Adolescence is a period of rapid development. To support students through various challenges during this time, educators need effective tools to help them understand how they’re coping – and how they can do so more effectively. Find out more about the Adolescent Coping Scale for Schools (ACS-S) in this article. 

‘Teachers and parents can help to foster social-emotional functioning among students, which is important for their healthy development more broadly.’ In this reader submission, Rebecca J. Collie and Richard M. Ryan share findings from their recent study that examined the role teachers and parents play in relation to students’ social-emotional competence. 

Teacher Editor Jo Earp is joined by Dan McShea, Foundation Principal of Notre Dame P-12 College in Queensland, for the final episode in Series 3 of our School Assembly podcast series, where we have been following Dan’s journey as he builds a new school from the ground up. 

Research shows that when children thrive in their early years, they have a strong foundation for lifelong learning, health, development and wellbeing. New data from the 2024 Australian Early Development Census (AEDC) show there has been an overall increase in the percentage of children developmentally on track on 5 AEDC domains since the baseline was established in 2009. 

In Episode 101 of The Research Files Teacher editor Jo Earp is joined by ACER Senior Research Fellow Dr Rebecca Taylor to explore survey data from 2 reports into music teaching and music education in primary schools, all about the ‘what’, ‘when’, and ‘how’ music learning is delivered.

Last month we brought you news of a major OECD report on the state of global teenage career preparation. So, in this follow-up podcast we’re going to be sharing an example of how one school here in Australia – Fairhills High School in Victoria – is doing some great work in the area of careers and pathways education.

In early 2025, all 9 of Zoos Victoria’s Asian elephants were relocated to a state-of-the-art habitat at Werribee Open Range Zoo. Students visiting Werribee can now observe herd dynamics up close, with educators guiding inquiry into animal behaviour, welfare science, and the complex ethics of human-animal relationships.

We’ve reached the penultimate episode of Series 3 of our podcast series School Assembly. Teacher editor Jo Earp talks to Notre Dame P-12 College Principal Dan McShea about distributed leadership and developing a leadership pipeline in a new school. Dan also shares his biggest challenge, key learning and proudest achievement since last month’s episode. 

In today’s article, Rachael Lehr, Associate Principal at Dayton Primary School in Western Australia shares her advice on how to set the tone for a new school term to get the best out of your students and staff. From creating positive relationships, to setting high expectations and revisiting routines, Rachael shares what has worked in her school setting.

The 2025 Australian Primary Principals Association (APPA) National Conference, taking place from 26 to 29 August in Brisbane, is shaping up to be one of the most significant and inspiring events on this year’s professional learning calendar for primary school leaders across Australia.