School Assembly is the podcast where we explore what it takes to build a school from the ground up. Bemin Secondary College has just opened, and important work is underway for setting the pathway for teaching and learning, so in our latest episode we talk about instructional models.

In Australia, 12% of girls will have their first period between the ages of 8 and 11 years, but formal education on menstruation is not included in the curriculum until age 10 at the earliest. A new study has interviewed school staff to explore how teachers are supporting younger students experiencing menstruation, and ways to overcome any barriers.

‘Successful learning is built on people recognising your abilities and strengths and helping you to build on them.’ We speak to Sue Lowry, winner of the Telstra ARIA Music Teacher Award, about how she is delivering quality music education to students with special needs, and how they’re smashing expectations.

Professor Geoff Masters, CEO of the Australian Council for Educational Research, joins Teacher for a series on world-class learning systems. In Episode 1, we find out more about the 5 systems he’s been exploring for a multi-year study commissioned by the National Centre on Education and the Economy in Washington DC.

The latest 'State of our Schools' survey from the Australian Education Union - conducted in early 2023 - shows that of almost 6,000 respondents, a vast majority are spending hundreds of dollars of their own money each year on items for work.

In this episode of the School Assembly podcast, we celebrate the opening of Bemin Secondary College in Truganina, Melbourne with Principal Jo Camozzato, and catch up with Dr Ray Boyd and Rachael Lehr at Dayton Primary School in Western Australia to find out what it’s like one year on from the big launch.

School absence has an impact on student outcomes, so being aware of attendance rates for your class, year group, or whole school, and understanding the reasons behind the absence is important. With this information to hand, what will make a difference? That’s the topic of Dr Kirsten Hancock’s research.

Welcome back to a new year of Teacher content. As usual, we are kicking things off with a look at some of the significant events, celebrations and themes for 2024 that you can use in your lesson planning. As well as the key dates in each term, we’ve also included links to more information and resources.

Our first podcast episode of 2024 focuses on effective leadership communication. We catch up with Jacinda Euler Welsh, Principal of Brisbane Girls Grammar School, to talk about different tools to engage with different members of the school community, the importance of consistency and honesty, and nurturing a 2-way communication process.

We’re right at the beginning of a new school year here in Australia. That means most of you are busy setting up your classrooms, meeting new students and establishing relationships with them and their families. In today’s podcast special, we’ve spoken with several winners from last year’s Teacher Awards to ask them their most valuable tips, strategies and priorities for starting the school year off right.