School leaders

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.

‘Community collaboration does not need to begin with a new program or excursion. Often, the simplest starting point is creating a small, clear role for an organisation within something your school already does.’ Churchill Fellowship recipient Dr Luke Steller, Questacon Regional Leader for the NT, shares 6 practical ways educators can build stronger school-community partnerships.

‘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. 

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.

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.

Jo Earp sits down with Brad Gaynor to talk about leadership burnout. It's a timely topic – it’s R U OK? Day in Australia today. Brad's book From Burnout to Breakthrough: The Leadership Reset, looks at the growing pressure on school leaders and how it can impact wellbeing. He also shares his own lived experience of burnout.

‘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.

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.