Jo Earp

‘Supporting principals is not an end in itself: it is an investment in the schools they lead and the communities they serve.’ A new report has taken a closer look at who school leaders across the OECD are, what makes them valued, why this matters, and how to best to support them.

Thinking back to your own school years, it’s likely there were key friends you relied on for support. But it’s not just close friends who make a difference. New research from South Australia suggests that, when it comes to building resilience among adolescents, being part of larger peer groups is just as important.

The Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) shows how well 15-year-olds can apply their knowledge and skills in science, reading and mathematics to real-world situations. In addition to the 3 core domains, an innovative domain important in modern societies is included in each test cycle. In 2025 the innovative domain was ‘Learning in the digital world’. This infographic shares Australia’s performance in an international context.

Day one of the Australian Council for Educational Leaders (ACEL) National Conference 2026 has kicked off in Perth with keynotes and presentations on the theme of Bold Leadership: New Frontiers in Education. Presented in partnership with the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER), the conference has drawn delegates from around the world to explore complex leadership, the future of learning and the evolving role of educators.

The release of the results of the latest cycle of the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) made headlines around the world. More than 760,000 students assessed internationally, representing around 33 million 15-year-olds from 91 countries and economies. But the initial data are just the beginning.

Jo Earp sits down with Brad Gaynor to talk about leadership burnout. It's a timely topic – it’s R U OK? Day in Australia today. Brad's book From Burnout to Breakthrough: The Leadership Reset, looks at the growing pressure on school leaders and how it can impact wellbeing. He also shares his own lived experience of burnout.

In this episode of School Assembly, Teacher editor Jo Earp catches up with the leaders from all 3 series – Dan McShea from Notre Dame P-12 College in Queensland, Jo Camozzato from Bemin Secondary College in Victoria, and Dr Ray Boyd and Rachael Lehr from Dayton Primary School in Western Australia – to hear all about the progress made at their schools since we last spoke.

Ahead of the 2026 ACEL National Conference – presented in partnership with ACER – Teacher editor Jo Earp is joined by Lisa Newland, CEO of ACEL, and Lisa Rodgers, CEO of ACER, to unpack the conference’s theme of bold leadership. Lisa and Lisa tell us about their approach to leadership, what they’ve learned over the years, and more. 

We know that early literacy development is not uniform. Understanding students’ strengths and identifying gaps to plan for the next steps, including targeted support where needed – and doing this as early as possible – is a challenge for teachers. A new assessment program from ACER aims to spot literacy difficulties before children fall behind and these gaps widen.

In this episode of The Research Files, Teacher editor Jo Earp is joined by Mason Zhou and Professor Dot Dumuid to talk about a South Australian study into the impact of secondary school transition on student wellbeing. One of the key findings is it’s not a short-term dip – students may be struggling in their second year, too.