Welcome to the very first episode of our new podcast series, School Assembly. In this series, we dive into what it’s like to build a school community from scratch, following Principal Ray Boyd and Associate Principal Rachael Lehr as they prepare for the 2023 opening of their new primary school in Western Australia.

‘Ultimately, our pilot … has transformed the way we meet the needs of our students and staff, particularly in a post-pandemic landscape.’ In this reader submission, Bridget Garing shares the details of a pilot Pittwater House in New South Wales undertook earlier this year to encourage staff to work collaboratively to support students.

For the past 7 months, Principal Ray Boyd and Associate Principal Rachael Lehr have been growing the school community for their new school, West Swan (Dayton) Primary School (planning name), as it’s built in Perth, Western Australia. In today’s photo story, we share some of the key moments from their journey so far.

‘When you’re in a bush kinder, there are no gendered materials. Everything that’s there is for anybody to play with.’ Recent findings from a Deakin University study reveal that bush kinders can build children’s early confidence and skill development in STEM, especially for young girls.

In this episode in our Behaviour Management series, Dr Erin Leif and Russell Fox from Monash University join us to answer questions submitted by Teacher readers on trauma-informed practice, strategies for casual relief teachers, and the links between positive behaviour support and academic outcomes.

Brisbane’s Brigidine College, Indooroopilly has changed the way it supports pre-service and early career teachers. In the second part of our Q&A with Allison Johansen (Assistant to the Principal, Professional Teaching and Learning) we find out more about the Pre-Service Teacher Fellowship Program and its positive impact.

Attending a professional learning event is a great way to reflect on what’s happening in your own school and improve practice. For leaders at this Brisbane college, it prompted a new approach to supporting and retaining pre-service and early career teachers. Find out more in today’s Q&A.

Early-career teacher at Tasmanian eSchool, Ruby Lyons-Reid, has recently been recognised for her use of digital resources to engage students in learning about First Nations histories and cultures, and in this article, she shares the learning activities she’s found to have the most impact.

How can schools better engage families in their students’ learning? Dr Rebecca Winthrop, Senior Fellow and Director of the Centre for Universal Education (CUE) at the Brookings Institution, shares the findings from a research initiative she has led at CUE on school engagement with families, along with some practical tips for building school-family engagement.

‘For those Australian teachers affected by remote delivery of teaching, many found the value and utility of engaging their students through Instructional Video.’ English and History teacher Steven Kolber shares the six common approaches to apply Instructional Video within a classroom or educational setting.