In March 1996 the PEC was launched. The initiative stemmed from university studies indicating that middle managers in schools were characterised by perceived low job status and measured low levels of self-esteem. Attended by fifty-nine school executives and the District Superintendent, a meeting was called at an inner Sydney school.

A motion was unanimously passed that a State Professional Association for School Executives be founded comprising all sectors of primary education: Public Schools, Private schools and Catholic schools across NSW. The inaugural meeting expressed the need to promote the recognition of executive staff, to represent and support their interests and to provide a unified voice whereby they can express their concerns as a single body.

The PEC was to become the State Professional Association representing all NSW School Executives and a member of the Professional Teachers' Council, a federation of over 40 other professional bodies. Its Constitution was drafted and a date set for the inaugural meeting. .

Since 2002, PEC has representation on both the School Leadership Reference Group and the Primary Executive Development Committee with the Department of Education and Training. Together with the Professional Teachers Association PEC played an integral role in planning the Deputy Principals Induction course. PEC is looking forward to meeting the challenges of the DET restructuring in 2004.