Episode 13 | Transforming Schools | Adam Voigt

Episode 13 | Transforming Schools | Adam Voigt

“Schools are not there to extract better data points from young people - they are there to build better people.” There’s a clarity and challenge running through this conversation with Adam Voigt as he unpacks what it means to re-centre education on purpose, culture and humanity. He speaks to the growing tension in schools between performance pressures and the deeper work of helping young people flourish in life, build strong relationships and contribute meaningfully to the world around them. Adam explores how school culture is not something written on a wall, but something built through behaviour, language and the everyday decisions adults make about how they show up for young people. He argues that many of the challenges in education are not about effort or intent, but about a lack of shared definitions and a drift away from purpose. Along the way, Adam makes a compelling case for the power of language, clarity and consistency in creating strong school communities. At the heart of the conversation is a call to trust teachers as professionals and protect the craft of teaching. We explore: • why culture is defined by what is tolerated and what is encouraged • how language shifts can reshape behaviour and relationships at scale • why schools need to reassert their purpose as places that build people, not just performance A challenging and grounding conversation about what becomes possible when schools return to clarity, trust and purpose. Learn more about Adam's work with Real Schools: https://realschools.com.au/ [https://realschools.com.au/] https://www.facebook.com/RealSchoolsAustralia/ [https://www.facebook.com/RealSchoolsAustralia/] https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-voigt/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-voigt/]

Episode 12 | The Human Side of Data | Selena Fisk

"If kids are not benefitting from the time we’re spending looking at this data, it’s a waste of our time.” Dr. Selena Fisk is a data storyteller who helps schools and educators use data in practical and meaningful ways to support positive change in schools. With teaching experience across Australia and the UK, Selena now works with educators and leaders around the world to build data-informed cultures that support student growth. What I really appreciate about Selena’s work is how practical and empowering her approach feels. She helps schools move beyond overwhelm and use the data they already have with greater clarity, confidence and purpose. In this conversation, Selena shares why strong data cultures are built through collaboration, shared understanding, and clear systems. Where data is explored collaboratively with people, not done 'to' them. We explore: • what effective inquiry cycles look like and why “closing the loop” matters • how schools can build staff confidence and data literacy over time • practical ways teachers can use formative data without increasing workload • supporting students to engage meaningfully with their own growth and progress • how schools can communicate data clearly and helpfully with families Selena's advice is both incredibly practical and deeply affirming for educators. Learn more about Selena: https://selenafisk.com/ [https://selenafisk.com/] Instagram: @selena fisk LinkedIn: @selena fisk Make Data Talk Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/make-data-talk/id1725459001 [https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/make-data-talk/id1725459001] Books: * Using and Analysing Data in Australian Schools: Why, How and What (2019) * Leading Data-Informed Change in Schools (2020/2021) * I’m Not a Numbers Person: How to Make Good Decisions in a Data-Rich World (2022) * Data-Informed Learners: Engaging Students in Their Data Story (2023) * Using and Analysing Data in Australian Schools (expanded 2nd edition, 2023) * Leading Data-Informed Change in Schools (updated 2023)

Episode 11 | Leaders Who Are Well Lead Well | Aimee Presnall

“Leaders feel like they’re doing a million and one things and none of it well.” Aimee shares this is the theme of 2026 when she speaks with school leaders. There’s a grounded honesty in this conversation with Aimee Presnall as she explores what it looks like to lead in schools today. She keeps returning to a simple idea: many of the challenges in education are not about effort or care, but about clarity, capacity and whether leaders have the time to think. Aimee founded Well-Nest after 16+ years in classrooms and leadership roles across Australia and internationally, driven by watching exceptional school leaders burn out. Through her work, she focuses on dismantling the conditions that create burnout and building leadership cultures where sustainability is possible. Aimee unpacks how schools are operating in a state of constant change while leaders are still expected to hold direction, culture and people at the centre. Throughout the conversation, there’s a tension between doing more and doing what matters. She challenges the reflex to add initiatives in response to problems, rather than stepping back to see patterns. Amy also emphasises the relational side of leadership as the foundation of everything that happens in schools. Whether it’s staff, students or parents, the quality of connection shapes culture, trust and learning. We explore: • why schools have more data than ever, yet leaders need more clarity than ever • why thinking time and resisting the urge to add initiatives are essential • why “buy-in” matters, but real ownership is critical for sustainable school change Aimee poses this question: What if the wellbeing of a school depends on the wellbeing of its leaders? I’m incredibly grateful for the honesty, clarity and insight Aimee brings to this conversation. To learn more about her work: https://well-nest.com.au/ [https://well-nest.com.au/] https://www.linkedin.com/in/aimee-parkinson/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/aimee-parkinson/] TED Talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qjGM4esebQU [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qjGM4esebQU]

Episode 10 | Relational School Cultures | Kristy Elliott

“Connection is one of the strongest protective factors for wellbeing, and it relies on our ability to build and sustain relational skills.” Today, I’m joined by Kristy Elliott, an international educator and founder of Restorative Pathways, who has spent over two decades working alongside schools to create inclusive cultures centred on dignity, connection and accountability. This conversation sits right at the heart of what so many schools are navigating right now. Kristy speaks to what many educators have been noticing: that both young people and adults are arriving in our spaces carrying heightened levels of stress, overwhelm and dysregulation. And her message is clear: lasting change doesn’t come from punishment alone, but from environments where high expectations sit alongside high care. Kristy shares what a restorative, whole-school approach actually looks like in practice, moving beyond individual classrooms into a shared culture. In this kind of environment, values are not just words on a wall, but lived, visible and consistent across every part of the school day. We explore: • What a restorative conversation is, and just as importantly, what it’s not • What becomes possible when we shift toward a more relational understanding of human development • Why schools have a responsibility to teach young people about relationships just as intentionally as any other area of learning At the heart of Kristy’s work is empathic curiosity. Seeing behaviour as a moment for teaching and learning, not control or correction. What emerges is a powerful reminder that when we intentionally prioritise relationships in schools, the impact extends far beyond the classroom - shaping not just learners, but the kind of society we are contributing to. To learn more about Kristy's inspiring work, visit: https://restorativepathways.com.au/ [https://restorativepathways.com.au/] LinkedIn: @Kristy Elliott

Episode 9 | Growing Humans | Lael Stone

“The children are reflecting back to us that it’s not working.” There’s something both affirming and deeply honest in the way Lael speaks.  She invites us to step back and consider the system we are asking young people to learn in and whether it is truly serving their development, wellbeing and curiosity. Lael challenges us to reflect on what we prioritise in schools - what we keep, what we might need to strip back and what learning could look like if we held space for both academic outcomes and the real-world and emotional skills young people need. Throughout the conversation, there is a strong thread that this isn’t about blame or polarised views, but curiosity, experimentation and a willingness to rethink what we’ve always done. We explore: • What success really means and how we nurture the strengths of each young person • What shifts for children when connection is present in their learning  • The growing reality that many students and educators are not thriving and what might need to change At its heart, this is a conversation about what school is for. Not lowering expectations or abandoning structure, but examining it honestly and considering what might need to shift so young people can learn with greater curiosity, connection and purpose. And how we support educators, leaders and families alongside them. I’m so grateful to Lael for the honesty and depth she brings to this conversation. You can find out more about her work at:  http://www.laelstone.com.au/ [http://www.laelstone.com.au/]  https://www.facebook.com/laelstone/ [https://www.facebook.com/laelstone/] https://www.instagram.com/laelstone/ [https://www.instagram.com/laelstone/]  https://www.woodlineprimary.com.au/ [https://www.woodlineprimary.com.au/]  https://www.aboutbirth.com.au/ [https://www.aboutbirth.com.au/]  Humans, Being Podcast - https://humansbeing.au/ [https://humansbeing.au/] TedX Talk - How to Raise Emotionally Intelligent Children - with over 3 million views Books: Raising Resilient and Compassionate Children Own Your Story