past few years, Brooklynne has stepped into leadership within education, guiding both staff and students through the often complex world of adolescence.
Brooklynne first heard about Arrow through colleagues, Vicky Jones and Adam Dunt, who had gone through the program. “I’d seen how transformative it was for them,” she explains. “Adam Dunt came back with really clear goals and purpose for the Middle School. Arrow gave him time and the gift of honing some of his leadership skills.”
When her own opportunity came, Brooklynne knew the timing was right. Nominated by her colleague, Vicky Jones, for the Executive Leaders Program, and supported by her school, she stepped into Arrow with a desire to grow not just as a leader, but as a Christian woman.
Transforming Leadership from the Inside Out
For Brooklynne, Arrow’s focus on inner work helped redirect her understanding about leadership. “I’ve never had a course that started with caring about the individual first,” she reflects. “Residential 1 gave me the gift of time and space to do the inner work. It was quite profound in what I realised about myself and how I wanted to change.”
Through the program, she discovered the concept of the Cycle of Grace and the Cycle of Grief. This framework helped reshape her approach to leadership. “I very much was still working in the cycle of grief; trying to do good works to be deserving,” she admits. Arrow helped her see that “I need to be sitting in that Cycle of Grace. I am loved. I am enough as I am and it’s in God’s strength that I can do all of these things.”
The second residential brought practical tools for leading people well. From change management to difficult conversations addressed through Christ-centered values. Through Arrow, Brooklynne says she’s become more intentional in every part of her leadership; from supporting staff transitions to ensuring that every person leaves the school feeling cared for. “I think about the type of leader Jesus was, that servant leadership.”
Equipping Adaptive Christian Teachers
Serving in a Christian school setting, Brooklynne leads with a deep commitment to her faith, even as she engages with students and families from diverse belief systems. She regards this dynamic as both a challenge and a privilege, seeking to remain a faithful witness to Christ amid a rapidly evolving cultural context.
“It’s hard in a Christian setting,” she admits. Brooklynne recognises the tension that arises when Christian values of love and kindness are used to diminish the role of Christian leaders in doing what’s best for their team whilst honouring God. This tension has prompted her to think deeply about what faithful leadership looks like in practice and how to balance grace with conviction.
Through Arrow, Brooklynne has recognised the importance of “equipping staff to know how to handle situations that arise from a leadership perspective, but also being able to make sure that all decisions are stemming from your faith.” Equally, her experience doing Arrow has helped her develop greater clarity and confidence in leading with both compassion and conviction.
Why Investing in Christian Leaders Matters
Brooklynne reflects on how this experience has not only changed her but multiplied its impact through her community.
“Arrow will develop not just the individual person,” she says. “It will develop organisations. It’s a gift that has been given not just to me, but to those that are in our school community. I think it’s a complete gift to continue to develop the next generation of Christian leaders.”
For Brooklynne, the value of Arrow lies in how it integrates Christianity with professional purpose. “Growing Christian leaders in today’s society is important. To have a leadership program that helps leaders navigate leadership through the lens of their Christian faith is so powerful, because otherwise, we’re just like any other organisation.”
Looking ahead, she’s confident that Arrow’s lessons will continue to guide her. “Arrow is something that’s had a massive impact on my life. Not just for this year, but I can tell it will for many years to come. It has changed the way I look at and view leadership and myself.”
Her sentiment for Arrow is contagious, “I have felt really privileged to be involved in Arrow this year and will continue to advocate for it for forever more because I think it’s been amazing.”
If you would like to give a gift this Christmas that will help shape the next generation of Christian leaders, visit our website and invest in Christian leadership.
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