Careful planning and preparation lay the foundation for strong teaching and learning, positive school culture, and sustained improvement throughout the year. Anthony Hockey, Principal of St Mary's Catholic Primary School in Williamstown, Victoria, shares how his school prepares for a successful start to each new year. From welcoming new students, inducting staff and completing essential maintenance, to refining improvement priorities – the work begins well before the first bell rings.

‘We are, as our staff and students say, building a culture of excellence where every learner can thrive, and this year we have the data to prove it.’ In today’s article, Jo Jolly – Principal at Parkhill Primary School in Melbourne, Victoria – shares details of the journey the school has been on for the past 3 years to shift culture and improve student outcomes. 

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. 

At Para Hills High School, Quality Teaching Rounds is more than a professional learning program. It’s part of how the school supports teachers to learn from one another, continually refine their practice, and ultimately, improve outcomes for every student. In today’s StoryBoard article, hear all about how it works in practice.

Earlier this year, Mosman Park School for Deaf Children (MPSDC) unveiled their new school uniform. Based on the colours of the Deaf Flag, it was designed to promote pride, visibility and connection for the school community. We speak to Principal Monique Smith to find out more about the design process and the impact on student belonging. 

Recently the winner of the Global Schools Prize was announced – chosen from over 3,000 nominations. Excitingly, Australia’s Larrakeyah Primary School in Darwin were named as a finalist for the prize. In this episode, Dominique Beech is joined by Fathma Mauger to hear all about the custom-built AI writing platform they were recognised for. 

In assessment, AI tools offer new possibilities for feedback while also raising important questions about quality, accuracy, teacher oversight and, crucially, whether the feedback improves the learner, not just the piece of work they’ve been tasked with completing.

The winner of the inaugural Global Schools Prize – an international US $500,000 prize presented to a school to scale their impact – has been announced as The Alsama Project from Lebanon. Find out more about the winner, and an Australian school that also made it all the way to the top 50, in today’s article.

‘In classrooms, silence is often interpreted as lack of ability or confidence. But in many cases, it reflects a lack of safe, structured opportunities to participate.’ In today’s reader submission, senior secondary teacher Manisha Pundir explores 5 structured classroom routines that she’s used to help build student confidence to participate in classroom discussions.