Di erent paths, same purpose
In recent weeks, I’ve had the privilege of speaking with educators whose work spans the breadth – and depth – of what teaching means today. Their settings couldn’t be more different – from Fremantle to Melbourne’s west, from small schools to a Churchill Fellowship that’s taken one teacher across the globe. Each conversation carried a common thread: change is constant, challenges are comple , but ultimately teaching is about people first.
Secondary school teacher Mr Chris Bush, who has been exploring AI in education, spoke of a profession under strain – large classes, rising needs – and of technology’s potential to ease the load without replacing what matters most: the trust, empathy, and curiosity that teachers bring. His work asks us to reimagine learning in an AI-enabled world, not by automating care, but by amplifying it.
At Winterfold Primary, Principal Ms Kim Calabrese, with teachers Ms Amy Clement and Ms Keely Wrathall, described how their award-winning Reconciliation Action Plan began with one parent’s voice. It’s grown into a whole-school commitment to cultural safety, inclusion and listening. Soon, their new yarning circle will offer a permanent place for sharing stories and learning together.
And in Victoria, Ms Marita Ryan’s journey from part-time PE teacher to Sustainability Victoria’s Teacher of the Year shows the power of persistence. Through hands on lessons and community or ing bees, lbion Primary has become a five star sustainability school where biodiversity thrives – and so does school spirit.
These stories aren’t about quick wins or overnight success. They’re about listening, taking small steps, and building something lasting. They remind me that while education is changing fast – new technologies, shifting expectations, bigger challenges – the most important changes often come from within a school community.
n this edition, you’ll also find stories that loo closely at the issues shaping classrooms today. We explore the growing conversation around teacher wellbeing and the impact of secondary traumatic stress, alongside practical insights into supporting staff resilience. We take a look at the future of learning environments, with features on the role of outdoor spaces in student engagement. ou’ll also find coverage of professional learning events and leadership initiatives, as ell as profiles of schools finding creative solutions to everyday challenges. s al ays, our goal is to inform, connect, and inspire.
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Lastly, our cover story marks Loreto College Marryatville’s 120-year anniversary through the eyes of Principal Ms ylie McCullah. She re ects on the school’s proud heritage, its enduring values of courage and faith, and her vision for a future where Loreto continues to empower young women to thrive in a changing world.
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16 Lessons from Canada Does it offer a blueprint for Australian education?
27 AI and assessment
Rethinking the role of the teacher.
31 Empowering teachers with purpose-built support ith tools ooding the education space, teachers face a critical question.
32 AI tutor paves the road to reading
Post-COVID learning loss has left many students behind in reading.
34 A smarter way to stay in touch
A new in-app chat tool is transforming school communication by streamlining parent-teacher messaging.
36 Protecting the tools that power learning
Tech Care+ from JB Hi-Fi Education offers schools peace of mind.
38 National Education Summit
Inaugural summit awards honour innovation and leadership.
40 Paediatric Education
Supporting schools and communities to saves lives.
41 More than burnout: the hidden toll on teachers
Secondary Traumatic Stress is silently eroding educator wellbeing across Australia.
44 Beyond the Classroom
Ho illPlay is redefining school playgrounds, from imagination to installation.
46 Great outdoors
Felton Industries doubles funding to support outdoor learning projects.
47 Camp's magic keeps school coming back for more
A school camp in central Victoria draws students from a school on the Murray River year after year.
48 From the ground up
Winterfold Primary’s award-winning reconciliation journey began with one parent’s voice.
50 Expert Contributors
Our Expert Contributor section shares opinions of thought leaders in education.
We design adventure playgrounds that build resilience, one obstacle at a time.
“The findings from the report are clear: when wellbeing becomes a shared language in a school, everything starts to shift — sta resilience grows, student leadership strengthens, and the whole culture feels lighter, calmer, and more connected.”
Ms
Peta Jeppesen, founder Beyond the Classroom Australia
Rural schools invited to join 2026 wellbeing pilot
ustralian educators are being called to lead a ne ave of ellbeing transformation in schools, as eyond the Classroom ustralia and Monash niversity open e pressions of interest for a 2026 pilot of the Dare to e a oc star program.
Follo ing a comprehensive three year rollout across several rural schools, the program has delivered promising results in both educator and student ellbeing. Developed to foster emotional resilience, leadership, and a shared ellbeing culture, the initiative has been praised for its practical, team focused approach.
The latest report, finalised last month by eyond the Classroom ustralia founder Ms Peta Jeppesen, highlights significant outcomes from the program’s implementation bet een 202 and 202 . or ing in collaboration ith Dr enesser Fernandes, ssociate Head of the School of ducation, Culture and Society at Monash niversity, the team used C S aligned survey tools and ualitative feedbac to assess impact. ey findings include
• ducator outcomes ncreased self a areness, emotional regulation, and resilience stronger collegial relationships and improved con ict resolution.
• Student outcomes Gro th in emotional vocabulary, team or , and self e pression enhanced confidence and peer connection.
•Whole-school themes: Leadership embraced shared re ection and goal setting ellbeing became a common language and emotional climate visibly improved.
ne school’s longitudinal ourney sho ed a clear evolution from individual ellbeing goals in 202 , to stress regulation in 202 , and a focus on relationship s ills and social a areness in 202 despite staff turnover.
Ms Jeppesen said the program is not ust another PD session, but a frame or designed for real schools ith real challenges. t’s built for busy educators, culturally relevant for rural conte ts, and focused on long term change, she said.
The 2026 pilot ill involve 0 rural and remote schools, offering them the chance to trial the model in partnership ith Monash niversity. Schools ill receive access to tools that help staff manage stress, build emotional boundaries, and foster a shared language around ellbeing.
This is an opportunity to lead from ithin, Ms Jeppesen said. e’re loo ing for schools ready to shift culture, support their teams, and e plore hat’s possible.
ducators can register their interest at https beyondtheclassroomaustralia.com.au contact . EM
New partnership to champion child safety in Australian schools
Campion ducation has oined forces ith the lannah Madeline Foundation in a strategic partnership to amplify the Foundation’s programs and resources that eep children safe here they live, learn, and play. ey focus of the partnership ill be supporting eSmart, the Foundation’s online safety education initiative, empo ering educators and students to be smart, safe and responsible in a digital orld. Through its
MyConnect2 platform used by more than half a million school staff and students across ustralia each year Campion can distribute eSmart resources, helping embed these important lessons into everyday learning.
Campion ducation ill also lend its support to the Foundation’s Care programs, hich provide practical support to children e periencing trauma, including supplying boo s and stationery for uddy ags bac pac s
filled ith brand ne items such as py amas, toiletries, and a comforting teddy bear for children entering emergency care.
C Mr Tom radley said Campion ducation is proud to stand alongside the lannah Madeline Foundation in sharing their important or ith students, parents, and schools. hether it’s through our digital platforms or our or ith schools, e have a uni ue opportunity to help their programs
protect children and eep them safe, supported, and informed both online and in the ider orld.
Ms Sarah Davies M, C of the lannah Madeline Foundation, elcomed the partnership. e’re thrilled to have Campion ducation on board as an fficial Partner. ith their support, e can reach more schools and educators ith our eSmart programs and provide comfort to children in crisis through initiatives li e uddy ags. EM
“The excitement, creativity, and perseverance of our students have exceeded our expectations, culminating in some outstanding final products.”
Ms Kim Knowles, Principal
Perth principals embrace literacy program
Primary schools in Perth’s southern suburbs are ta ing a ne approach to literacy education through a program that places students at the centre of the storytelling process.
The oo uilders Challenge, developed by unior fiction author risty Nita ro n, is currently being delivered to 0 students across Collier, ast ictoria Par , ensington, and Manning Primary Schools.
The program guides ear to 6 students through the full process of creating and publishing their o n boo s. ith support from professional riters and illustrators, students develop story ideas, rite and edit their te ts, illustrate their pages, and design boo layouts. They also learn ho to rite blurbs, promote their or , and submit their completed boo s to a panel of udges from the publishing industry.
Designed to align ith the estern ustralian curriculum, the oo uilders Challenge integrates nglish, rts, Mathematics, and Technologies. pilot conducted in 202 sho ed promising results, ith teachers reporting increased student engagement and enthusiasm for riting. The program also had a positive impact on student ellbeing.
Manning Primary School Principal Mr Hayden ’Mara said the program has made a noticeable difference. To be mentored by real authors and illustrators has spar ed a genuine love for storytelling. Students are riting for an audience, ith purpose and passion. Seeing the pride on their faces as their ideas come to life has been a real highlight of the year.
ast ictoria Par Primary Principal Ms im no les also praised the initiative. The e citement,
exceeded our expectations, culminating in some outstanding final products. am incredibly proud of our students and sincerely than our dedicated staff for the guidance and support provided every step of the ay.
Students have responded positively to the e perience. ne participant said, ’m so happy and proud of my boo , hile another shared, loved meeting all the different authors and illustrators.
Ms risty Nita ro n said the program is designed to give students a deeper understanding of ho boo s are made and shared. The oo uilders Challenge is more than a competition it’s a ourney into the orld of boo s from conception to the readers’ hands. My goal is to ignite a lifelong passion for reading and riting in students, giving them a platform to shine.
The program is funded by the Department of Creative ndustries, Tourism and Sport, ith additional support from Fremantle Press, The iterature Centre, riting , ffice or s ast ictoria Par , Ha aiian, and cton elle. Schools contribute in ind support and a small nominal fee.
The Challenge ill conclude ith t o public boo launch events in September on the 2 rd at the To n of ictoria Par ibrary and on the 2 th at the South Perth Community Centre. ne boo from each school ill be selected for professional publication, ith proceeds from sales donated to the schools’ P C associations. EM
Images: East Victoria Park Primary School
The Book Builders Challenge integrates English, Arts, Mathematics, and Technologies.
The program guides students through the full process of creating and publishing their own books.
Championing student wellbeing in Darwin schools
A Charles Darwin University (CDU) graduate is ma ing a significant impact on student ellbeing across Dar in’s primary schools, follo ing a career pivot inspired by the C D pandemic.
Ms ing ian ucy u, originally from China, as studying tourism and event management in risbane hen the global shutdo n in 2020 disrupted her plans. Stranded in Henan Province, she began volunteering at a rural school, here she itnessed firsthand the emotional struggles of children separated from
their parents and raised by grandparents with limited mental health a areness.
Many of the children ere e periencing comple emotions, but had no language to e press them, Ms u said. Mental health as often overloo ed or misunderstood.
Motivated by this e perience, Ms u returned to ustralia and enrolled in a Master of Social or at CD . No employed by the Northern Territory Department of ducation and Training, she or s across several Dar in schools, including Moil Primary
Children’s first aid & healthcare
PAEDS provides life-saving knowledge and regional understanding, empowering people to care for every child.
PAEDS provides specialist education for people looking after children in regional Australia. With clinical experience, practical knowledge and a genuine understanding of life beyond capital cities, we empower teachers with the lifesaving education they need to keep kids in the country healthy.
We know that looking after the healthcare needs of children and young people, whether it’s first aid emergencies or ongoing medical support, can seem overwhelming. As paediatric professionals with years of experience in the clinical settings of metropolitan hospitals, and as parents who live in regional communities, we also know firsthand that life outside metropolitan areas comes with additional challenges of longer wait times and reduced resources.
Our vision is to ensure that everyone has the skills and confidence to look after children when it’s needed most.
School, delivering tailored ellbeing programs that foster emotional literacy, resilience, and communication s ills.
Her sessions incorporate games, art, and digital tools to engage students from diverse bac grounds, including refugee and migrant families. Children often communicate through behaviour, not ords, Ms u e plained. Sometimes that behaviour is a cry for help. uilding trust ta es time, but once you have it, they open up.
Ms u’s role as a school counsellor, independent from
teaching staff, provides a safe space for students to feel supported. s social or ers, e act as a bridge bet een students, schools and support services, she said. e’re not here to fi everything, but to ensure children feel seen, heard and supported. She encourages other international students to consider social or as a meaningful career path. s yourself hat drives you. f it’s helping others, social or can be incredibly fulfilling, she said. Don’t be afraid to start small. very step ma es a difference. EM
“We need to give our teachers time and support to do what they do best – teach.”
Catherine de Fontenay, Commissioner
National skills reform proposes major changes for Australian educators
Australian educators are being called to lead a national transformation in how students are prepared for the future or force, according to the Productivity Commission’s interim report, Building a Skilled and Adaptable Workforce
Released in August, the report outlines a series of reforms aimed at strengthening foundational education, easing pressure on teachers, and improving pathways between education and employment. thriving, adaptable or force ill give us the productivity gro th e need to see higher ages and better living standards, said Deputy Chair Dr le obson.
“As the pace of change in work and technology continues to accelerate, we need to ensure that or ers can ac uire the s ills they’ll need to thrive. ne of the central recommendations is the creation of a national online platform that would house a comprehensive ban of high uality lesson materials. This resource ould be available to teachers across all school systems and is designed to reduce the time and stress involved in preparing differentiated content for students ith varying academic abilities.
“The academic abilities of students in any one class vary widely, and teachers are under immense pressure to produce quality materials for all of them,” said Commissioner Ms Catherine de Fontenay. e need to give our teachers time and support to do what they do best – teach.”
The report also calls for a coordinated national approach to education technologies, including artificial intelligence, to help tailor instruction to individual student needs. These tools would enable teachers to better support students who are struggling, as well as those who are excelling, by adapting content and pacing to suit diverse learning profiles.
Many students are leaving school without strong foundation
skills in reading, writing and mathematics,” Ms de Fontenay said. “These are the skills students will need to complete ualifications, improve their s ills on the ob, and successfully retrain hen needed.
Beyond the classroom, the report highlights the growing demand for skilled workers in Australia’s service driven and technologically evolving economy. ith more than 0 per cent of obs forecast over the ne t decade re uiring post school ualifications, the Commission recommends financial incentives for small and medium si ed enterprises SM s to invest in employee training. It also calls for better recognition of prior learning and streamlined credit transfers bet een vocational education and training T and university sectors.
“Without opportunities to gain new skills, workers and jobseekers may get stuck in less rewarding work or in unemployment,” Dr Robson said. “Carefully designed incentives can lo er the financial barriers faced by SM s hen providing or related training.
The report also examines the impact of occupational entry regulations s , hich re uire or ers in certain fields to meet minimum conditions such as holding a licence. While these regulations are often necessary to ensure safety and quality, the Commission finds that overly rigid or inconsistent rules may be contributing to labour shortages without improving outcomes.
Streamlining e cessive s hile maintaining safety and quality standards can lower prices for consumers and help people make the most of their skills and experience,” said Ms de Fontenay.
Currently, one in five ustralian or ers is sub ect to s. The report recommends governments revie and loosen these regulations, starting ith occupations li e motor vehicle repair, painting, and hairdressing fields here re uirements vary across urisdictions and lac clear evidence of benefit.
The Productivity Commission is accepting submissions to inform its final report later this year. ducators, policyma ers, and industry leaders are encouraged to contribute to shaping a more inclusive and responsive national s ills frame or . For more information or to make a submission, contact the Productivity Commission at media pc.gov.au or call 02 62 0 0. EM
Ms
The report was released in August.
Aussie anti-bullying classic launches in Italy
An iconic Australian children’s book tackling school bullying is set to make waves across Europe, with Ms Susanne Gervay’s I Am Jack being translated into Italian and launched in partnership with youth-led anti-bullying movement Mabasta.
Celebrating its 25th anniversary, I Am Jack has become a staple in Australian primary schools and beyond, having been translated into multiple languages and adapted into a stage play by Monkey aa Theatre Company. The play toured Australia for eight
years and the United States for two, amplifying its message of resilience and a areness.
Ms Gervay, a specialist in child development, wrote the book after her own son experienced bullying. Her heartfelt response has since empowered countless children, parents and educators to confront bullying head on.
Published by HarperCollins, it broke the silence on bullying at a time when bullying was rarely addressed in children’s literature.
Now, the book is being embraced by Mabasta, an Italian youth organisation founded in
2016 by then-teenager Mirko Ca ato. Mabasta as born in response to a tragic suicide attempt by a 12-year-old girl and has since grown into a national movement involving over 80,000 students across 800 classes. ts Mabasta Model’ empowers students to lead antibullying initiatives within their schools, supported by educators and institutions.
Under the guidance of Professor Daniele Manni, Mabasta’s approach is e ible, inclusive and cost effective, addressing bullying,
cyberbullying, body shaming and se ting. The group has received widespread recognition, including meetings with the Italian Prime Minister, Pope Francis, and Spider Man actor Tom Holland.
The Italian edition of I Am Jack will be launched with Mabasta’s support, backed by a wide coalition of partners including UNICEF, ActionAid, and the talian Paralympic Committee.
Ms Gervay, who was awarded the Order of Australia and a Lifetime Social Justice Award, continues to advocate for youth empowerment through storytelling. EM
What children remember, and why it matters
APPA President Angela Falkenberg reflects on the quiet impact of educators, exploring how presence, kindness, and connection shape the true legacy they leave in children’s lives.
Recently, I came across a Facebook post from a retiring teacher. She re ected on the highlights of her career, those moments when children reached a personal milestone or uncovered a hidden talent, and the heartfelt words from students that had stayed warm in her heart. But she also expressed sadness about the changes she had witnessed over the decades. ne of the most difficult shifts, she noted, was the growing number of competing demands that left less time to truly know her students, the simple joy of lingering in classroom laughter, sharing stories, and feeling assured that her work made a lasting difference in their lives.
Soon after, read a moving re ective piece in the New York Times by Roger Rosenblatt titled ‘The Love We Leave Behind’. In it, Rosenblatt, an 85-year-old writer, speaks not of achievements or accolades, but of what lingers after we pass from this life: the memories of kindness, conversations, comfort offered, and the warmth of simply being present. He writes, “Immortality, if considered at all, is less important than more easily achieved goals. Pleasure in the work itself. Usefulness. Kindness. An eagerness and readiness to be of help.”
are. We hold a sacred trust to nurture not only minds but identities. That means knowing who loves soccer or daffodils. Who has a grandma overseas just mastering WhatsApp, and who has a puppy (just like them) who trembles when it thunders.
These are not trivial details. They are the gateways to connection, the beginnings of trust, and the foundation for deep learning. It’s through knowing these things that we help children feel visible and valued. Like them, we too want to be more than a mark on a page. We bring skills to grow minds, yes, but also to open hearts and lift aspirations.
In every classroom, every day, teachers and leaders perform this quiet magic. But too often, these relational achievements go unmeasured and undercelebrated.
The ‘how’ that transforms There’s no shortage of discussion about what teachers must do. Curriculum. NAPLAN Assessments. Data. Initiatives. But far less is said about the how, the pedagogy of connection, the craft of tailoring learning to the child in front of you, and the relational strength it takes to teach well.
Australian Primary Principals Association (APPA) President Angela Falkenberg has held senior school leadership positions across both primary and secondary schools and has extensive experience in the education of First Nations children. APPA provides a voice to more than 7,600 public, Catholic and independent primary school principals across the country.
eading his re ections, couldn’t help but draw a line between the heart of teaching and this idea of legacy. Not a legacy of grades or programs implemented, but of being useful, kind, and present. It made me ask: What will children remember about their time in our schools? About us?
Seeing the whole child
As educators, we know that children thrive when they are seen, truly seen, for who they
This is where teachers and school leaders shine. Understanding how children learn, what motivates them, where they struggle, how they bounce back, is not only a technical skill; it’s a profoundly human one. It is the how that brings the what to life.
As Maya Angelou famously said, “People may forget what you said and did, but they will never forget how you made them feel.” Let that be our guide.
Image: Angela Falkenburg
What keeps us going
There’s a moment in Abbott Elementary, a show that captures the spirit of school life with both humour and heart, where veteran teacher Barbara (played by Sheryl Lee Ralph) comforts a younger colleague. Janine, distraught after a difficult encounter ith a parent, is questioning herself. Barbara calmly says, “People have thrown dirt on my name, and others have given o ers. t s all a garden to me.”
What a beautiful metaphor for a teaching career. Over time, there will be criticism and there will be praise. But it all contributes to the growth, the garden, that is your legacy. The trick is to keep nurturing it with what matters most: care, clarity, courage, and kindness.
Celebrating leadership and legacy t’s these very values e honour through Australian Primary Principals Day. On Friday, 1 August 2025, we once again took the
opportunity to celebrate the incredible work of our primary principals, those who lead with heart and keep the pulse of kindness strong in our schools.
The day is not about grand gestures or public acclaim. t’s about recognising that amidst societal and economic changes, amidst both joys and challenges, there is someone willing to step forward and lead. Sometimes they’re called Principal, sometimes Head of Primary or Campus Leader. Whatever the title, they are the steady hand in the school, helping to create the conditions here children ourish, and here teachers can do their best work.
The art of balance
So, what does it take to raise motivated, engaged learners?
t ta es hat call the s eet spot the delicate balance between high expectations and human connection. Between stretching
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thinking and nurturing wellbeing. Between rigorous content and the rich, relational learning that makes it stick.
n that space, e find hat’s enduring, not just achievement, but growth. Not just knowledge, but character.
Final thoughts
Teaching is not just a job; it’s a craft of legacy. child may forget the finer points of grammar or the details of long division, but they will remember the teacher who knelt beside them when they cried. The one who noticed they were off their game. The one who made space for their voice.
And long after we’ve retired, long after our classrooms have been handed to the next generation, what we leave behind, like Rosenblatt writes, is the love. The presence. The felt meaning.
That is the real curriculum. And kindness, always, is the best lesson plan. EM
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Timothy
NAPLAN participation bounces back amid early signs of potential improvements
Stephen Gniel, CEO of the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority, says the 2025 NAPLAN results were broadly stable, with encouraging signs of improvement in some key areas.
With Term 3 nearly complete, it’s been a full and rewarding school term for students, teachers and families.
For many parents and carers, myself included with three school aged children, it’s been a busy time supporting children through assessments, assignments and activities. For those with children in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 this year, the individual results from the NAPLAN assessments sat in March are starting to come through in the form of Individual Student Reports (ISRs) from their school.
These reports provide a useful summary of each student’s performance in reading, writing, conventions of language (spelling, grammar and punctuation), and numeracy. The results are reported against national proficiency standards that re ect a challenging but fair expectation of what students should know and be able to do at the time of testing. Used alongside classroom assessments and teacher feedback, the NAPLAN results can support helpful discussions about each student’s progress and where support or extension may be required.
Alongside the individual results, ACARA has now released the national results, which include national, state and territory breakdowns, as well as data grouped by student background, gender, language background other than English and location and data on participation.
The overall national picture in 2025
remains broadly consistent with the results from 2024 and 2023. Encouragingly, some of the new data reveals promising early indicators of improvement in certain areas, as well as reinforcing those areas where further attention is needed.
Across all year levels and assessment areas, about two-thirds of students achieved results at the ‘Strong’ or ceeding’ proficiency levels. This re ects a strong level of achievement for students, meeting challenging but achievable benchmarks. At the same time, around one in 0 students ere identified as being in the ‘Needs additional support’ category. This reminds us that it’s vital to continue helping those students ho may be finding literacy or numeracy challenging.
This year, the results show some encouraging improvements in numeracy. On average, students in Years 5, 7 and 9 performed better in this domain, particularly among the stronger students. The increase in students achieving at the ‘Exceeding’ level in numeracy may seem small when presented as a national percentage, but it represents real learning growth. This improvement translates to more than 20,000 additional students reaching that higher level of achievement compared to last year.
Demographically, trends have remained consistent. Writing performance was strong across most year levels, with girls continuing to outperform boys. Female
students achieved higher average writing scores than their male peers in every year group, with a greater percentage of girls reaching the ‘Strong’ or ‘Exceeding’ levels. In contrast, boys performed better in numeracy, particularly in the higher achievement bands.
However, the results continue to highlight areas that need our collective attention, such as supporting students from our regional and remote areas, those from disadvantaged backgrounds, and Indigenous students. In good news, one of the emerging trends is an increase since 2023 in the percentage of Indigenous students achieving at the ‘Exceeding’ level in writing and numeracy in Years 7 and 9. These gains in higher-level achievement is
ACARA CEO Mr Stephen Gniel.
Writing performance was strong across most year levels, with girls continuing to outperform boys.
a promising step forward, and we hope to see this progress continue in 2026 and beyond.
This year’s results also highlight ongoing equity challenges. Nationally, around one in three Indigenous students were in the ‘Needs additional support’ category in reading and numeracy, compared to fewer than one in 10 non-Indigenous students. Students in very remote areas, on average, achieved at lower proficiency levels compared ith students in major cities. Similar patterns exist in numeracy and writing. These differences don’t tell the whole story, as many students and schools in remote areas are doing well, but they point to some persistent systemic challenges that need our dedicated attention and support.
Participation in NAPLAN 2025 was a clear highlight. Nationally, 93.8 per cent of students took part in the assessments, making this the highest participation rate since 2017. Participation in primary years reached 95.3 per cent, the highest primary rate in a decade, with secondary years at 92.4 per cent. This reinforces that people do really care about NAPLAN and are interested in seeing the results, particularly to see how their children are progressing against their peers across the nation.
Queensland’s participation rates were particularly strong and played a key role in lifting the national average. I’d like to give a special shout out to education authorities, teachers and students in Queensland and northern NSW who, at the same time as preparing for the NAPLAN tests, were also dealing with impact of ex-Tropical Cyclone
lfred. The e ibility of the online assessment platform, combined with strong support from education departments and school communities, ensured that the affected students were still able to participate despite these challenges.
Years 5, 7 and 9 students who participated in N P N 202 are the first students to have completed two assessments since the introduction of the ne proficiency levels, ‘Strong’, ‘Exceeding’ and ‘Developing’, in 2023. This information will provide an important benchmark for future years and compares how the same group of students perform over their time at school.
s e re ect on the 202 N P N results,
it’s clear the overall picture is one of steady performance, with signs of growth in some key areas. What remains vital is ensuring every student, regardless of background, gender or location, has access to the right support to grow their literacy and numeracy skills.
NAPLAN continues to play a valuable role as the only national assessment that allows us to measure and compare achievement across all Australian schools. It gives families and educators a clearer understanding of where students are at and where we need to provide additional support, so all our students are developing the literacy and numeracy skills that are essential in everyday life.
To learn more about the results, visit www. acara.edu.au/naplanresults. EM
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Queensland’s participation rates were particularly strong and played a key role in lifting the national average.
A blueprint for equity in Australian education
Canada’s inclusive school system shows Australia a path forward – where equity, diversity, and achievement thrive under a common framework of funding, regulation, and opportunity.
Australia’s schools are among the most socially segregated in the world, a reality that is harming young people and undermining the nation’s educational potential. This stark assessment comes from the Australian Learning Lecture (ALL), which has released a new report titled Lessons from Canada. The report argues that Australia can build a more equal school system – if it adopts the right structures, regulations, and funding models.
Commissioned by ALL and Leading Educators Around the Planet, the report is based on a study tour of Canadian schools by Australian educators and researchers. The tour focused on learning from a single, comparable country with similar social and economic conditions but significantly better outcomes in equity and achievement.
According to the report’s co-authors, Mr Tom Greenwell and Mr Chris Bonnor – also known for Waiting for Gonski and Choice and Fairness – Canada’s success lies in its commitment to a common framework for all schools. This framework ensures consistent resourcing and regulation across both government and faith-based schools, promoting inclusion, socioeconomic diversity, and improved student achievement.
Ontario, Canada’s largest province, is highlighted as a model of what is possible. The province applies a unified funding and regulatory system to all schools, regardless of sector.
“The arrangements in Ontario may seem surprising to Australians, unthinkable even, but Lessons from Canada shows it is possible to have faith-based schools that
are free for every child, and public schools that serve faith communities – with both groups of schools equally diverse, inclusive and supported,” Mr Greenwell said.
Ontario’s approach is not only equitable – it’s affordable. The report notes that the province’s system enhances student achievement hile maintaining financial sustainability.
Ms Ellen Koshland, founder of the Australian Learning Lecture, described the findings as a source of optimism Lessons from Canada offers a glimmer of hope for Australia, if we have the courage to embrace it.”
In contrast, the report points to Quebec as a cautionary tale. With policy settings similar to Australia’s, Quebec faces many of the same challenges, including high levels of social segregation. However, a grassroots movement led by parents is pushing for reform. Their proposed 'Plan for a Common School Network' aims to unify public and contracted private schools under a single, inclusive framework.
British Columbia presents a mixed picture. While the province regulates fees in some non-government schools, others continue to benefit from significant resource advantages and can exclude disadvantaged students – either actively or passively. This uneven playing field re ects many of the issues present in Australia’s current system.
The report calls on the Australian government to take immediate steps toward reform. These include introducing measures to report on diversity across schools and commissioning a new
review to identify the right combination of interventions needed to increase socioeconomic diversity.
Mr Bonnor emphasised the urgency of the issue Canada sho s us that a common framework of resourcing and regulation for all schools is both achievable and urgently important.”
The Canadian experience demonstrates that it is possible to create schools that re ect shared national values schools that are anchored in their communities and enable all students to reach their full potential. As the report concludes, Australia must challenge its basic assumptions about how the education system should operate and be willing to look at seemingly intractable problems in new ways.
The report also features re ections from Australian educators who visited Canada, including Mr Andy Mison, President of the Australian Secondary Principals’ Association (ASPA).
“While the Ontario system is not perfect, the key difference in my mind is that the funding and regulatory conditions imposed by the provincial government and the education system are more efficient at mitigating choice and equity problems than ours," he said.
"For Australians, Ontario challenges longheld assumptions and opens our eyes to different ways of structuring and funding schools. EM
What the evidence tells us
Education Matters explores new research showing that evidence-based social and emotional learning programs measurably improve student wellbeing – if delivered with structure and intent.
Social and emotional learning (SEL) has been on the radar of educators for years, but recent challenges have sharpened its importance. Following pandemic-related disruptions, educators are reporting increased levels of anxiety, dysregulation, and peer con ict in younger students often emerging as early as Prep and Year 1.
Data from the 2024 Australian Early Development Census (AEDC) revealed the highest rate of developmental vulnerability in children’s emotional maturity and social competence since national tracking began in 200 . More than one in five children starting school ere identified as developmentally at risk in one or more domains.
According to many educators, these challenges are no longer confined to individual students they are no whole-class issues, affecting learning, engagement, and behaviour.
“There’s no doubt students are entering school with fewer tools to manage themselves and their relationships,” said one NSW principal. “You can’t teach literacy effectively if your classroom is emotionally unsettled.
Now, a landmark study led by researchers at QUT and UNSW offers the most comprehensive population-level evidence to date and the results are both encouraging and cautionary.
Dr Kristin Laurens, a professor at QUT’s School of Psychology and Counselling, has been involved in the New South Wales Child Development Study (https://www. unsw.edu.au/research/nsw-cds) since its inception in 2010. The study, which links administrative records for nearly 92,000 children, recently published findings in the Journal of School Psychology (https:// doi.org/10.1016/j.jsp.2025.101447) that examine the impact of SEL programs on
Australian Year 6 students’ social and emotional competencies.
Dr Emma Carpendale, now a postdoctoral researcher at QUT, completed the complex data analysis and statistical modelling for the study as part of her PhD studies with Dr Laurens.
“This is work that’s been over a decade in the making,” Dr Laurens says. “It’s taken years of consultation, ethics approvals, and data linkage to get to this point. But what we now have is a robust dataset that allows us to look at how SEL programs are being delivered in schools and hether they’re actually working.”
The study surveyed 18,643 Year 6 students across 569 NSW schools, alongside school leaders mostly principals ho reported on the S programs being delivered in their schools. Students self-reported their competencies across five C S defined domains Self-Awareness, Self-Management, Social Awareness, Relationship Skills, and Responsible Decision-Making.
The findings S programs ere associated with improved student outcomes in four of the five domains except Responsible Decision-Making. But critically, these effects were only observed when the programs were evidencebased and included explicit teaching and s ills practice.
“Despite good intentions, if you’re not using evidence-based practice, then you’re effectively costing these kids,” Dr Laurens says. “The time that you’re spending on that, the money that you’re spending on that, is not effective, and it’s not delivering what the children need.”
The study categorised SEL programs based on ratings developed by the Australian Psychological Society for the KidsMatter initiative. Programs were rated from ‘no evidence’ to ‘high evidence’ and also assessed for the degree of explicit teaching they provided. Programs with moderate to high evidence and strong teaching components showed the most significant gains. Students in schools
Image: Dr Emma Carpendale
Dr Emma Carpendale.
Image: Dr Kristin Laurens
Dr Kristin Laurens.
delivering these programs saw improvements of up to 10 percentiles in competencies like Self-Awareness and Self-Management.
“We saw that when it comes to these social and emotional learning programs, there was actually fewer than two-thirds, or about 60 per cent, of schools delivering formal teaching in this area,” Dr Laurens explains.
“And what was slightly alarming was that a third of those SEL programs had never been evaluated. So there was no evidence base to show the quality of what was being done.”
The strongest effects were observed when programs provided structured, explicit teaching of the targeted competencies. For example, students in schools delivering evidence-based programs with high teaching coverage showed a 0.25 standard deviation increase in Self-Awareness, which is equivalent to a 10-percentile gain.
The study’s observational design – rather than a controlled trial – was a deliberate choice.
“We wanted to understand what’s happening in the real world,” Dr Laurens explains. “Controlled trials are great for internal validity, but they don’t al ays re ect the messy, complex environments of actual schools. This study captures what’s really going on.”
ne of the more nuanced findings as that S programs benefited students across gender and socioeconomic backgrounds, though girls tended to show higher competency scores overall. Interestingly, the impact of SEL on Social Awareness was greater for girls than boys, a finding that warrants further exploration.
“There’s a gendered pattern in the data,” Dr Laurens says. “Girls consistently reported higher levels of social-emotional functioning, and in some cases, they seemed to benefit more from the programs. That doesn’t mean boys aren’t benefiting it ust means e might need to think more carefully about how programs are designed and delivered.”
The study also found that students from socioeconomically disadvantaged areas had lower competency scores overall, but SEL programs appeared to work equally well across socioeconomic groups.
That’s a really important finding, Dr Laurens notes. “It suggests that these
“Despite your good intentions, if you are not using evidence-based practice, then you're e ectively costing these kids… the time and money you're spending is not delivering what they need.”
Dr
Kristin Laurens, QUT
programs can help level the playing field if they’re implemented well.”
While the study didn’t evaluate individual programs, it did highlight some commonly used ones. Bounce Back! was the most frequently reported program (used in 147 schools), followed by You Can Do It! (86 schools). Both were rated as evidence-based and provided e plicit teaching across all five competencies. In contrast, Rock and Water, used in 55 schools, had a low evidence rating and minimal teaching coverage.
Dr Laurens stresses that schools need to be discerning t’s not ust about having a program – it’s about having the right program, delivered well. There’s a lot of goodwill in schools, but sometimes that goodwill isn’t matched by access to the right information.”
The Australian context adds another layer of complexity. Unlike the United States, where funding often hinges on evidencebased criteria, Australian schools have more e ibility in program selection. This has led to wide variability in the quality and effectiveness of SEL programs being implemented.
The national curriculum does mandate SEL under the Personal and Social Capability domain, but implementation is governed by state and territory departments. Responsible Decision-Making, for example, is not treated as a standalone competency in the Australian Curriculum, which may partly explain why it sho ed no significant gains in the study.
“In the CASEL framework, Responsible Decision-Making is a core competency,” Dr Laurens explains. “But in the Australian Curriculum, it’s subsumed under Social Management. That could be affecting how it’s taught – and how it’s measured.”
She adds: “It may also be that our
questionnaire wasn’t assessing that competency as robustly as the others. We were surveying 27,000 children, so we had to use a short-form tool. There are multiple possible reasons, but do find it interesting that the one competency not emphasised as a standalone in the curriculum is the one we didn’t see an effect on.”
The study also found that under-evidenced programs – those with no or low-quality research bac ing had no significant impact on student outcomes.
“This is a wake-up call,” Dr Laurens says. “We can’t afford to waste time and resources on programs that don’t work, especially when we know that effective programs are out there.
The study’s authors also noted that the observed effects, while statistically significant, ere modest in si e. This is not unexpected in large-scale, realorld evaluations.
Australia’s largest study on SEL in primary schools highlights the impact of evidencebased programs on student wellbeing.
sound small, but across a whole population, that’s meaningful. And these programs are being delivered alongside other wellbeing initiatives, often with limited resources. So the fact that we’re seeing consistent, positive effects is actually quite encouraging.”
The study’s limitations are also worth noting. It relied on self-report data from students and principals, which can be subject to bias. It also couldn’t account for program fidelity, dosage, or delivery uality factors no n to in uence outcomes. Nonetheless, the sample was large and representative, and the findings provide a valuable snapshot of SEL implementation in Australian primary schools.
The study’s findings come at a time of growing national interest in student wellbeing. The Productivity Commission’s evie of the National School eform
call for SEL to be prioritised alongside academic learning.
“There’s momentum,” Dr Laurens says. “We’re seeing more recognition that social and emotional s ills are foundational not just for wellbeing, but for learning, relationships, and life.”
But she’s also realistic about the work ahead. “We need more local evaluations. We need to understand what’s working in Australian schools, for Australian kids. And we need to support principals and teachers to make informed choices.”
She points to resources like the Be You Programs Directory and new Wellbeing Programs Guide developed by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) as valuable starting points. Education departments in some states have also started compiling menus of evidenced programs.
directories and guidance from trusted bodies are so important.”
For school leaders, the message is clear: SEL works, but only when it’s done right. That means choosing programs with a strong evidence base, ensuring they include structured teaching and practice, and embedding them into wholeschool approaches.
“This research is about getting evidence into the hands of the people at the coalface,” Dr Laurens says. “Principals and teachers are doing incredible work, often under pressure. If we can help them make better decisions about SEL, then we’re helping kids thrive.”
She adds: “We’re not saying every school has to do the same thing. But we are saying: let’s make sure what we’re doing is grounded in evidence. Let’s make sure it’s actually helping kids.” EM
Legacy, leadership and learning
Principal Kylie McCullah reflects on Loreto College Marryatville’s 120-year anniversary, celebrating community, tradition and innovation as the school prepares girls for a changing world.
Ms Kylie McCullah was just 12 months into her principalship at Loreto College Marryatville when the school entered its 120th year. The milestone – celebrated across 2025 with events, exhibitions and re ections provided a rare opportunity to lead a college community through both celebration and self-examination.
“Taking on the role at any time would have been significant, Ms McCullah says, “but stepping into it during such a pivotal year added a unique layer to the work we were doing together as a community. It wasn’t just about marking history – it was about shaping the ne t chapter.
That sense of forward motion has become a hallmark of Ms McCullah’s leadership style, which she describes as relational, open, and empo ering . don’t micromanage, she says. trust the people I employ, regardless of their role, to bring professionalism and passion to their work. I’m here to support and guide. ut it’s not a one oman team.
Appointed in January 2024, Ms McCullah came to Loreto from St Catherine’s School in Sydney, where she was Deputy
Headmistress and Head of Academics. She’s led schools through curriculum reform, staff restructures, and tech transitions but she describes the first months at oreto as uniquely community-driven.
“There’s a palpable sense of belonging here, she says. ’ve or ed at some beautiful schools that are dear to my heart, but Loreto Marryatville has a particular warmth. The families, the students, the staff they re deeply invested.
Much of that connection stems from shared values. Like all Loreto schools in ustralia, the college is guided by five foundational values: sincerity, verity, felicity, freedom and justice. Each year, one value is explored in depth. In 2025, that focus is verity.
“It’s about being true – to yourself, to others, to hat you say and do, Ms McCullah explains. “It’s particularly meaningful for teenage girls, who are often navigating identity in an online world that re ards perfectionism over authenticity.
She continues: “We educate the students about what it means to show up truthfully. In a digital space, it’s easier to say
something harsh when you’re not looking someone in the eye. So we challenge them to consider: What would truthfulness look like here? How can we be courageous and ind at the same time
With more than 900 students from early learning to Year 12, Ms McCullah’s days are often packed with strategy meetings, staff briefings, enrolment tours and parent consultations. But she insists on maintaining regular contact with the student body. try to find authentic moments of connection throughout the day, she says. “If I’ve got a free morning, I’m at the gate greeting the girls. In the afternoon, I like to be there saying goodbye. It’s not always possible, but ma e it a priority.
She meets weekly with the student leadership team and maintains a visible presence across the Junior and Senior Schools. Her office overloo s a busy hub of the Senior School campus – which she says helps her stay connected to the rhythm of school life.
“I can look out and see where the girls sit at recess and lunch. It keeps me grounded in their e perience, not ust mine.
A whole-school wellbeing initiative remains a cornerstone of the college’s pastoral care approach.
Community and culture at the centre of celebrations
The 120-year milestone has drawn together past and present, and Ms McCullah says the celebrations were designed to honour that shared journey.
“It’s not often you get to pause and look back with the whole community, including students, staff, parents, and old scholars,” she says. “We wanted the celebrations to feel meaningful, not tokenistic.”
A highlight was the July Community Day, which included Mass, drama performance, children’s games from yesteryear, and a dual exhibition: one marking 120 years of Loreto Marryatville and another showcasing a national travelling display celebrating 150 years of Loreto education in Australia.
“We had former students walking the grounds who hadn’t been back in decades,” Ms McCullah says. “And we had students proudly showing their families around. That intergenerational pride is real.”
Loreto’s Old Scholars Association remains active, with many former students returning as parents, staff, or guest speakers. Ms McCullah says the strength of the old scholar network is one of the school’s quiet superpowers.
“It’s common to meet families with three or four generations of Loreto women. That kind of loyalty doesn’t just happen – it’s built over time, with shared experiences and enduring values.”
While steeped in history, Loreto Marryatville is also a school on the move. Enrolments are rising, and a new master plan is in development to ensure facilities can support future needs.
“We’ve outgrown some of our original
assumptions,” Ms McCullah says. “And that’s a good challenge to have. But we want to make sure the spaces we’re building support the kind of learning we value, which is collaborative, contemporary, and student- centred.”
The site includes a blend of heritage architecture and modern learning spaces. The Acacias heritage house, a former private residence now used for administration, dates back to the 19th century and remains a symbol of the school’s identity.
“It’s beautiful – and it’s functional. There’s something special about walking into a space that has so much history, especially when that space is still alive with purpose,” Ms McCullah says.
The school’s facilities also reflect a broad co-curricular offering. Loreto fields teams in 15 sports, with options at both competitive and social levels. In 2025, the college formalised a partnership with the Adelaide Thunderbirds, becoming the only all-girls school in South Australia with a direct link to the elite netball club.
“We wanted our girls to see a clear pathway, not just to high-performance sport, but to leadership in sport – whether that’s coaching, officiating, or administration.”
The arts are equally well represented. Loreto’s performing arts program is known for its high-calibre productions, ensembles and student-led initiatives.
“We don’t see sport and the arts as being in competition,” Ms McCullah says. “They’re different vehicles for self-expression, confidence and belonging. Every student deserves a space where she feels seen and valued.”
Educating the whole girl
At the heart of Loreto’s learning philosophy is the SEAD program – Social, Emotional and Academic Development – a whole-school wellbeing initiative that has received national recognition and remains a cornerstone of the college’s pastoral care approach.
Images: Loreto College Marryatville
The college has a blend of heritage architecture and modern learning spaces.
Principal Kylie McCullah with senior students.
“We’re deliberate about providing breadth without losing depth. Our size allows us to offer choice without overwhelming students with options,” Ms McCullah says.
Like most schools, Loreto is grappling with the implications of generative AI in education. Rather than banning its use, the college has opted for a more nuanced approach.
“We want students to understand the power of the tool,” Ms McCullah says, “but also its limitations. We talk about what I call ‘academic redundancy’ – the danger of outsourcing thinking to a machine.”
Assessment design has shifted to account for AI use. Teachers are supported to create tasks that promote original thinking and require human insight.
“SEAD is about making space for the nonacademic aspects of growth,” Ms McCullah explains. “We’re not just preparing students for exams. We’re preparing them for life, including emotionally, socially, and ethically.”
Topics vary by year level and include everything from emotional regulation and identity to study skills, digital citizenship, and leadership.
“We embed SEAD into the timetable. It’s not a bolt-on. It’s how we approach education.
Ms McCullah says feedback from students has been a key driver of the program’s ongoing evolution.
“Our students are articulate and selfaware. They tell us what they need. And when we listen, we get better.”
That feedback loop is part of a broader commitment to student agency. “We don’t want passive consumers of education. We want active participants. That’s true for learning, and it’s true for wellbeing.”
The academic program at Loreto Marryatville is designed to balance rigour with relevance. Students have access to a broad range of subjects in the humanities, sciences, and the arts, along with STEM initiatives, co-curricular enrichment and leadership path ays.
“In some cases, we encourage students to use and re ect on its usefulness. n others, we design tasks where the thinking has to come from them.”
At Loreto College Marryatville, professional development is a multi-faceted approach that addresses the evolving educational landscape, particularly in areas like technology and pedagogy. Ms McCullah emphasises a comprehensive strategy that includes multiple dimensions of staff growth.
"It's about sending our staff to professional development courses, about senior staff educating and running professional development workshops with our teachers," she explains.
The school focuses on adapting to challenges like AI by designing assessment tasks that are "AI-proof" and teaching appropriate AI usage.
Ms McCullah is passionate about balancing teaching methodologies. "We've almost come full circle in terms of inquirybased learning and teaching versus explicit and direct instruction,” she says.
She believes pedagogy works best when combining both approaches: "It's about ensuring that students, regardless of age, have strong foundations through direct and explicit instruction. Then, once they've got that solid foundation, they can start inquiring and forming their own opinions."
The professional development approach extends beyond traditional training. It involves empowering staff, trusting their professional capabilities, and creating an environment of
“It's about ensuring that the girls feel welcomed, they feel supported. We want them to feel that the teachers have their backs, and absolutely they do.”
Ms Kylie McCullah, Principal
transparency and openness. The goal is not just skill development, but creating educators who can adapt, innovate, and support students in an increasingly complex educational environment.
“Our team leads PD sessions internally, and we also bring in experts. There’s a real appetite for collaboration and growth,” Ms McCullah says.
While the 120-year anniversary has provided cause for celebration, Ms McCullah is focused firmly on the future.
“Anniversaries matter, but they’re not the goal. They’re the context,” she says. “Our job now is to ask: What kind of graduates are we shaping? What kind of world are we preparing them for?”
She sees the answer in the girls themselves. “Our students are already asking
Students have access to a broad range of subjects in the humanities, sciences, and the arts.
Loreto fields teams in 15 sports, with options at both competitive and social levels.
those uestions. They ant to lead, they ant to ma e an impact, they ant to be good people. That gives me enormous hope.
s enrolments rise and e pectations evolve, Ms McCullah remains committed to hat she describes as oreto’s core mission educating girls to be strong, passionate and confident.
e stand on the shoulders of giants, she says. That’s the gift of 20 years. ut the or of today the teaching, the relationships, the opportunities that’s hat builds the ne t 20.
Historically speaking
The story of oreto College Marryatville begins ith a remar able ourney of faith, education, and empo erment, rooted in the vision of Mother Gon aga arry. n , Mother Gon aga arry left reland ith nine companions, travelling by boat to Melbourne and then to allarat, here she established the first oreto school in ustralia.
The college s direct connection to delaide emerged through a significant correspondence bet een Mother Gon aga arry and Saint Mary Mac illop. Saint Mary Mac illop, already or ing in delaide, rote to Mother arry, emphasising the need for educational opportunities for children in the region. This collaboration set the stage for
oreto s e pansion.
nitially established in Nor ood, delaide, the school found its permanent home in Marryatville, on a property once o ned by Sir d in Smith. Follo ing his death, the oreto sisters ac uired the estate, hich became no n for its beautiful cacias House a lasting symbol of oreto’s heritage.
ver 20 years, the school has transformed from a small educational institution to a comprehensive C to ear 2 school. Today, it serves 00 students, including boarding students ho come from across South ustralia, Ne South ales, Northern Territory, ueensland, and internationally.
significant milestone as the 0 year celebration of oreto education in ustralia, mar ed by a traveling e hibition sho casing each oreto school s uni ue history and contributions.
The e hibition features a uni ue manne uin for each of the oreto Colleges and associated schools, including institutions in ueensland Coorparoo , t o in ictoria Toora and allarat , t o in Ne South ales irribilli and Normanhurst , as ell as t o associated schools one in ictoria ayvie College and one in estern ustralia John College . ach College’s manne uin tells a distinct story through its carefully crafted s irt, representing local heritage and significance.
ach oreto College has designed the s irt of the manne uin to represent their college, ac no ledging the first peoples of the area, the early days of the college, the facilities, and the people ho ma e up the college community, oreto College Marryatville Principal Ms ylie McCullah e plains.
ach school also created a uni ue display bo as part of the installation titled Planets, Pearls and Possibilities, Ms McCullah says, highlighting the e hibition s for ard loo ing approach.
The e hibition serves multiple purposes it celebrates the net or s 0 year ourney, sho cases the uni ue identity of each oreto school, and provides insight into the collective mission of oreto education. isitors can e plore the rich tapestry of the schools histories, from their founding principles to their current educational approaches. EM
The Acacias, the historic 1875 building, now accommodates Loreto College Marryatville’s administration.
The college has a strong old scholar network.
Domino effect
At a small Melbourne school, PE teacher Ms Marita Ryan is leading a hands-on sustainability program that's empowering students, engaging the community, and winning recognition.
In the rapidly developing western suburbs of Melbourne, nestled in a pocket near Sunshine, sits Albion Primary School – a modest campus of just 200 students.
While small in size, the school is making a big impact thanks to the leadership and vision of one teacher: Ms Marita Ryan, a part-time physical education teacher who recently won the 2025 ResourceSmart Teacher of the Year Award in the primary category.
Her journey, however, didn't begin with sustainability in mind.
“I was mostly looking for activities to energise our student leadership program,” Ms Ryan explains. But a chance meeting in 2019 with a ResourceSmart Schools representative at a local network event triggered a transformation – one that would eventually see Albion Primary become a five star certified sustainability school and a celebrated model for hands-on environmental education.
hen first heard the presentation on ResourceSmart Schools, I realised we were already doing a lot of it – we just hadn’t documented any of it,” she says.
That simple realisation set a domino effect in motion. With the support of principal Ms Adrienne Williamson, the school signed up to the program and began the process of uploading utility bills and backdating data – a timeconsuming, but necessary first steps for any school embar ing on the five module esourceSmart certification process.
The momentum truly picked up during the COVID-19 lockdowns. With her teaching hours significantly reduced, Ms yan saw an opportunity. “I asked the principal if I could use my time to document our sustainability practices, collect photos, and work on the modules,” she recalls. “That was the turning point.”
By mid-2024, Albion Primary had completed all five modules core, aste,
biodiversity, water, and energy – earning the coveted Five Star ResourceSmart School accreditation. That achievement was celebrated with a gala afternoon attended by local dignitaries, parents, Sustainability Victoria representatives, and Brimbank City Council members.
“We showcased all the hands-on activities the students had done. Classroom teachers were learning from their students on the day. It was a community celebration,” Ms Ryan says.
What sets Albion apart isn’t just ticking boxes or uploading data – it’s the hands-on, student-led learning approach that Ms Ryan has embedded into the curriculum. With the principal’s approval, she introduced a weekly sustainability lesson, where each class engages in outdoor, inquiry-based learning.
“Our kids absolutely love it,” she says. “We collect water from the local creek to test for aquatic bugs, we do waste audits where students sort rubbish from
2025 ResourceSmart Teacher of the Year, Ms Marita Ryan.
“The kids just absolutely loved it – getting out there, getting dirty, birdwatching, putting up nest boxes.”
Ms Marita Ryan, Albion Primary School
our bins, and we even go birdwatching ith binoculars.
These lessons serve a dual purpose fostering student agency and generating real time data for their sustainability modules.
The impact has been transformative. The school community has rallied, ith parents returning for or ing bees some of the first in decades – and students taking genuine pride in their environment.
ne of the most visible symbols of lbion’s sustainability ourney is its biodiversity mural a massive bottle cap art or displayed on a former shipping container that had long been a magnet for graffiti. Designed by students and representing everything from birds to orm farms and veggie gardens, the mural encapsulates the school’s ethos.
t drove me mad at the time, Ms yan laughs, but no it’s a legacy piece. ou loo at it and see everything our students believe represents biodiversity.
lbion Primary’s efforts have not gone unnoticed. n addition to the esourceSmart recognition, the school on a 202 Sustainability ard from rimban City Council.
e ere the only school nominated. To in as such a surprise but a onderful one, Ms yan says.
Perhaps most impressive is ho sustainability has become a school ide culture. Ms yan says the school has applied for and received several andcare ustralia grants, leading to pro ects li e installing nest bo es, setting up night cameras to trac local fauna, and planting trees from seedlings provided via partnerships ith local organisations, including a nearby omen’s prison.
e’ve built a net or , she says. Greater estern ater, rimban City Council, prison programs they all support us because they can see e’re doing real things ith the ids.
Lessons for other schools
lthough lbion is located in metropolitan Melbourne, it still retains a community feel often found in rural schools. Ms yan, ho gre up in a country to n, says much of her teaching philosophy stems from her o n upbringing.
al ays tell the students, 0 years ago, hen as in primary school, there as no plastic. e’re ust going bac to those values ta ing pride in your surroundings, not stepping over rubbish, caring for nature, she says.
lot of hat e do no at school bird atching, gardening, pic ing up rubbish is ust hat did as a id. nd the students absolutely thrive on it.
Ms yan says lbion’s small si e, rather than being a limitation, has enabled greater community engagement and individual o nership. Families are deeply loyal many choosing to stay even after moving suburbs.
e’ve had ids leave and then come bac because it’s a special place. There’s a sense of belonging.
Many staff members have been at the school for decades, and ne t year, the school ill celebrate its centenary.
For Ms yan, sustainability isn’t a sub ect it’s a ay of being. The yard has al ays been my classroom, she says. From day one, put buc ets and tongs out there so students could pic up rubbish not as a punishment, but to ta e pride in their space.
chieving five stars in the esourceSmart program is ust the beginning. very four years, schools must undergo re accreditation to maintain their esourceSmart status. Ms yan is already preparing biodiversity documentation to meet the ne t deadline.
She is uic to ac no ledge that the esourceSmart Schools portal can feel daunting at first.
t can be over helming hen you loo at the portal and see everything you have to do, she admits. ut once you start, it all starts to clic . t’s about chipping a ay and net or ing helps.
Her advice to other educators Start ith hat you already do. Document hat’s already happening. uild slo ly. pply for small grants. nd above all ma e it fun. ids learn best hen they’re doing, she says.
t’s a domino effect. The more you do, the more support you attract. EM
A large bottle-cap artwork is displayed on a former shipping container.
Rethinking the role of the teacher
In this special feature, Education Matters explores how AI is transforming assessment, pedagogy and wellbeing in Australian schools through insights from the classroom and the research community.
rtificial intelligence is embedded in education it’s already reshaping classrooms, lesson planning, and assessment practices across ustralia and beyond. ut hile the technology offers potential to ease teacher or loads and personalise learning, it also raises comple uestions about ethics, e uity, and the purpose of schooling.
Mr Chris ush, a ictorian secondary school economics teacher currently on sabbatical through a Churchill Fello ship, has spent the past year visiting schools and education systems across the globe to investigate ho is being used in classrooms. His motivation as deeply personal and professional.
Teaching has become more and more challenging, he says. Students have more individual needs, and more than ever you feel li e you re failing li e you re never humanly able to get to all the ids that you
need to. Class si es are rising, student needs are rising, and yet there s no e tra support coming.
t as this sense of being stretched too thin that led Mr ush to e periment ith in his o n classroom. He and his students co developed a chatbot named Mitch, designed to act as a 2 tutor. e gave it some curriculum documents, some instructions, and the students helped shape ho it responded. They anted it to be more succinct, to use emo is, to connect concepts to their hobbies. t became this al ays on tutor that they could access any time, Mr ush says.
Never before have my students had 2 support. Mitch as there hen couldn’t be and for some, that made all the difference.
The impact as immediate. sa their test scores improve, especially for students from lo socioeconomic bac grounds and
nglish as an dditional anguage learners. Mitch could spea to them in their first language. don’t spea ietnamese or Farsi, but Mitch does. That ind of support as never possible before.
hile Mr ush’s or highlights the classroom level potential of , Dr ebecca Marrone, a researcher in educational psychology at the niversity of South ustralia, is e amining its broader systemic impact, particularly on ellbeing and policy. Her recent or includes revie ing dChat, a curriculum specific tool developed by the South ustralian Department for ducation.
Teachers and students really en oyed using the tool, she says. ut they anted more from it. t as designed to support academic content, but they ere loo ing for broader support something that could help ith ellbeing, creativity, and engagement.
Victorian teacher Mr Chris Bush cocreated an AI tutor named Mitch, giving his students round-the-clock support.
Image: Winston Churchill Memorial Trust
South Australia’s early and proactive approach to AI, she says, has been key.
“When ChatGPT launched in 2022, the Education Minister [Mr Blair Boyer] and the Chief ecutive of the S Department for Education [Professor Martin Westwell] didn’t ban it. They put policies in place quickly and started developing their own tools. That’s made a big difference.”
ne of the most comple and fast evolving areas is assessment. Both Mr Bush and Dr Marrone agree that AI is forcing a fundamental rethink of how we evaluate student learning.
“Initially, the conversation was all about ethics and academic integrity,” Dr Marrone says. “And that makes sense – especially in high-stakes years like Year 11 and 12. But I think schools are starting to move beyond that. They’ve put policies in place traffic light systems, for e ample, here green means AI use is allowed, yellow is use with caution, and red is banned. But that’s just the beginning.
She believes AI offers a rare opportunity to assess skills that have traditionally been difficult to measure. Some of my research is in creativity. How do we assess creativity in student writing? It’s really hard. But with AI, we’ve developed algorithms that can assess elements of creativity in near real-
time. That means teachers can get immediate feedback and make informed, pedagogically sound decisions about how to support their students.
This kind of feedback, she says, is not just faster – it’s more personalised.
“Historically, assessing creativity meant getting a researcher involved, which costs time and money. Now, AI can do it quickly and cheaply, and at scale. But it still allows for individualised feedback. That’s the key.”
Mr Bush has seen similar potential – but also the risks. “Students have been handed a powerful cheat code,” he says. “All the ways we used to assess learning – such as take-home essays, posters, presentations –can now be completed by AI to a high and increasingly undetectable level.”
He describes a global reckoning. “Teachers everywhere are saying, ‘The old ways of assessing don’t work anymore’. But it’s not just about changing the assessment. We’re being asked to change what schooling looks like. What do we focus on? What do we spend our time on with young people?”
In his travels overseas as part of the Churchill Fellowship, Mr Bush visited a school in Te as here students learn from tutors in the morning and work on passion projects in the afternoon.
“They compress their learning into a few
hours a day, then spend the rest of the time working on real-world projects, such as starting businesses, or designing solutions to community problems. Each student has an AI tutor, and the human educators act as guides or coaches,” he says.
He sees enormous potential in this model, especially for project-based learning.
“In a traditional classroom, it’s impossible. One student wants to build a go-cart, another wants to grow tomatoes hydroponically, another wants to make a rocket ship. No teacher can support 25 different projects at once. But AI can.”
Dr Marrone also sees AI as a way to support student agency. “If you’ve got a class project and one student wants to build a rocket and another wants to make a gokart, AI tools can help each of them pursue their passion. That kind of engagement is powerful – it drives curiosity and deeper learning.
Still, Mr Bush is cautious. “AI is being treated as this balm that can fi teaching. And it can help. But we know how to improve education – reduce class sizes, lessen curriculum burden, provide psychological support. There’s no magical pot of gold coming to fi education, and that’s here steps in.”
He’s also concerned about the uneven rollout of AI policy across Australia.
“South Australia is leading the way. But in Victoria, the guidelines are vague and punitive. There’s no cohesive professional development. Private schools are jumping ahead, but public institutions are being hollowed out – not through lack of care, but through lack of funding.”
In contrast, countries like Estonia are treating AI as a national priority. “They’re saying the game has changed. We need to change how schooling looks and feels. We need to change the skills and attributes we give our graduates so they can thrive in a global marketplace.”
In addition to Estonia, Mr Bush’s Churchill Fellowship has taken him to the US, Canada, England, and Finland. He’s met with educators, policymakers, and technologists.
There are poc ets of e cellence states like North Carolina and Illinois are setting clear guidelines. But mostly, it’s a free-for-all.
Image: Winston Churchill Memorial Trust
Image: Dr Rebecca Marrone
Mr Chris Bush, Churchill Fellow.
Dr Rebecca Marrone, University of South Australia.
Teachers are grappling with this seismic shift, often ithout support.
He’s seen assessment evolve in real time. “Some schools are moving toward oral interviews, class discussions, and critical thinking tasks. Teachers are asking students to explain their choices, to justify their reasoning. That’s great – but it’s hard to do ith 2 students in a class.
Dr Marrone sees AI as a valuable tool for reducing the burden of assessment, but not a replacement for human insight. “It can do the heavy lifting agging areas for improvement, summarising student work –but it’s the teacher who brings the nuance, the relationship, the conte t.
Mr Bush builds on this, arguing that AI is pushing educators to rethink assessment from the ground up. “The old model – factorystyle schooling, mass-produced assignments – is breaking down. We’re being asked to reimagine what assessment looks like. But meaningful, personalised assessment takes time – and that’s the one thing teachers don’t have.
He’s also seen how AI can help level the playing field. For my students ho couldn’t afford tutoring, Mitch became a personalised AI tutor. That’s not just convenient – it’s a matter of fairness.
Dr Marrone agrees, emphasising the
importance of equitable design. “If we build these systems thoughtfully, they can adapt to individual needs at scale. That means access for all learners – not just those in wellresourced schools.
Both stress that the future of AI in education must be shaped collaboratively.
e need the right voices in the room, Dr Marrone says. “Teachers, students, researchers – everyone should be part of the conversation. That’s how we ensure these tools or ith us, not against us.
Mr Bush adds: “The AI conversation is forcing us to ask: what is the true value of teachers and education?
“Should it be knowledge transmission for a world that doesn’t exist, or nurturing young minds to thrive in a rapidly changing orld
Mr ush’s re ections on the emotional toll of teaching are echoed by many educators navigating post-COVID classrooms. “The demands on your empathy and your care have really increased, he says.
“Burnout is an enormous factor. I love teaching, but in order to save myself, I needed to ta e a brea . t’s become untenable.
He’s not alone. Dr Marrone’s research also highlights the mental health implications of AI – not just for students, but for teachers.
“We’re looking at how these tools impact ellbeing, she e plains. can help reduce
workload, but it can also introduce new pressures. That’s why it’s so important to design these systems with teacher support in mind.
Mr Bush believes AI can help restore some of the joy of teaching.
“If AI can take care of the repetitive tasks – such as report writing, marking, lesson planning – then teachers can focus on what really matters: building relationships, nurturing curiosity, having those meaningful conversations.
He’s also optimistic about AI’s potential to make learning more engaging. “When students are working on projects they care about, they’re not just learning –they’re thriving. AI can help them pursue their passion. That’s the kind of learning that stic s.
Dr Marrone agrees. “We’re at a moment in history where we’re asking, ‘What does it mean to be human?’. AI is forcing us to confront that question in education. What do we value? What do we want our students to become
For both experts, the answer lies in thoughtful, inclusive design. “We need to involve teachers, students, and communities in the conversation. Only then can we ensure that AI enhances education rather than distorting it, says Dr Marrone. EM
AI tools are increasingly used to personalise learning and free up time for meaningful interactions.
50 fully decodable texts aimed at older struggling readers. Perfect for phonics consolidation.
Now we are supporting both teachers and students who are using Reading Road with a new digital product – the Reading Road AI Tutor.
A simple to use digital assessment tool that students can use independently to practise, analyse and score their reading skills.
For teachers, this is an easy, time-efficient way to conduct individualised assessment of students.
Read - students read a passage from a print Reading Road book they have worked on. They receive a score from the AI Tutor out of five stars.
Practise - up to 10 focus words that students need to work on are presented for them to practise reading.
Teacher Review - teachers log on to the administration area to check progress, listen to recordings and work out the ‘next steps’ for each student.
TEACHER
REVIEW 3
Twinkl AI: Empowering teachers with purpose-built support
With AI tools flooding the education space, teachers face a critical question: can technology support their work without compromising safety, professionalism, or student outcomes?
this ma es it a significantly safer option for schools concerned about inappropriate content or safeguarding ris s.
For school leaders and T teams, data privacy remains a ma or concern in the use of . T in l addresses this head on by ensuring that all user data remains securely hosted ithin its platform and is never used to train future models.
In an education landscape increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence , ustralian teachers are loo ing for tools that understand the realities of the classroom and place educators at the centre of decision ma ing.
T in l, the global education publisher, has responded ith T in l ri a purpose built assistant designed for teachers, by educators. nli e general use platforms, ri has been engineered to reduce teacher or load, protect student safety, and inspire high uality teaching and learning ithout ever replacing professional e pertise.
T in l co founder and C Mr Jonathan Seaton says the company’s approach to is grounded in the same mission that has guided it since day one: to help those ho teach.
represents both ris and opportunity,
but our approach to everything is al ays guided by one central uestion ho ill this further our mission to help the educator , Mr Seaton says. That uestion underpins every aspect of T in l ri ’s development. Mr Seaton is clear that the goal isn’t to replace teachers or automate pedagogy, but to support teachers in practical, time saving ays hile respecting their e pertise. believe our role is to embody the best usage of this ne technology supporting, not replacing, the teacher. can never replicate the deep content no ledge and pedagogical s ill that teachers bring. ut it can help them do their obs more efficiently and creatively.
Purpose-built for schools
T in l ri isn’t a generic chatbot or standalone product. t’s an integrated tool embedded directly ithin T in l’s e isting suite of teaching resources, giving educators the ability to generate differentiated uestions, adapt lessons for diverse learners, and brainstorm curriculum aligned activities ith confidence. nli e general tools, hich can produce unpredictable or inappropriate results, T in l ri is tailored to the classroom conte t.
Prompts are carefully engineered for high uality, reliable results, Mr Seaton says. nd hile some models scrape the eb for information in real time, raising serious safety and safeguarding concerns, ri operates in a closed, secure environment. The company notes that ri cannot bro se the internet, and as a result,
T in l ri is designed ith safety at its core, Mr Seaton says. t meets the highest standards of data protection, ensuring that the data you enter isn’t being used for any purpose other than giving you high uality outcomes.
A tool that respects teacher autonomy hat sets ri apart isn’t ust hat it can do, but ho it does it. The system provides teachers ith inspiration and structure, not ans ers or finished products.
The company says ri provides starting points and inspiration never final ans ers ensuring that teachers stay firmly in control.
That philosophy is central to T in l’s commitment to ethical, effective use in schools.
Mr Seaton is clear that teachers remain at the heart of every classroom decision, stating that acts as a supportive tool, not a substitute for professional e pertise. The bottom line is e’re here to serve educators ho ever e can and our focus ill al ays be doing this. EM
Image: Twinkl
Twinkl CEO and co-founder Mr Jonathan Seaton.
AI tutor paves the road to reading
Post-COVID learning loss has left many students behind in reading. An innovative solution is empowering teachers with real-time assessment, targeted phonics support, and age-appropriate resources designed for Australian classrooms.
In an era where digital disruption is affecting nearly every aspect of life, it’s no surprise that classrooms are also undergoing dramatic shifts. Yet amid the noise of new technologies and evolving curricula, one truth remains: literacy is the cornerstone of learning.
For Dame Wendy Pye, founder of Sunshine Books and a pioneer in early education publishing, that truth drives her company’s newest innovation. Launched this year, the Reading Road AI Tutor merges print and artificial intelligence to support Australian students struggling to read.
This new literacy tool offers a realistic solution to one of education’s most pressing post-COVID challenges: how to get older primary students back on track after disrupted schooling in their early years.
Sunshine Books began as a modest Australian publishing house 40 years ago. Today, it’s a global player in early learning,
with more than 2,300 titles distributed worldwide and a digital footprint that reaches classrooms from Turkey to China. Yet the company remains grounded in its original mission of supporting the reading journeys of young children – particularly those at risk of falling behind.
“I’m still a print person – I’ve got ink under my fingernails, Ms Pye says. ut also know how powerful technology can be when it supports children and saves teachers time.
While Sunshine Books has long offered digital programs alongside its printed materials, the recent pivot into AI represents a strategic leap. The decision was born of both opportunity and necessity.
COVID-19 and the urgency of intervention The pandemic’s impact on learning outcomes is well documented. In Australia, students in Years 2–6 missed formative
literacy milestones due to school closures, limited device access, and fragmented remote learning.
Many of these ids are no 0, , years old, and they can’t read uently, Ms Pye says. “You can’t just hand them a book aimed at five year olds and e pect them to engage.
That insight led to the development of the Reading Road series – a set of 50 fully decodable fiction and non fiction books written for older struggling readers. The books are visually age-appropriate, include genres like mystery, drama, and adventure, and align with structured phonics instruction.
But the breakthrough wasn’t just in the books. The real game-changer came with the launch of the Reading oad Tutor, a first of its ind platform tailored to Australian English and the ustralian curriculum.
The Reading Road AI Tutor is a first-of-itskind platform tailored to the Australian curriculum.
Designed as a companion to the print series, the AI Tutor operates in three phases after the student has read a printed Reading Road title:
1. Read: The student reads and records a passage given from the book. The AI Tutor listens, assesses reading competency, and provides an immediate rating out of five stars.
2. Practise: The AI Tutor then highlights up to 10 focus words that the student struggled with and offers opportunities to rehearse and re-record them, supporting word recognition and pronunciation.
3. Teacher evie ll data audio, uency ratings, and word-by-word performance – is sent to a teacher dashboard for review, giving educators real-time insights into each student’s progress. Traditionally, assessing a student’s reading ability involves one-on-one sessions where the teacher listens, marks, and scores a child’s reading.
“What used to take hours – sitting down with every student, reading aloud, marking errors manually – can now happen quickly and objectively,” Ms Pye says.
“Teachers are time-poor. This tool gives them valuable feedback instantly, so they can focus on teaching.”
What’s striking about the AI Tutor isn’t just its functionality – it’s how much students enjoy using it. Many of the target users are disengaged readers
but enthusiastic gamers.
“These kids think they’re just testing themselves against AI, but what they’re also doing is a high-level reading assessment,” Ms Pye explains.
After completing their session, students receive a printable certificate ac no ledging their achievement. It’s a simple gesture that can have profound psychological benefits.
“For kids who’ve never succeeded academically, that certificate means everything,” she says. “It tells them: you’re a reader now.”
This reward system, combined with interactive activities and age-appropriate content, has already yielded results.
Built for the classroom
Reading Road AI Tutor was built with the classroom at its core. It integrates directly with a structured literacy approach widely used in Australian primary schools, and it complements rather than competes with curriculum-aligned phonics instruction.
A self-contained program with no access to generative AI, Sunshine’s solution was trained on its proprietary reading materials. That ensures both consistency in tone and fidelity to phonics pedagogy.
“We’ve trained the AI to understand the Australian phonics structure,” Ms Pye says. “It’s not American English, and it’s not offthe-shelf AI. It’s custom-built for our kids, our teachers, our classrooms.”
and Kiwi English, with British and American English options now being developed for international partners. Schools in China and Korea have already shown interest, validating the tool’s global potential.
For principals and school leaders navigating a post-COVID educational landscape, tools like the Reading Road AI Tutor serve a dual purpose of addressing literacy gaps and easing teacher workload.
As Ms Pye notes, “If you can’t read, you can’t navigate life. We have kids in high school who still can’t write job applications. We have to intervene earlier, and we have to do it in a way that’s engaging and scalable.”
The tool also provides school-wide data aggregation, enabling principals to monitor literacy trends across classrooms or year levels and identify where additional support may be needed.
With teacher shortages on the rise and behaviour management issues compounding in many communities, being able to delegate time-intensive assessment tasks to a reliable AI assistant offers not ust convenience, but relief.
Sunshine Books is currently offering free access to the AI Tutor with every Reading Road purchase. Schools can request a sample pack of books before making a commitment.
According to Ms Pye, the response has been overwhelming. “Teachers are telling us, ‘this is exactly what we need. It’s simple, it works, and it doesn’t add to our already full plates’.
As a business leader, Dame Wendy Pye has achieved global recognition, including being the first oman inducted into the New Zealand Business Hall of Fame and a celebrated Australian entrepreneur. But at her core, she remains a literacy advocate.
“Even now, after 300 million books sold, I still get up every morning hoping I can help one more child become a reader,” she says. “Because when a child says, ‘Listen to me, I can read this book’ – that’s everything.” EM
Learn more about the Reading Road AI Tutor at sunshinebooks.com.au or contact the Melbourne office at: info@sunshinebooks.com.au
The AI Tutor is designed as a companion to the Reading Road print series.
A smarter way to stay in touch
nForma’s new in-app chat tool is transforming school communication by streamlining parentteacher messaging into a single, intuitive platform designed specifically for Australian schools.
As schools continue to juggle an array of platforms to manage attendance, assessments, messaging, and IT infrastructure, a Melbourne-based education technology company is building a reputation for simplicity, service, and smart soft are.
No , ith the launch of a ne in app chat tool, nForma is offering something many schools are see ing a unified, reliable ay to communicate ith parents and caregivers, ithout the complication of multiple apps.
Founded in 2000 by former primary school teacher and IT coordinator Mr Steve Clarisse, nForma began as a custom-built student progress tool for use during parent teacher intervie s at a Catholic school in Dandenong. ver t o decades later, it has evolved into a comprehensive school management system used by approximately 200 Catholic and independent primary schools across ictoria.
nd no , the release of nForma’s chat tool may be its most transformative development yet.
The idea for a native chat function came directly from schools using nForma’s core management system.
e ere hearing from a lot of schools that they ere managing student data ith one provider, messaging ith another, event updates through a third, and paying subscription fees for all of them,” Mr Clarisse says. e thought hy not simplify it all in one place?”
That place is nForma’s o n secure app, here the ne chat module allo s teachers, administrative staff, and specialist staff (like PE or music teachers) to send direct or group messages to families. Crucially, the chat system pulls from existing school data student profiles, parent contact information, and home groups are already integrated so there’s no duplication or manual data entry re uired.
For educators and administrators, the process is simple: select a class or group, rite a message, add media if needed, and hit send. Parents receive a push notification and can reply directly ithin the app, fostering a t o ay communication stream that is both immediate and conte tual.
esi ne for real sc ool wor ows The ne chat tool recognises the complex and varied structures of school communication.
e’ve built e ibility into the system. homeroom teacher might ant to send updates to the hole class, but a P teacher might need to notify just 10 families about a regional s imming event. oth use cases are supported, Mr Clarisse e plains.
This granular control extends to attachments and media. Teachers can share photos from an excursion, send PDFs of permission slips, or provide short videos, all ithin the same thread. nd unli e mass emails or SMS blasts, conversations in nForma Chat allo parents to reply, see other responses, and engage as part of a school community.
Schools currently trialling the chat tool in beta testing, primarily in Melbourne’s southeast, report strong feedbac . The rollout ill continue in stages follo ing refinements based on this testing phase. y his o n admission, Mr Clarisse’s approach has al ays been iterative and grounded in real school needs. e’ve built
The idea for a native chat function came directly from schools using nForma’s core management system.
this business on the idea that technology should support schools, not overwhelm them,” he says.
That ethos is evident in the way the chat tool has been introduced. For existing nForma clients, adding the chat module is seamless: no new passwords, no external platforms, and no re-enrolments. “We can unlock it with a single click,” Mr Clarisse says. “All the student and parent data is already there.”
And for schools that aren’t yet using nForma’s full suite of tools? The chat module can be licensed as a standalone feature, meaning even schools tied into other systems can begin streamlining parent communications right away.
“We’ve built this business on the idea that technology should support schools, not overwhelm them.”
Mr Steve Clarisse, nForma founder
Part of a bigger ecosystem
While the chat tool is garnering attention for its innovation and ease of use, it’s just one part of nForma’s expanding digital ecosystem.
The company also offers:
•Student management software designed specifically for primary schools
•Custom website development, with modern, interactive design options
•Onsite IT support, from network maintenance to hardware troubleshooting Schools can bundle services as needed or engage ith specific components, depending on their current needs and existing infrastructure.
e’re all about e ibility. e don’t force schools into one si e fits all solutions, Mr Clarisse says.
This holistic service model re ects nForma’s evolution from a software provider into a full-service digital partner for schools.
“Our goal has always been to help teachers and administrators spend less time wrestling with tech and more time focused on students,” he says.
One of the factors that sets nForma apart in a competitive edtech market is its personal and human-centred philosophy. Mr Clarisse
In addition to student management software, nForma o ers schools custom website development and onsite IT support.
comes from a family of educators – his wife, brother, mother, and even uncle have all taught in schools. His earliest software designs were user-tested by his wife, who is, by his own admission, is “not a fan of technology”.
“If she could use it, then I knew any teacher could,” he laughs.
That same personal approach extends to customer service. Despite growing steadily over 25 years, the company remains deliberately small. Mr Clarisse and his team provide direct, hands-on support to every school, often answering queries themselves, even after hours.
“We say to our schools: leave the stress to us,” he says. “That’s our promise. And it’s what we’re known for.”
This personalised service model has built trust, and kept schools coming back. While nForma’s core user base remains in Victoria, the chat tool – and the broader software ecosystem – has potential for national appeal. The team has already begun preparing for scalability, including plans for multi-language support in future releases.
Mr Clarisse is also watching the evolving security and privacy requirements in school IT closely, ensuring all nForma tools remain
compliant with government standards.
“We’re constantly adapting to what schools need,” he says. “And that comes from listening – really listening – to teachers, principals and admin teams.”
This includes regular conference appearances, stakeholder sessions, and on-site school visits, many of which Mr Clarisse personally attends.
With the full rollout of the chat module expected later this term, schools across Australia are encouraged to register their interest. Whether an existing nForma customer or exploring options for streamlining parent communication or o s, the company offers low-barrier onboarding and transparent pricing.
“We want schools to feel empowered, not overwhelmed,” he says. “That’s what the chat tool is about – simple, intuitive communication that saves time and builds stronger parent partnerships.” EM
For more information, contact nForma: Phone: +61 03 9543 4772
Email: info@nforma.com.au
Web: https://nforma.com.au/
Images: nForma
Protecting the tools that power learning
Tech Care+ from JB Hi-Fi Education o ers schools fast, reliable device protection and the ability to minimise downtime with Replace or Refresh solutions.
In classrooms across Australia, technology is becoming a familiar part of the education journey for young learners. While it’s not used in every lesson, digital devices increasingly enhance teaching and enable students to engage with content in dynamic and interactive ways. From early writing apps to digital maths games, technology is supporting how students learn, collaborate and express themselves.
“Schools progressively introduce technology in ways that support early
“It opens new opportunities and fun ways to learn but the introduction of tech in those early years comes with some challenges – for example, how we offer support to parents, students and schools to keep those devices up and running in busy classrooms.
With devices now part of the daily classroom routine, keeping them in working order is critical. Accidents happen as devices are shared, carried in backpacks, moved between classrooms, and sometimes taken home. Screens crack,
reality of everyday life in the classroom.”
And when a device goes down, the impact on learning is immediate. Teachers rely on every student having a working device to deliver their lessons. Downtime can significantly disrupt classroom o and student engagement.
That’s why more schools and families are choosing to add a Tech Care+ plan from JB Hi-Fi Education when purchasing their devices.
“We wanted to make it simple for both
Teachers rely on every student having a working device to deliver their lessons.
A smarter approach to device protection with Tech Care+ Designed with education in mind, Tech Care+ supports schools, families and the realities of student life with three years of reliable coverage.
As Ms Steel explains, “Tech Care+ provides schools, students and parents ith the assurance that their device is covered and
“Most of the damage we see isn’t from misuse – it’s just the reality of everyday life in the classroom.”
Ms Kathryn Steel, JB Hi-Fi Education
supported, during the duration of the term plan, for hatever life thro s at it.
Tech Care+ offers two plans to suit different needs:
•Replace Plan: Allows for the replacement of a device, no uestions as ed. hether it s been dropped, cracked, or simply stopped working, a replacement device is shipped the ne t business day here stoc is available .
• Refreshment Plan: Focuses on restoring the original device. Devices are repaired to optimal or ing condition ithin five business days and sent bac . oth plans are covered under the J Hi Fi arranty Guarantee, hich includes protection against mechanical and electrical failures during the term. This is an addition to the rights under the ustralian Consumer a and J Hi Fi’s Minimum oluntary arranty Policy.
Why primary schools should consider Tech Care+
1.Coverage from day one
No matter how damage occurs, or the condition of the returned device, coverage starts the moment the plan is activated.
“Tech Care+ secures a set remedy for parents and students no matter what happens to a device as long as the device isn’t lost or stolen, Ms Steel says.
2.Fast turnaround, minimal disruption
Quick responses mean fewer interruptions to learning:
• eplacement devices are shipped the next business day where stock is available
• efreshed devices are repaired and sent bac ithin five business days of being received.
“These turnaround times make a real difference, especially in a primary school setting, and helps students to stay on track and teachers to continue as planned, Ms Steel says.
3.Transparent costs
Say goodbye to unpredictable repair bills. ith a fi ed service fee per ny eason claim, budgeting becomes simple. school’s repair budget ill have greater consistency and predictability, notes Ms Steel.
J Hi Fi ducation’s Tech Care solution was created to integrate seamlessly with ho schools already operate. There’s no need for additional systems, processes, or staff training. Just simple, effective support hen it s needed most.
t’s about eeping students learning, teachers teaching, and parents reassured, Ms Steel says. e’re here to support the community – schools, staff, students, and families.
n today’s classrooms, technology is an essential part of everyday learning. hether you re managing a eet of school o ned devices or supporting families ith personal ones, J Hi Fi ducation’s Tech Care provides the confidence that hen something goes rong, there’s a clear and fast path for ard. EM
*excludes lost and stolen devices
Ms Kathryn Steel, JB HiFi Education Business Development Manager.
Image: JB
Refreshed devices are repaired and returned within five business days of being received.
Inaugural summit awards honour innovation and leadership
The National Education Summit’s new awards spotlight Australia’s most inspiring educators – recognising exceptional innovation in teaching and outstanding leadership across primary and secondary schools.
In 2025, the National Education Summit too a significant step for ard in recognising the incredible or happening in ustralian schools ith the launch of its inaugural a ards program.
Designed to spotlight innovation and leadership in education, the a ards aim to celebrate teachers and school leaders ho are driving positive change, lifting student outcomes, and shaping the future of learning.
Presented during the risbane and Melbourne events, the t o a ard categories nnovation in Teaching and utstanding eadership dre nominations from across ustralia.
The summit organiser, Group, said the calibre of finalists re ected the deep talent, creativity, and commitment ithin the profession.
Innovation in Teaching Award
This a ard celebrates educators ho don’t ust teach they transform. t recognises those ho use original teaching strategies to engage students, adapt to diverse learning needs, integrate technology meaningfully, and foster collaborative cultures across classrooms.
These teachers are the pioneers, said National ducation Summit Creative Director, Ms Margo Metcalf. They’re shaping the ne t generation not only through hat they teach, but ho they teach it.
Three finalists ere shortlisted in the nnovation in Teaching category for both risbane and Melbourne, each offering a po erful e ample of hat happens hen teachers are given the freedom and the support to innovate.
Brisbane Finalists
• Nattalia Godbold, Secondary Teacher, The a es College D
• ebecca eber, Seconded Teacher School eader, Department for ducation S
• Marina S an, Prep ducator, Coomera nglican College D
Brisbane Winner
Marina Swan, Prep Educator, Coomera Anglican College (QLD)
For many children, their first e perience of formal education is shaped by their Prep teacher and for the youngest learners at Coomera nglican College, that e perience is in the capable hands of Ms Marina S an.
n a calm, consistent and supportive classroom, Ms S an brings the curriculum to life through engaging, hands on e periences that cater to each child’s individual needs. Her approach to behaviour management is described as thoughtful, proactive, and empo ering.
The strength of Marina’s practice lies in her uiet, consistent brilliance, Ms Metcalf said. She reminds us that innovation isn’t ust about high tech tools it’s about high impact pedagogy.
Melbourne Finalists
• dam Densley, ntegrated Pro ects Teacher, Saints College C
• Clarence Goh, Secondary Teacher Digital Technology, Plenty alley Christian College C
• Jac ui o man, Classroom Teacher, St obert’s Ne to n C
Outstanding Leadership Award winner (Brisbane), Mr Sean Curtis.
Innovation in Teaching Award winner (Melbourne), Ms Jacqui Bowman.
Embracing her dual role as teacher and learner, Ms Jacqui Bowman models curiosity, persistence, and joy in language learning, transforming her classroom into a dynamic, inclusive, and linguistically rich environment.
Her use of songs, stories, routines, and collaboration with a language assistant enables even the youngest learners to confidently use talian in meaningful conte ts.
Beyond the classroom, Ms Bowman shares her practice with colleagues, advocates for language learning across the school, and re ects deeply on her o n development. Her or e emplifies the transformative power of teacher-led language education and lays a strong foundation for lifelong language learning in her students.
Outstanding Leadership Award Leadership in education goes beyond management. The Outstanding Leadership Award recognises individuals who create vision, build collaborative teams, mentor others, and lead initiatives that have measurable impact on student outcomes and school culture.
“These are leaders who don’t just adapt to change – they drive it,” Ms Metcalf said. “They bring people together, create momentum, and make schools better places to learn and work.”
Three impressive finalists ere recognised in this category, each representing a different but equally compelling vision of effective school leadership.
Brisbane Finalists
•Erin Caceda, Principal, Allegra School (NSW)
•Craig McBrien, Deputy Principal, Park Ridge State High School (QLD)
•Sean Curtis, Associate Principal, Marsden State High School (QLD)
Leading one of the largest secondary schools in the country, Mr Sean Curtis is no stranger to comple ity. ith more than 00 staff and almost ,000 students, Marsden State High School operates on a scale few educators e perience, yet Mr Curtis has managed to foster a high-performance culture marked by collaboration and continuous improvement.
“Leadership is about building capacity in others,” Mr Curtis said. “My job is to remove barriers, support innovation, and make sure every student has the opportunity to succeed.
Under his guidance, Marsden has become known for its inclusive programs, data-driven instruction, and commitment to staff development.
“Sean leads with clarity and compassion,” noted the judges. “He’s created a school culture where both students and staff are thriving.
Melbourne Finalists
•Sarah Anderson, Deputy Principal, St Thomas More’s Mount li a C
• Andrew Perks, Deputy Principal, Character and Culture, Bacchus Marsh Grammar C
• Sam Wright, Vice Principal, Students, Padua College C
Melbourne Winner
Sam Wright, Vice Principal, Students, Padua College (VIC)
Mr Sam Wright was nominated in recognition of his visionary, innovative, and transformative leadership at Padua College. Mr right e emplifies a leader ho not only shapes and communicates a bold vision for student wellbeing and learning but also translates that vision into tangible success
through collaborative partnerships, strategic innovation, and relentless commitment to staff and student development.
Mr Wright is credited for leading a cultural shift across Padua College’s four campuses, prioritising health, wellbeing, and student connectedness as core pillars of school improvement.
Central to Mr Wright’s leadership is his ability to build strong, collaborative teams. n every facet of his or from curriculum innovation to community outreach – he leads with authenticity, passion, and purpose. His impact is measurable in the increased resilience of students, the empowered voice of staff, and the collaborative culture that no defines Padua College.
With its inaugural awards, the National Education Summit has created a platform that not only celebrates e cellence but also inspires it.
“These awards aren’t just about recognising individuals,” Ms Metcalf said. “They’re about showcasing what’s possible in Australian schools when educators are empowered to lead, innovate and collaborate.
From Prep classrooms to large secondary campuses, the 202 finalists represent the breadth and depth of talent in Australian education today and set the bar high for future cohorts.
f you’d li e to learn hen the 2026 Teacher Awards are launched join the mailing list at www.nationaleducationsummit.com. au/subscribe. EM
Outstanding Leadership Award winner (Melbourne), Mr Sam Wright.
Innovation in Teaching Award winner (Brisbane), Ms Marina Swan.
Supporting schools to saves lives
Diabetes, epilepsy, asthma, anaphylaxis – when a student has complex medical needs, knowing what to do matters. A team of paediatric nurses is helping teachers feel confident and prepared in any situation.
In rural and regional Australia, access to paediatric emergency training can be a matter of life or death, especially for schools supporting students with complex medical needs.
To meet this growing need, Paediatric Assessment and Education Service (PAEDS) is delivering specialised training tailored to the realities of school and classroom life.
Founded by critical care nurses Ms Grace Larson and Ms Sarah Duncanson, the Victorian-based organisation is bridging the training gap for educators, healthcare providers, and caregivers across the state –and beyond.
“Our motivation has always been to keep kids out of the ICU,” says Ms Larson, who worked in the intensive care unit at the Royal
Children’s Hospital in Melbourne alongside her business partner for several decades. e sa firsthand hat happens hen things go wrong. Now we’re focused on empowering the people who care for kids every day, especially in areas that don’t have easy access to hospitals or specialist services.
Initially designed to train rural healthcare providers in paediatric care, PAEDS pivoted during the COVID pandemic as the team recognised an urgent need among schools and community carers. Educators, particularly in mainstream and specialist schools, were increasingly supporting students with conditions such as epilepsy, diabetes, and feeding tubes P Gs , ithout sufficient medical training.
they also support kindergartens, disability services, and high schools, their work with primary schools is especially impactful, and often leads to lasting partnerships.
“Schools will reach out because they have one urgent need, and then they realise we can support their entire training program. We often become their go-to provider. It’s simpler and more consistent for them,” Ms Larson says.
Feedback from schools has been overwhelmingly positive, with many requesting repeat visits and recommending PAEDS to colleagues. In some cases, the training has already helped prevent medical emergencies. One particularly memorable story involved a high school student who used the skills they’d learned in a PAEDS session to save a younger peer from choking.
t’s not ust about first aid, Ms arson says. “We help teachers and support staff feel confident responding to sei ure activity, managing PEG feeds, or supporting a student ith diabetes. That confidence can ma e a critical difference in a high-stress moment.”
P DS training model is as e ible as it is practical. It uses a blended delivery format that combines online modules with face-to-face workshops, reducing disruption to school timetables. The online content typically takes 30 to 60 minutes to complete, leaving in-person sessions free to focus on practical skills and individualised care plans.
“We work closely with each school. If a child starting in Prep has recently been diagnosed with diabetes, we’ll provide specific training for that situation, Ms Larson says.
f it’s a specialist school supporting multiple complex cases, we can deliver broader ups illing for the hole team.
And the need is growing. PAEDS now works across Victoria and southern NSW and offers virtual training nationwide. While
“We’re not just training teachers – we’re building a community of people who know how to respond when it counts,” she says. “That ripple effect is incredibly powerful.”
n ctober, P DS ill host its first interdisciplinary conference at the Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne. Designed to bring together educators, nurses, allied health professionals, disability workers and families, the event aims to strengthen connections across care teams and explore best practices for supporting children with medical needs in community settings.
“There’s really nothing else like it,” Ms Larson says. “It’s a chance for all of us, regardless of our job title, to get on the same page and talk about how we can work better together.” EM
Register for PAEDS ‘Beyond the Bedside’ conference at the Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne on 18 October at www.paedseducation.com.au
Image: PAEDS
PAEDS programs are tailored to meet the needs of various age groups from kindergarten to VCE.
More than burnout: the hidden toll on teachers
Secondary Traumatic Stress is silently eroding educator wellbeing across Australia. What’s driving it, and how can schools respond? Rhiannon Bowman investigates.
Burnout, stress, and workload pressures have long dominated discussions around teacher wellbeing. But a new national study has revealed a deeper, more insidious challenge facing educators: Secondary Traumatic Stress (STS), or the emotional toll of absorbing students’ trauma.
Led by Dr Adam Fraser in partnership with Deakin University and sponsored by the Australian Special Education Principals Association (ASEPA), the study surveyed nearly 2,300 educators and collected over 1,000 personal accounts of trauma e posure. The findings ere star STS is widespread, under-recognised,
and contributing to teacher attrition at alarming rates.
The report, The Silent Cost: Impact and Management of Secondary Trauma in Educators, was released in May.
“We were very surprised with so many of the findings, Dr Fraser says. Many educators didn’t even know this was a thing. They’d say, ‘I didn’t see it, so it shouldn’t affect me’ but it does, dramatically.
Research collaborator Ms Christine Armarego was equally surprised at the rate of exposure.
“I thought maybe direct trauma would be bigger, but the rates of secondary
trauma were really high. And the mental health risk was the kicker – it’s independent of burnout, and burnout is already bad.
The study found that nearly 40 per cent of educators were seriously considering leaving the profession due to STS alone. Dr Fraser describes it as akin to rust in a car – not immediately visible, but steadily accumulating over time.
“You’d expect STS to be higher early in a teacher’s career, he says. ut it actually builds up. The longer you’re in the job, the higher your levels.
ASEPA President Mr Matthew Johnson says the need for the study was clear.
A new study reveals educators experience higher Secondary Traumatic Stress than psychologists, paramedics and mental health nurses.
A broader scope
Mr Johnson explains that ASEPA funded the research to fill a gap left by broader ellbeing surveys.
“The ACU national principal health and wellbeing survey had some data, but we needed something more targeted. We wanted to look at the hidden injuries – the ones that don’t show up in a report but wear people down over time.”
Importantly, the study didn’t focus solely on specialist schools.
“We’re a small percentage of the system,” Mr Johnson says. “Most students with disabilities – around 98 per cent – are in mainstream schools. We wanted to hear from support class teachers, aides, counsellors, and educators who often fall through the crac s.
The response was overwhelming.
“We had over a thousand open-text responses. Usually people skip those boxes [on surveys], but this time it was story after story. It was clear that educators needed a safe space to share what they’d been carrying.
ne of the most stri ing findings as
Ms Armarego elaborates: “The difference is the relationship. A paramedic might help someone and move on. But a teacher knows that student for a year, knows the family, the siblings. They’re embedded in the trauma.”
Mr Johnson agrees, noting that the lack of systemic support is a major concern.
“Teachers might have access to an employee assistance program, but it’s not targeted, strategic or ongoing. What they need is routine professional supervision someone to debrief ith, to re ect ith. Especially in high-risk roles.”
He adds that the most impacted educators were those in support classes within mainstream settings.
“They’re often alone, without an executive team around them. They’re managing complex behaviours, trauma, and neurodiversity, and then going home and ruminating. That’s where STS builds.”
Ms Armarego adds that even parents sometimes turn to teachers for guidance.
“We saw comments [in the surveys] where parents would ask teachers, ‘What do I do?’. Educators are supporting not just students, but entire families.”
A systemic gap
Mr Johnson is particularly concerned about the disconnect between initial teacher education and the realities of the classroom.
“Universities [offering teaching courses] are under pressure to deliver core content, but there’s no room for the reality of a school day. Teachers need to know what they’re walking into, especially if they’re working with students with complex needs. They also need to be prepared mentally and how to care for themselves. That gap is hurting us.”
He believes the push for curriculum standardisation has left little room for preparing teachers for trauma exposure and how to cope.
“There’s not much space. And the things that would really help – like understanding award conditions, managing stress, or working with neurodiverse students – just aren’t covered.”
Ms Armarego agrees.
“Social workers and psychologists are trained to expect trauma. They have clinical supervision. Educators don’t. Maybe we can’t clinically supervise every teacher in Australia, but we can prepare them better.”
Despite the grim statistics, the study uncovered a group of educators who were
The report was released in May.
Images: Dr Adam Fraser
Image:
Mr Matthew Johnson
Mr Matthew Johnson.
Dr Adam Fraser.
thriving – those with high exposure but low STS. Dr Fraser and Ms Armarego referred to them as ‘the diamonds’.
“They’re rare,” Ms Armarego says. “But they’ve somehow maintained their mental health and wellbeing, even under pressure.”
What sets them apart is their use of multiple mitigation strategies.
“They don’t rely on one thing,” Dr Fraser explains. “They use coping strategies, recovery techniques, and healthy detachment. Things li e leisure, re ection, collaboration. Not ust Net i and ine.
Mr Johnson says these strategies are often built into the school culture.
“In some schools, principals give additional time for teachers to work on student planning, parent collaboration, and multidisciplinary teams. That space makes a difference, but it comes at a cost. If you’re ta ing teachers off class, you’re staffing it someho .
He also points to infrastructure as a ey factor.
“New specialist schools are beautifully designed. They have therapy rooms, sensory spaces, and safety features. But many educators are still working in converted classrooms that weren’t built for the complexity of today’s students.
“We’ve seen that the physical environment matters. It’s not just about aesthetics – it’s about safety, dignity, and functionality. When the infrastructure supports the work, it reduces stress.”
Ms Armarego adds that the ‘diamonds’ were not just surviving – they were thriving.
“They used at least three mitigation strategies regularly. That’s what helps them manage. It’s not magic – it’s method.”
Where to from here?
Dr Fraser and Mr Johnson are now focused on raising awareness and pushing for systemic reform. Training programs are in development, targeting schools, leaders, and individuals.
“We’re asking, what can we do as a school? As a leader? As a peer?” Dr Fraser says. “And we’re communicating this to departments. This study is the canary in the mine.
Mr Johnson outlines key changes needed,
from his perspective leading ASEPA.
“We need to reduce caseloads and class sizes in high-need settings. We need to increase access to school counsellors and psychologists. Teachers are working with students who have allied health professionals around them, but the teachers themselves don’t have that kind of support. There’s often an employee assistance program, but it’s not targeted, strategic or ongoing,” he says.
“We also need routine professional supervision for staff in high-risk roles –someone they can bounce off and get feedback from. And we need to improve infrastructure. A lot of our schools weren’t built for the complexity of the students we’re now teaching.”
He also wants to see partnerships built across government agencies for holistic student support.
“Departments across government work with our students,” Mr Johnson says.
Key findings from The Silent Cost report
74.9 per cent of educators surveyed scored in the medium to high range for Secondary Traumatic Stress (STS), with 37.8 per cent experiencing it often or very often.
Educators experience higher STS than other caring professions:
• 21 per cent higher than psychologists
• 23 per cent higher than mental health nurses
• 34 per cent higher than paramedics
Burnout is widespread:
• 70.8 per cent of educators scored in the medium to high range
• 61.4 per cent reported feeling overwhelmed by endless workloads
Compassion Satisfaction remains high:
• 93.1 per cent of educators often or very often feel satisfaction from helping students
• 74.9 per cent believe they can make a difference through their work
Turnover risk is significant:
• 37.3 per cent of educators are likely to leave the profession due to STS
• A further 18.2 per cent are undecided
“But there’s no whole-of-student case management. Agencies operate in silos. That has to change.”
The team hopes the report will empower educators and prompt action from policymakers.
"Systems play a crucial role in assisting educators and schools with this issue, and we will continue to advocate for systemic change,” Ms Armarego says, “but, at the same time, we wanted educators to be able to read our study, and walk away with tangible actions they can do to help themselves.”
Mr Johnson is optimistic about the impact.
“We’ve shared the report with our members, and it’s resonated. Now we need departments to listen. We need to advocate not just for recognition, but for real change.” EM
Self-care training is critical:
• Highly effective self-care training reduces STS by 7.6 per cent, burnout by 13.7 per cent, and increases compassion satisfaction by 9.8 per cent
• Poor-quality self-care training increases burnout by 30.6 per cent
Demographic risk factors:
• STS is highest among school leaders, special educators in mainstream schools, rural/remote educators, and those with 16+ years of experience
Recovery and coping matter:
• Strong negative correlations were found between STS and recovery, coping, and supervisor support
• Educators who used multiple strategies –especially those with high exposure but low STS – demonstrated greater resilience
Systemic change is essential:
• The report calls for formal recognition of STS, trauma-informed training, professional supervision, and better interagency collaboration
Redefining school playgrounds, from imagination to installation
Traditional playgrounds can be costly to maintain, quick to deteriorate, and lack inclusivity. One Australian company is rethinking design to deliver lasting, accessible, imaginative play.
When it comes to creating engaging, durable, and imaginative play spaces for primary schools across Australia, few names stand out like WillPlay. With a strong commitment to innovation, Australian manufacturing, and hands-on collaboration with schools, this Bundaberg-born company has spent more than a decade helping school communities reimagine what play can look like.
At the heart of this operation is General Manager Mr Nathan Lee, who has been with the company since its inception 13 years ago. While WillPlay began by designing and manufacturing components for other playground and street furniture manufacturers, a key shift occurred when the team noticed a gap in the market: the need for a more robust, maintenancefriendly, and Australian-made solution.
“A major manufacturer closed down, which left a hole in the market,” Mr Lee says. “Instead of replicating what others were doing, we developed a higher-spec, more sustainable system using aluminium structural posts, stainless steel rails, and recycled plastics.”
The result is playgrounds designed for longevity. Originally offering a 20year arranty at the time a significant improvement over the industry standard of 15 years – the company now offers a lifetime structural warranty.
Alongside longevity, maintenance was another area where WillPlay aimed to improve the experience for schools.
“We engineered our systems so parts could be easily replaced and vandalism or wear and tear wouldn’t become an ongoing
burden,” Mr Lee says. “Schools don’t always have the budget or staff to deal with extensive maintenance, so it was important to design out that hassle.”
Whether it’s a new build or an upgrade to an existing space, WillPlay tailors each playground to a school’s specific needs. While site visits are standard, especially in metropolitan or suburban areas, the team can also design from satellite imagery and photographs for more remote schools.
e start by finding out hat the school wants to achieve. Is it a like-for-like replacement, or are they creating something entirely ne Mr ee says. ne of the first questions we ask is: who is going to use it?”
Age groups, break times, inclusion needs, and even shade availability all
factor into the design process. WillPlay regularly consults with principals, school business managers, parents and carers committees, and even state education department project managers depending on who’s driving the project and where the funding originates.
The team also ensures their designs meet accessibility and inclusion standards, catering to students with physical, sensory, or intellectual needs. “It’s not just about play anymore. It’s about purposeful play that builds coordination, imagination, and collaboration,” Mr Lee says.
WillPlay’s equipment isn’t just functional – it’s designed to spark imagination. Custom theming has been one of the company’s standout features, with
WillPlay ensures its designs meet accessibility and inclusion standards.
Images: WillPlay
installations ranging from pirate ships and jungle outposts to rocket ships and farms.
“It’s about creating spaces where children can be pirates, astronauts, or anything they want to be,” Mr Lee says. “When you introduce that kind of imaginative setting, you promote role play and cooperative interaction, which are essential social and cognitive development s ills.
Recognising that not every school has the budget for a fully themed playground, WillPlay has made its core ranges highly customisable. Schools can choose equipment that matches their colours, complements surrounding buildings, or blends into the local environment.
For older students, the company offers the Street-Climber and Urban Warrior ranges –play meets fitness installations that support physical education programs and challenge students’ strength, agility, and endurance.
“Schools even use them for benchmarking physical progress such as timing students or measuring how far they can get on the course at the beginning of the year versus later in the year, when they’ve developed physically and emotionally,” Mr Lee says.
WillPlay handles every stage of the playground process, from design and manufacturing, demolition, soft-fall (ground cover) installation, shading, and landscaping. ts team or s ith schools to manage traffic and access around active construction sites, often aiming to complete installations during school holiday periods.
Installations can take from one to four weeks, depending on complexity. Most systems are manufactured to order, with a typical 10–12 week turnaround from design sign-off to delivery. The company also keeps a small stock of ready-to-go systems for emergency replacements.
The design process includes free consultations, and once the playground is complete, WillPlay issues a Design & Construction Certificate in accordance ith Australian Standards. An independent postinstallation inspection is usually conducted to ensure compliance and safety.
“We offer a full-circle service, and that means peace of mind for schools. We even have a maintenance coordinator schools can call directly if there’s vandalism or damage,” Mr Lee says.
While timber remains a favoured material in terms of playground aesthetics, it doesn’t stack up in durability, Mr Lee says. WillPlay has designed a smart alternative.
“We’ve seen timber systems ripped out after ust five years.
Instead, the company’s Treehouse range offers the appearance of timber using timberlook aluminium posts and timber-composite recycled plastics – a zero-maintenance option with all the charm and none of the upkeep.
Even the choice of soft-fall surfaces is strategic. While rubber is a popular choice, Mr Lee warns it can take up a school’s entire budget. WillPlay helps schools consider lower-cost alternatives like bark, engineered pine, or sand, all of which can be incorporated into the play experience itself. oose fill can also be a dynamic part of the play – especially sand, where kids can dig or use it in play stations,” he says.
Beyond durability and aesthetics, WillPlay is proudly local and all systems are 100 per cent recyclable at end of life. WillPlay manufactures in Australia utilising ISOcertified processes for uality, environmental management, and occupational health and safety.
“You're not just buying a playground: you’re supporting local industry, reducing
freight emissions, and ensuring full compliance with Australian standards,” Mr ee says.
While WillPlay already commands a strong position in the market, innovation continues to drive the business. A new product range is slated for release in early 2026, which will include both improvements to legacy products and entirely new systems.
“We’re all about value – value for money, and value for play. We want these playgrounds to last for decades, not just years,” Mr Lee says.
In a time when fundraising fatigue and tight school budgets are common, WillPlay offers a rare combination of creativity, practicality, and reliability. And with its free design service, schools can generate excitement and even unlock new funding opportunities by sharing compelling visuals of what’s to come.
“Once a school has a design they can show off – something tangible – people get excited,” Mr Lee says. “It helps bring the school community on board. The kids get involved, the parents get behind it, and suddenly the support starts to build.” EM
Felton doubles funding to support outdoor learning projects
Applications for the 2025 Felton Grant, o ering $40,000 in outdoor furniture funding for schools and sporting clubs, close 12 September. Don’t miss your chance to apply.
Australian schools and community organisations have another opportunity to transform their outdoor environments, with Felton Industries announcing the return of its annual Felton Grant – now offering a doubled prize pool of $40,000.
Now in its third year, the Felton Grant supports projects that enhance outdoor spaces through practical, Australian-made furniture solutions. From inclusive learning zones to community seating, the grant has helped bring dozens of grassroots ideas to life since its launch in 2023.
Among the standout recipients in 2024 was Footscray North Primary School in Melbourne’s inner west. The school used its grant to create a vibrant outdoor learning area designed to support student wellbeing and engagement.
Ms Paula Koop, facilities manager at Footscray North Primary School, said the school is grateful to Felton for providing it with the means to enhance the school environment in a meaningful way.
“The Felton Grant has allowed us to purchase new Felton Buddy Benches, providing a designated space for students to connect with others when they are feeling left out or in need of companionship,” she said.
“This initiative supports our goal of promoting inclusivity and mental wellbeing among students and ill play a significant role in fostering friendship for those needing additional social support each lunchtime.”
Felton Industries marketing manager Mr Drew Mackinnon said Footscray North’s pro ect e emplifies the ind of impact the
grant is designed to support.
“Every submission tells a story of dedication and resourcefulness. We are continually inspired by the passion organisations bring to improving their local environments and are proud to play a role in helping those ideas become reality,” Mr Mackinnon said.
This year, the grant pool has been expanded to $40,000, with applications open from 11 August to 12 September 2025. Eligible organisations – including schools, sports clubs, and community groups – are invited to submit proposals outlining their vision for outdoor improvements using Felton products.
Successful applicants will receive credit toward Felton’s extensive range of outdoor furniture, including seating, tables, and shelters. The company, which has been supplying premium aluminium furniture for over 20 years, is known for its durable, Australian-made solutions tailored to education and community settings.
“The Felton Grant program continues to highlight the power of outdoor spaces in bringing people together,” Mr Mackinnon said.
“The program has helped show how small changes, like inclusive seating or a grandstand, can ma e a significant difference to communities. We remain committed to supporting those who are building stronger, more connected communities through practical, durable, Australian-made outdoor furniture.”
Past winners have included schools developing inclusive play areas and sports clubs rebuilding facilities after relocation. In 2024, alongside Footscray North Primary
School, recipients included Isabella State School in Edmonton, and Kawana Dolphins Rugby League in Buddina, Queensland.
Ms Sarah Simpson, president of the parents and carers association at Isabella State School, said the funding has allowed the school to revitalise its tuckshop area with Felton Industries’ jumbo park setting and interactive wheelchair setting, creating a welcoming space for students and the wider community.
“These new seating options offer a comfortable and inclusive area where teachers can hold class outside of the classroom, where families and friends can gather at school events such as sports days, and that we can use for regular ‘coffee and chat’ sessions with parents enhancing the sense of connection within our school community,” Ms Simpson said. EM
Schools interested in applying for the 2025 Felton Grant can find more information at www.felton.net.au.
Image: Footscray North Primary School.
Footscray North Primary School installed a Buddy Bench with funding from the 2024 Felton Grant.
Camp's magic keeps Mildura school coming back for more
A school camp in central Victoria draws students from a school on the Murray River year after year, where they discover adventure, challenge, and personal growth, creating lasting memories beyond the classroom.
Each year, the Year 5 students at The Lake Primary School in Mildura embark on a five hour ourney across regional ictoria to Camp oo aburra. t’s a long ay to go, but for acting principal Mr Shaun Mc nerney, it’s a trip orth ta ing.
ur school has a strong commitment to outdoor education. Camp Kookaburra really aligns ith our values around relationship building, team or , and giving students a chance to gro outside the classroom,” Mr McInerney says.
ocated bet een Shepparton and the ictorian highlands, Camp oo aburra is part of the C Camps net or . The a e Primary School first learned about Camp oo aburra in 2022 through the ictorian Government’s Positive Start initiative, hich encouraged schools to re engage students in camps and e cursions after the disruptions of the C D pandemic. Camp oo aburra as among the recommended options – and the e perience as so positive for the school, it’s since become a fi ture in its annual camp calendar.
From that first camp, e ere really impressed. t’s only gotten better each year. The facilities, the activities, the people it all or s, Mr Mc nerney says.
Run by hosts Carly and Josh Honey, the camp has earned a reputation for its elcoming, family style environment. They’re such genuine people, and incredibly easy to or ith, Mr Mc nerney says. very time e return, they’ve improved something ne activities, upgraded buildings. ou can tell they’re
Despite the distance, the school continues to ma e it or logistically. This year, about 45 Year 5 students attended the camp, accompanied by seven staff and a small number of parent volunteers. The school recently purchased a 0 seater bus to reduce travel costs and increase accessibility for future e cursions.
really invested in the place. Camp oo aburra offers a range of high adrenaline and s ill building activities a giant s ing, climbing all, ying fo , archery, canoeing, and the aptly named oo aburra Heights’ and oo aburra alance’. The camp also provides access to bi es and al ing trails, all set against a backdrop of bushland and open paddocks.
The ids come bac saying, didn’t thin could do that’. hether it’s the high ropes course or ust being a ay from home, they get pushed out of their comfort ones, and that’s here the gro th happens, Mr McInerney says.
Feedback from families echoes the same sentiment. Parents tell us ho much more confident their child is after camp, he says. e even hear from students that it’s refreshing to be a ay from devices and out in nature. That’s a rare thing these days.
The distance is a factor, but hen the e perience is this good, it ustifies the effort,” Mr McInerney says.
The onsite accommodation is another highlight. Students stay in modern dorm style rooms, each ith its o n ensuite bathroom – comforts not often found at school camps. The camp also features a ne ly renovated games room, central gathering areas, and hearty meals served in a communal dining space.
s staff, e get loo ed after too, Mr Mc nerney says. They even serve us a separate meal, something a bit more adult. It’s those little touches that make a difference.
Camp oo aburra has no become so integral to The a e Primary School’s programs that boo ings are made t o years in advance. t’s a standout part of the school e perience, Mr Mc nerney says. There are other camps closer to us, but e haven’t felt the need to loo else here. EM
Visit www.cycamps.org.au to explore everything Camp Kookaburra and the other CY Campsites have in store. Book now for Term 4 and enjoy an exclusive discount.
Image: The Lake Primary School.
Camp Kookaburra o ers a range of high-adrenaline and skill-building activities.
From the ground up
Winterfold Primary’s award-winning reconciliation journey began with one parent’s voice and grew into a whole-school commitment to listening, learning, and leading with community.
“It wasn’t one thing in particular that earned us the award. It was the whole picture – the relationships, the learning, the willingness to listen and improve.”
Ms Kim Calabrese, Principal, Winterfold Primary School
When Winterfold Primary School was named the winner of the 2023 Narragunnawali Award, it wasn’t just a moment of celebration it as affirmation of years of grassroots work led by staff, students, and the local community. ocated in eaconsfield, Fremantle, Western Australia, Winterfold is a mid-sized public primary school with around 330 students. While only about 10 per cent of its student population identifies as boriginal or Torres Strait Islander, the school’s commitment to reconciliation runs deep and wide.
“This isn’t a top-down story,” says Principal Ms Kim Calabrese. “It’s a bottomup journey. Reconciliation is a part of all members of our community, and our school has been willing to listen and act.”
The journey began in earnest around 2017, sparked by the advocacy of an Aboriginal parent who could see value in pulling together in a cultural journey for all.
“He was really advocating for his kids,”
recalls teacher Ms Amy Clement, who has been at Winterfold for more than a decade. “He said, ‘We need to do something to support them in this environment’. That was the catalyst.”
Ms Clement, then a Humanities and Social Sciences (HASS) curriculum leader, joined forces with a colleague to form a Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) committee.
In the context of Australian schools, a RAP is a formal framework developed in partnership with Reconciliation Australia. It outlines practical actions for building relationships, showing respect, and creating opportunities with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Schools like Winterfold use RAPs to embed reconciliation into their culture, curriculum, and community engagement.
“We saw a strong link between Aboriginal cultural standards and the HASS curriculum,” Ms Clement says. “We knew we needed to bring the community into the process.”
The parent who raised the initial concerns became a ey figure in the committee. “He was very involved from the get-go,” Ms Clement says. “He encouraged others to come to meetings and have their voices heard. That’s how we developed our RAP vision – collaboratively, with our families.
Teacher Ms Keely Wrathall, who joined the school two and a half years ago, says the process has been deeply re ective. “When I arrived, I saw an opportunity to contribute to the RAP work, and it aligned with my own passion for social justice and inclusion, she says. my and Fern allesi welcomed me into the RAP committee, and I’ve been learning ever since.”
Winterfold aligned its RAP with WA Department of Education’s Aboriginal Cultural Standards Frame or , using it to guide improvements across relationships, leadership, teaching, learning environments, and resources.
“We layered the RAP on top of that framework,” Ms Clement says. “It helped us focus and ensure we were meeting expectations from both the community and the department.”
One of the school’s early initiatives was to introduce surveys for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, conducted at the start and end of each
Winterfold Primary School educators Ms Keely Wrathall (left) and Ms Amy Clement.
of identity, and what makes school feel safe and en oyable.
“It gives students a voice,” says Ms rathall. e as them about ho they are, hat they en oy, hat they ant to learn about, and ho connected they feel to their identity. If they’re not feeling proud or safe, we want to know how we can help.”
Staff were also surveyed to assess their own cultural competency, helping to identify areas for professional development. “We wanted to know what we didn’t know,” Ms Wrathall says. “That way, we could make sure we were providing meaningful education for all our students.”
Winterfold has accessed a range of professional development opportunities, including sessions from Reconciliation WA on trauma-informed practice and culturally responsive teaching.
“One session focused on understanding intergenerational trauma,” says Ms Clement. nother helped us thin about ho boriginal students learn and how to design learning experiences through that lens.”
Ms Calabrese adds, There’s no end point. t’s a continual ourney. e’re al ays learning, always improving.”
The school also draws on resources from Reconciliation Australia and has made a concerted effort to embed boriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives across the curriculum.
“We put the lens over everything –relationships, the learning environment, and especially teaching,” Ms Clement says. “If e’re teaching poetry, e include boriginal poets. If we’re exploring history, we include
Ms Wrathall says this approach is evident even in the youngest classrooms. “I teach preprimary, and you can see how naturally the kids use Noongar* language and share it with each other. t becomes part of their lives.
The school’s inclusive culture is also re ected in its student body. interfold students are very active citizens,” Ms Calabrese says. They’re engaged in learning about history, identity, and ustice. They ta e pride in what we’re doing.”
Ms Clement agrees. t’s not about tic ing bo es, she says. t’s about creating a space where everyone feels safe, respected, and heard. That’s what reconciliation looks like in practice.
With funding from the Narragunnawali ard, the school is no planning to build a yarning circle a culturally significant space for storytelling, learning, and connection.
“We wanted to invest in something physical that ould benefit both our
boriginal students and the ider community, Ms rathall says. t’s about creating a space that everyone can learn from and en oy.
The school is working with Yarning Circle WA and seeking guidance from a local Elder to ensure the pro ect is culturally appropriate and connected to the land’s history.
“We’re making sure everyone’s voice is heard – students, families, staff,” Ms Wrathall says. t’s a collaborative effort, and it’s going to be something meaningful and lasting.
The yarning circle ill be co designed ith input from students, who will help shape its purpose and layout. e ant it to be a space that re ects our community’s story, she says. t’s not ust about building something it’s about building something together.
Ms Calabrese, ho oined the school as Principal two years ago, nominated Winterfold for the Narragunna ali ard after observing its strong practices and community ethos.
“They spoke to students, staff, and families,” she says. “There wasn’t a single standout moment. It was the collective impact of everything we do that made the difference. The willingness to listen, to act, and to keep improving.”
The a ard announcement in December 2023 was met with excitement across the school. “The students were elated,” Ms Calabrese says. They felt proud, and they ne it as something they’d helped build.
*Noongar, also spelled Nyungar or Nyoongar, is the boriginal language spo en by the Noongar people in the south estern region of Western Australia. EM
The school is planning to build a yarning circle with funding from the Narragunnawali Award.
The school embeds Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives across the curriculum.
Images: Winterfold Primary School
Conversations: the circulatory system of a school
Conversations shape school culture. Dr Stephen Brown, Managing Director of The Brown Collective, explores how leadership dialogue fosters connection, trust, and transformation – making communication the lifeblood of thriving educational communities.
Communication is the thread that creates and weaves the culture of any school. Effective communication is a culture enabler, and conversely poor or ineffective communication is symptomatic of a school culture and presenting climate that needs improvement.
The basis of an organisation’s culture is quality professional relationships. School leaders’ model school culture and stimulate school climate one conversation at a time. Simply, the quality of the relationships will determine the quality of the school.
Effective leadership, effective communication and productive organisational cultures are intertwined. The Center for Creative Leadership (May 2025) research notes that the best leaders are master communicators using a variety of approaches such as effective listening and displaying genuine compassion for others despite their circumstances.
of these forms of communication enable results and outcomes-requests and promises. School leaders wanting to improve their communication effectively need to in the first instance chec and re ect on the clarity of the expectations and outcomes from all parties.
anguage is our first tool as humans, our first technology. n or places li e schools’ people interact using various forms of communication. Conversations are at the heart of such exchanges – the circulatory system of any school. They are how information is conveyed, meaning made, impressions gained, emotions triggered, connections built and sometimes, con ict and disagreement generated.
Dr Stephen Brown is the Managing Director of The Brown Collective, focused on the formation of educational leaders and partnering with schools, networks and system to enable sustainable impact. The organisation reflects both his collective experience over 40 years in policy, strategy and leadership development – and that of the remarkable global network he has developed during this career.
School leaders essentially have two general forms of communication: leading and repairing. Leading involves communication about vision, values and aims that gives all members of a school community a sense of connectedness, coherence and a shared purpose. On the other hand, repairing involves smoothing out and re-orientating differences and difficulties.
What types of communication by leaders are seen to be effective? Christine Comaford, in her book, Smart Tribes—How Teams Become Brilliant Together (2013, p.59) notes that there are five types of communication information sharing; requests; promises; sharing of oneself and debating, decision making, or point proving. She suggests that only two
School leaders regularly are engaged in workplace conversations ranging from collaborative discussions, social interactions, professional learning dialogue with peers, interchanges with students to providing performance feedback to colleagues. School leaders need to refine and master the art of professional conversations.
Fernando Flores (2013) in his work, Conversations for Action and Collected Essays notes that effective educators recognise that an “an organisation’s results are determined through webs of human commitments, born in the webs of conversations”.
So, hat is the definition of leadership conversations? Leadership conversations is the ‘conversational capacity’ to (1) work through issues and generate agreement, shared understanding or ‘common ground’ (2) to engage others and to generate partnerships in various forms (3) provide a spark or ignition of deeper learning with individuals, groups
Image: Dr Stephen Brown
and at other scales (4) provide an focus on aspects of any organisation that need improvement that have been for various reasons not addressed and (5) enable collective actions to be generated to tackle’ stubborn, sticky issues (Williams, 2025, Weber, 2013).
In any school there is a communication network – a complex system of formal and informal relationships in which, and through which, information is exchanged, interpreted, mythology created, truisms established, and judgements made about subject along ith people.
It is worth noting that most of our conversations are of a social ‘chit chat’ nature – some 66 per cent (O’Keeffe, 2011, p. 113). If school leaders want to enhance connection, they need to consider amplifying opportunities for ‘chit chat’.
Leaders need to understand some of the archetypal roles played or taken up by people within their school setting and then use this a areness as a lever to in uence school climate and culture. How can such roles be described? One novel approach to the role identity of people in a school’s communication network is the following: Storytellers, Spies, Priests/Priestesses, Whisperers and Cabals.
What are the characteristics that identify them
Storytellers transact and reinforce values and beliefs through stories about other people and events. Such people can provide valuable perspective and insight into the culture of the school and a ‘temperature’ check on current change initiatives.
Spies, these are the people who know everything about everyone in the school and the community. They pride themselves on being in the no ’ and being the first to no . School leadership can generally rely on these individuals to know if staff have concerns about issues. They sometimes like to provide the leadership team with ‘the heads up’ about what is going on around the school.
Who are the Whisperers? Typically, these individuals can be described as ‘playing in the shadows’ exerting very informal power and in uence. Such people can be relied upon to provide feedback and perspectives on what can or cannot work for supporting reasons.
Finally, the Cabals. These are combinations of staff who galvanise around particular issues for a common purpose. Such partnerships can contribute or detract from the collective work to be undertaken in a school.
Thinking about the staff you work
with in your leadership role, can you recognise individual staff members who might fall within each or a combination of the above role categories in the school’s communication net or
Any school communication network needs constant monitoring, maintenance and sometimes intervention to address blockages and friction within its circulatory system. School leaders, through their leadership conversational capacity enable so many aspects of school life. They can build trust, enable staff to feel psychologically safe, improve con ict resolution, have greater confidence in underta ing difficult conversations, strengthen internal capability to adapt to changing circumstances, generate a shared vision and learning is prized. The ultimate aspirational outcomes that result should be a school in which everyone has a great sense of connection, engagement and belonging.
final thought Judith Glasser in her text, Conversational Intelligence (2013) notes that to get to the next level of greatness depends on the quality of the culture, which depends on the quality of the relationships, which depends on the quality of the conversations. verything happens through conversations. EM
School leaders have two general forms of communication: leading and repairing.
AI and the digital divide: lessons from policy, practice, and Carnarvon
HP Education Ambassador Mr Brett Salakas explores how AI could bridge Australia’s digital divide – if access, infrastructure, and training reach every student, everywhere.
Mr Brett Salakas, HP Education Ambassador, is a global keynote speaker, best-selling author of A Mammoth Lesson: Teaching in the Digital Age, and founder of #aussieED. A leading voice on LinkedIn in K-12 Education, Mr Salakas was named Australia’s Most Influential Educator (2024) and recognised globally as one of education’s top 100 leaders.
The ‘digital divide’ in Australia is not new. For decades, we have spoken about the gap in technology access between metropolitan and remote communities, between well-resourced and under-resourced schools, and between families who can afford the latest devices and those who cannot. But with the rise of artificial intelligence, that divide has shifted. It is no longer simply a question of who has a laptop or an internet connection. The pressing question is now: who has access to AI tools, and the skills to use them well?
Last year, the Australian Federal Government released a report titled Study y or e cer: I ry to the se o ge erat e art c al tell ge ce the stral a e cat o system. It included a statement that deserves attention: “AI presents an unprecedented opportunity to bridge the digital divide.” This is true. AI can provide personalised learning resources, translation for students from diverse backgrounds, and adaptive tools for learners with additional needs. But the same technology, if poorly implemented, could deepen the divide. When access to AI is limited to those with the latest devices, reliable internet, and trained teachers, we risk creating an ‘AI divide’ layered on top of the digital divide we already know.
AI’s two faces in the digital divide AI has extraordinary potential to make education more equitable. A well-trained AI model can deliver high-quality explanations in any language, give instant feedback on student writing, adapt maths problems to a learner’s skill level, or simulate a lab experiment in a school without a science lab. For rural and remote students, AI could
bring expert instruction and resources into classrooms that would otherwise go without. Yet without careful policy and targeted investment, AI could also exacerbate inequity. Schools in regional areas may struggle to run tools if internet band idth is insufficient. Teachers without professional development may feel overwhelmed or unsure how to integrate AI effectively. Students in lowincome households may never get to use these tools at home. AI is a tide that is rising quickly, but whether it lifts all boats or leaves some grounded will depend entirely on the infrastructure, training, and cultural considerations we put in place now.
Learning from Switzerland’s Sovereign AI Internationally, there are lessons to draw from countries taking proactive steps to ensure AI works for their citizens. Switzerland’s creation of a Sovereign LLM, a large language model owned and operated within its borders, is one example. Its goals are threefold:
1. Enhanced data security, ensuring sensitive information remains within national infrastructure.
2. Cultural representation, embedding Swiss history, values, and perspectives into the way the model interprets global events.
3. Economic opportunity, giving local startups access to the technology so they can compete on a global stage. ustralia could benefit from a similar approach. A sovereign or locally aligned AI system could help protect student data, ensure Australian history and contemporary issues are represented with cultural nuance, and give our emerging tech companies a competitive advantage.
Image:
Brett Salakas
“AI is a tide that is rising quickly, but whether it lifts all boats or leaves some grounded will depend entirely on the infrastructure, training, and cultural considerations we put in place now.”
Mr Brett Salakas
From policy to practice: a Carnarvon story
As I write this, I am in Carnarvon, a remote coastal town in Western Australia. For the past few years, in my role as HP Education Ambassador, I have been working with Carnarvon Christian School, a partnership that has grown from delivering devices to building deep professional development for teachers.
Carnarvon is more than 900 kilometres from Perth. Like many remote communities, it faces the tyranny of distance, uctuating connectivity, limited local resources, and
difficulty attracting and retaining specialist staff. Yet it is also a place of creativity, resilience, and determination.
Over our years of partnership, we have seen remarkable progress. Teachers have gro n in confidence and competence ith technology, integrating digital tools into their lessons in meaningful ways. Students who once struggled with engagement are now leaning forward, participating actively in projects that connect them to the wider world. Even behaviour in the classroom has improved as technology is used to make learning more interactive and relevant.
Right now, we are in the middle of our AIdeas for Good Design thinking challenge. Students have been tasked with identifying a real-world problem in their community and exploring how AI could help solve it. The energy in the room is electric. Some groups are working on environmental monitoring tools, others are exploring AI for local language preservation, and a few are tackling health and wellbeing solutions tailored for remote
communities. It is AI made real, and made local. Our work here is part of a broader HP commitment to supporting equitable access to technology and skills. This includes our HP AI Teacher Academy, HP Digital Skills for Educators, HP Gaming Garage, and the wide range of free courses on the EdX platform. These initiatives aim to give both educators and students the no ledge, confidence, and creative freedom to use AI and digital tools effectively, no matter where they live.
Practical actions for bridging the divide
For Australia to ensure AI narrows, rather than widens, the divide, several actions
AI Literacy for All – Fund training programs for educators and students, particularly in regional and remote areas, to ensure confident and ethical use. Infrastructure Investment – Improve device access, internet connectivity, and technical support in underserved communities.
Sovereign AI Development – Create locally aligned AI systems to safeguard data, re ect ustralian cultural perspectives, and support local innovation.
4. Startup Support – Foster ecosystems where Australian entrepreneurs can develop AI tools for education and export them to the world.
5. Policy Agility – Education policy must evolve at the pace of technological change, not years behind it.
The urgency and the opportunity
The Australian Federal Government is right. AI is an opportunity to bridge the digital divide. But opportunities are only realised through deliberate action. Without equal access, skill development, and cultural alignment, AI could easily become the latest in a long line of educational technologies that benefit some while leaving others behind.
From Carnarvon to Canberra, the challenge is the same. We must ensure that every student, whether in a city skyscraper or a remote coastal town, can access and shape the future of AI. The task ahead is to make sure that in the AI era, opportunity is something every Australian learner can count on. That is the real bridge we need to build. EM
Image: Brett Salakas
Carnarvon Christian School is integrating digital tools into lessons.
One degree, two classrooms: Why teacher training must reflect real-world school contexts
Dr
Abhinava
Barthakur,
a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the Centre for Change and Complexity in Learning at UniSA Education Futures, explains why context matters for students on placement.
School placements are a vital part of every teaching degree, giving student teachers real-world classroom experience. But whether that experience happens in a well-resourced school or one facing greater challenges can come down to luck – with each setting demanding a different set of s ills.
Imagine this: a young student teacher, mma, al s into her first day of placement at a school in a struggling neighbourhood. The classroom paint is peeling, supplies are scarce, and 25 lively students look up at her, each with their own unique needs. Emma quickly learns she must hold their attention, manage behaviour, and improvise lessons with limited resources. Every minute, she’s juggling between calming one student, keeping another student on task, all while sticking to a clear lesson structure so learning doesn’t descend into chaos. By the end of the day, she’s exhausted but wiser, realising that strong classroom management and well-planned routines are not optional but essential survival skills.
Now, picture Michael, another student teacher, beginning his placement at a well-funded school across town. His classroom is fully resourced with interactive whiteboards, ample textbooks, and a teacher’s aide. The students are on track or even ahead, and they expect engaging discussions and challenging projects. Michael’s biggest challenge isn’t keeping order but making complex content understandable and sparking deeper discussions. He spends his energy refining
his subject knowledge and working with his mentor teacher to design creative lessons. Instead of worrying about disruptions, Michael focuses on innovative teaching and how to stretch high-achieving students even further.
What’s behind these differing experiences? A recent study by researchers at the University of South Australia shows that a school’s socioeconomic status S S in uences the balance of most critical competencies. These two scenarios illustrate how different school settings can provide two distinctly different learning experiences for new teachers.
In lower-SES school placements, practical teaching skills carry more weight for a student teacher, whereas in higherSES schools student teachers thrive by expanding their academic knowledge and engaging collaboratively with colleagues. t’s a finding that confirms hat many seasoned educators have observed anecdotally: the context in which new teachers learn to teach can demand very different strengths.
Training for the real world
If teaching in different contexts calls for different skills, teacher training should re ect that. Currently, many education programs train teachers in general methods and theories, then send them into vastly different school settings; it is no wonder that a new teacher like Emma can feel blindsided by the gritty realities of a high-need classroom. Likewise, someone like Michael may feel underprepared to
challenge high-achieving students if his training focused mainly on maintaining order. To give all future teachers the best chance for success, universities and training programs could tailor their pedagogy to prepare students for the specific settings they’re li ely to or in, including offering specialised courses or workshops.
t ould also be beneficial for pre service teachers to experience a variety of school environments during their studies so they are prepared for diverse situations. Policymakers can encourage this approach by linking teacher training to real classroom needs. For instance, universities might require graduates to complete placements in both high- and low-SES schools, ensuring they’ve seen both worlds. Teacher education curricula could also be updated to balance strong classroom management s ills ith deep content mastery, re ecting what new teachers will need on day one.
New teachers should be prepared to walk into any classroom ready to teach. To achieve that, we need policy changes in teacher education that recognise the reallife differences that exist across different schools. Such changes would give future teachers like Emma and Michael a better chance of success, and when teachers succeed, students and communities all benefit. EM
Dr Abhinava Barthakur.
Image: Dr Abhinava Barthakur
Why every school should be deaf friendly
A free, self-paced online course has been developed by Deaf Children Australia to help schools create more deaf friendly environments, writes CEO Mr David Wilson.
For most students, school is where they learn, grow, make friends and discover their place in the world. But for deaf and hard of hearing (DHH) children, that experience often depends on how prepared their school community is to support them.
At Deaf Children Australia (DCA), we believe every student deserves to feel seen, supported and included, no matter where they live or how they communicate. Yet our recent national survey shows there is still work to do to make that a reality, particularly in regional and rural communities.
We spoke with hundreds of parents, carers and school staff, many from regional and remote areas, and the results highlighted a clear need for greater resources and support. More than 60 per cent of respondents said their schools need better deaf awareness. Over 40 per cent admitted they lack the skills to communicate effectively with deaf and hard of hearing students. This is despite the fact that 83 per cent of DHH students in Australia attend mainstream schools.
In regional and remote areas, schools face additional challenges. Specialist resources and support services can be harder to access, ma ing it more difficult for educators and staff to develop the skills needed to create inclusive classrooms. At the same time, hearing loss rates are higher in some remote areas, particularly among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children. Research shows nine out of 10 young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in remote communities experience some form of ear disease, and one in six has suffered a burst eardrum.
Language deprivation resulting from hearing loss, especially if it occurs during the critical period of language development in the first five years of life, can have lasting impacts on cognitive, social, emotional and academic development. This can lead to difficulties in communication, reduced cognitive abilities, mental ill-health and social isolation.
The reality is that many schools simply do not have the resources or training they need to confidently support deaf and hard of hearing students. That is something we can and must change.
For Miranda, a mother from Port Macquarie in regional New South Wales, the gaps in support have been a constant challenge. Her 14-year-old son is deaf in one ear, yet because he was not considered deaf enough to qualify for extra support, Miranda has spent years filling the gap herself.
“I have had to explain deaf awareness to my son’s teachers every single year,” she says. “It is exhausting. It should not be up to parents to educate staff.”
For families like Miranda’s, programs like Building Bridges can make a real difference. Building Bridges is a free, self-paced online course developed by DCA to help schools create more deaf friendly environments. The course provides practical tools, deaf awareness training and access to resources designed to empower everyone in the school community, from classroom teachers to office staff, playground supervisors to principals.
Building Bridges includes a video library of over 200 school friendly Auslan signs, downloadable resources,
classroom activities and, for a limited time, a free Auslan Resource Pack with storytime books with key Auslan signs and translations that gently introduce Auslan, posters and learning tools.
Importantly, Building Bridges was made possible through funding from the Department of Social Services, ensuring the program remains free and accessible to schools nationwide. Building Bridges is based on years of research and designed to be practical, e ible and accessible to schools no matter where they are located.
You do not need to be an expert in deaf education to make your school a place where every child feels they belong. With the right tools and a willingness to learn, any school can become more deaf friendly.
We know that when deaf and hard of hearing students feel understood and supported to communicate, their confidence gro s, their learning improves and they build stronger connections with their peers and teachers.
This is especially important in regional and rural communities where access to specialist support is limited. By embedding inclusive practices across schools, we can break down barriers and ensure every student, regardless of where they live, has the same opportunities to succeed. Learn more at www.deafchildrenaustralia.org.au/ building-bridges. EM
DAVID WILSON // THE LAST WORD
Mr David Wilson.
Image:
Mr David Wilson
What does success look like in out-of-field teaching?
Out-of-field teaching is common – but often invisible. One teacher’s research explores how educators define success when working beyond their subject expertise in STEM.
Since 2011, I’ve taught in regional NSW high schools, mostly in STEM subjects, despite originally training as a primary school teacher. Like many educators, I’ve found myself stepping into roles outside my formal ualifications. Can you ta e this Year 9 science class tomorrow?” or e need someone for ear 0 Maths, just for a term.” These requests come with little notice and even less support. It’s a familiar story for many of us.
ut of field teaching here teachers are assigned subjects or year levels outside their area of e pertise isn’t a rare occurrence. It’s the norm in many schools. According to the Australian Institute of Teaching and School Leadership, nearly half of teachers are working outside their subject or stage area. Yet, when we talk about what makes a teacher successful, we often focus on sub ect mastery and years of e perience qualities many of us didn’t have when we first stepped into these roles.
This disconnect is what sparked my PhD research at Deakin University. I wanted to explore a simple but powerful question: what does success really look and feel like for teachers working outside their comfort zone?
My research focuses on experienced teachers who are teaching or have taught maths or science out of field in ustralia. ’m interested in ho e define our o n success, especially when we’re constantly learning on the y. hat does doing a good job” mean when you’re juggling unfamiliar content, new classes, and sometimes entirely new year levels?
I’m not here to prescribe what success
should look like. I want to listen. I want to hear your stories hat’s helped you, what’s made things harder, and what you wish others understood about your or . ecause let’s be honest out of field teaching keeps schools running, but it often feels invisible.
This matters, not just for us as teachers, but for school leaders and policymakers too. If we can better understand ho out of field teachers define and sustain their o n success, maybe e can find better ays to support each other. Maybe we can help more teachers stay and thrive, even when the job throws us curveballs.
That’s why I’m inviting up to 20 experienced teachers who are currently teaching or have recently taught maths or science out of field in an ustralian high school (from any sector) to participate in a 30-minute individual online interview.
Everything you share will be confidential. ’m not collecting real names, school names, or any demographic information. The study has been approved by Deakin University’s ethics committee (Ref: 2024/HE000079).
f you’re interested or no someone ho might be you can find more information and sign up here:
https://blogs.deakin.edu.au/ success-stories-ooft-maths-science/ phd-research-project-a-netnographicexploration-of-self-perceptions-ofsuccess of out of field teachers of mathematics-and-science
This is your chance to have your voice heard and help shine a light on what real success looks like in the world of out-of-
field teaching. Feel free to email me at mjakovac@deakin.edu.au.
While my study centres on maths and science teachers, the broader issue spans all sub ect areas. ut of field teaching can be a career defining challenge. For some of us, a source of unexpected growth. This workplace misassignment asks educators to adapt quickly, build new professional identities, and navigate shifting expectations from students, parents, and colleagues. Sometimes we’re doing this and teaching our in field sub ects.
My PhD will also explore how external pressures shape these experiences. Education policies, accreditation requirements, curriculum reforms, and resource allocation all in uence how teachers see their own success. These factors can reinforce confidence or erode it, depending on the level of support available.
Through in-depth, one-on-one conversations, I aim to capture the nuance often missing from statistics the strategies teachers develop, the turning points in their journeys, and the moments that keep them in the profession. The ultimate goal? To build a richer understanding that can inform better support structures and help retain skilled teachers in classrooms where they’re needed most. EM
Ms Margaret Jakovac.
Image: Ms Margaret Jakovac
To list an event in our calendar, email rhiannon.bowman@primecreative.com.au
SEPTEMBER
Indigenous Literacy Day 7 September nationaltoday.com/ indigenous-literacy-day
R U OK? Day 11 September ruok.org.au
Teaching Matters Summit 2025 14–16 September, Hobart teachingmatters.au
EduFest WA Conference 17 September, Perth www.edufestwa.com
2025 K–12 Curriculum Reform Conference (Catholic Schools NSW) 29–30 September, Sydney csnsw.catholic.edu.au
Australian Council for Educational Leaders (ACEL) National Conference 2025 29 September–1 October, Sydney acel.org.au
OCTOBER
Earth Science Week 12–18 October ga.gov.au/about/earthscience-week
Australian International Education Conference (AIEC) 14–17 October, Canberra aiec.idp.com
PAEDS ‘Beyond the Bedside’ conference 18 October, Melbourne paedseducation.com.au
Media Literacy Week 24–31 October medialiteracy.org.au
World Teacher’s Day, Australia 31 October worldteachersday.edu.au
Montessori Convention (MIC 2025) 31 October–2 November, Sydney events.montessori.org.au/mic/
NOVEMBER
National Recycling Week 10–16 November recyclingnearyou.com.au/ nationalrecyclingweek
Schools Spectacular 28–29 November, Sydney qudosbankarena.com.au/event/ school-spectacular
Coonabarabran Public School students use R U OK? tote bags as their school library bags.
Media Literacy Week aims to combat the spread of spin, misinformation and fake news.
National Recycling Week is taking place 10–16 November.
PAEDS ‘Beyond the Bedside’ conference will explore best practices for supporting children with medical needs.
People on the Move
Welcome to People on the Move, Education Matters’ bulletin to keep the Australian education sector updated on new appointments and personnel changes.
is currently Principal of Trinity College Gladstone in Queensland and has over 25 years of experience in education. Mr Lewis has held leadership positions across several schools and is recognised
Head of Wahroonga Preparatory School at Knox Grammar, where she has served for over a decade. Mrs Floro is currently the President of the Independent Primary
Grammar School, commencing November 2025. He brings more than 30 years' experience in education, having previously served as Principal of SCOTS PGC College. Mr Thompson has also held leadership positions at Brisbane Boys College.
Image: Ipswich Girls’ Grammar School
Image: Kinross Wolaroi School
Ms Leanne Tingwell has been appointed foundation Principal of Umarkoo Primary School in Wollert, which is scheduled to open in January 2026. She previously served as the inaugural Principal of Gaayip-Yagila Primary School and has held leadership roles across several Victorian government schools. Ms Tingwell has extensive experience in curriculum planning.
His appointment follows the planned retirement of current Principal, Dr Andrew Parry, at the conclusion of 2025. Mr Kelly brings more than 25 years of experience in independent education, and is currently Principal of Townsville Grammar School in Queensland.
Image: Victorian School Building Authority
has served as Deputy Principal at the college since 2020 and brings nearly 30 years of experience in Catholic education across four schools, including three under Edmund Rice Education Australia. Mr Fall has also served as a Board Director at Padua College.
Image: St Joseph’s College, Gregory Terrace
School in Armstrong Creek, Victoria, set to open in January 2026. She has held leadership roles in several Victorian government schools, including Assistant Principal and Leading Teacher positions. Ms Cormack has 24 years’ experience in curriculum implementation, and student wellbeing programs.
Image: Victorian School Building Authority
Term 3. She has most recently served as Assistant Principal – Teaching & Learning at Christian Brothers High School Lewisham and previously held the role of Deputy Principal at St Mary’s Cathedral College, including several terms as Acting Principal.
Image: St Dominic’s College
If you’d like to tell the sector about a new person in your school, company, institute or not-for-profit, please send the person’s name, position, image and a short description about their role to editor Rhiannon Bowman for consideration at rhiannon.bowman@primecreative.com.au.
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