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.

‘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. 

To complement the widely adopted Driving School Improvement books by Pamela Macklin and Vic Zbar, the new Driving School Improvement Workbook offers school leaders a practical framework for turning improvement plans into action. This extract for Teacher readers is taken from a chapter on knowing you are making a difference.

‘Our research shows aspirations for school community engagement in the design of school outdoor spaces are high. … And yet, for many re-designs to schoolyards, engagement does not happen.’  In this article, Hannah Richardson from the University of Canberra shares 3 simple activities for engaging students in schoolyard design.  

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.

‘Every time we speak about teachers with respect, invest in their expertise, hold high expectations, protect their time for the things that matter most, celebrate their impact, listen to their professional voice and support them to grow, we tell a different story about teaching.’ In her latest Teacher column, Rachael Lehr explores what it means to truly value teachers, and why how we lead them matters just as much.

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. 

A recent 2-year research project into outdoor spaces in secondary school settings found many students report insufficient seating at their school. In this article, researcher Hannah Richardson shares considerations for how schools can improve seating options in their setting. 

‘Our ambition was never a polished framework that looked impressive on a classroom wall. It was to strengthen the quality of teaching inside every classroom, every day.’ In today’s article, Michael Rosenbrock and Martine Gill unpack key lessons from Clover Hill State School’s journey to develop and implement a pedagogical model that impacts teacher practice.

This week we're celebrating Australian Primary Principals Day. To mark the occasion, we sat down with Anthony Boys, Principal of Marist Catholic College, North Shore in Sydney to discuss his approach to instructional leadership and hear how distributed leadership works in practice at his school.