Around the School Table

In this episode of Around the School Table (xuno.com.au/podcasts), host Steve Davis is joined by Paul Matthews, Author and Education Consultant at Paul Matthews.ai (paulmatthews.ai), to explore how educators can embrace artificial intelligence without losing the human qualities that make teaching meaningful. Drawing on his background in humanities, leadership, and classroom teaching, Paul Matthews...

In this episode of Around the School Table , produced by Xuno , host Steve Davis is joined by  Dr. Gina Biancarosa , Ann Swindells Chair in Education, Professor in the Department of Special Education and Clinical Sciences, and Director of the Center on Teaching and Learning at the University of Oregon (uoregon.edu), to explore the origins, purpose, and growing impact of DIBELS (Dynamic Indica...

In this episode of Around the School Table (xuno.com.au/podcasts), host Steve Davis is joined by David Loader OAM , Chair of the Institute of Education Reform (IER) (educationalreform.org.au), to explore one of the most urgent challenges facing Australian education: Student Disengagement. With research suggesting that between 30% and 50% of students are disengaged at school, David argues that atte...

In this episode of  Around the School Table (xuno.com.au/podcasts), host Steve Davis is joined by Kerry Williams Director Teaching and Learning at SPELD SA Inc (speldsa.org.au), to unpack one of Australia’s most pressing education challenges. Together, they explore how literacy instruction has evolved and why evidence-based practice is now gaining traction across schools. Kerry shares h...

In this episode of Around the School Table   (xuno.com.au/podcasts), host Steve Davis is joined by Kelly McBurnie , Director of Business Operation at Academy of Queensland Ballet (academy.queenslandballet.com.au), to explore how elite arts education can balance performance, wellbeing and operational precision. Drawing on her background in mainstream and Steiner education, Kelly shares how tho...

In this episode of Around the School Table (xuno.com.au/podcasts), host Steve Davis is joined by Hans Moningka, Director, APAC from RM PLC Group  (rm.com) to explore the evolving landscape of digital assessment. He brings a global perspective shaped by partnerships with major assessment authorities and education systems. Throughout the conversation, Hans unpacks how digital exams are steadily...

Today on Around the School Table (xuno.com.au/podcasts), host Steve Davis is joined by James Thomas , Managing Director of Digital Education Partnerships Indonesia (DEPI) (depi.co.id). DEPI helps international edtech companies build trust and traction across Indonesia’s vast school landscape. It’s a market shaped by scale, complexity, and relationships. Early in the conversation, James...

Andre Casson joins Around the School Table (xuno.com.au/podcasts) for an audio conversation with host Steve Davis. Andre is the Headmaster of Brisbane Boys’ College (bbc.qld.edu.au), and he brings a science teacher’s lens to leadership. Moreover, his experience spans Australia, the UK, and international schools in Asia. Firstly, Andre reflects on preparation and opportunity. He shares...

In this episode of Around the School Table ( xuno.com.au/podcasts ) host Steve Davis is joined by Dr Jenny Donovan , CEO of the Australian Education Research Organisation (AERO) ( www.edresearch.edu.au ), Australia’s national evidence body for education. Together, they unpack why nine education ministers backed a shared “national evidence institute” approach. Moreover, they explo...

In this episode of Around the School Table ( xuno.com.au/podcasts ), host Steve Davis is joined by Shanti Clements , Principal of Seven Hills West Public School (sevenhillw-p.schools.nsw.gov.au), for the final interview of 2025. From the outset, Shanti shares a simple mission with real weight: growing great human beings every day . With more than 30 years in education and a PhD in educational lead...

In this episode of Around the School Table ( xuno.com.au/podcasts ), host Steve Davis is joined by James Wright , a physics teacher and Digital Innovation Lead at Garden International School (gardenschool.edu.my) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The school is home to around 50 nationalities. It also supports a thriving, multilingual community. After 12 years in Malaysia, James on what changes when you t...

In this episode of Around the School Table ( www.xuno.com.au/podcasts ), host Steve Davis is joined by founding principal Blayne Wallis . Together they explore what it takes to open a supported inclusion school in Melbourne’s west. Mindalk Primary School ( www.facebook.com/mindalkprimaryschool ) is preparing to welcome its first students in January 2026. During the conversation, Blayne expla...

Stephen Crockford has spent 55 years in education, leading change and lifting expectations in Melbourne’s northwest. In this episode of Around the School Table ( www.xuno.com.au/podcasts ), host Steve Davis talks with Stephen about his long career and his final weeks as principal of St Albans Meadows Primary School ( www.samps.vic.edu.au ). Together, they trace his journey from classroom tea...

In this episode of Around the School Table (www.xuno.com.au/podcasts), Lisa Burt joins host Steve Davis to explore how inclusive leadership reshapes learning within a small school setting. As principal of Knox Central Primary School (www.knoxcentral.vic.edu.au), she leads a school community of 74 students and demonstrates how relationships, predictability and calm environments support every learne...

**Listener warning: This episode contains mild swearing and a brief reference to adult themes.** In this episode of Around the School Table ( www.xuno.com.au/podcasts ), host Steve Davis is joined by comedian and action learning coach Daniel Delby to unpack how humour can transform classroom management and teacher wellbeing. Drawing on his journey from drama and phys-ed teaching into science and s...

In this episode of Around the School Table (www.xuno.com.au/podcasts ), host Steve Davis is joined by Dylan Sulzer , founder of Not Just Teacher Education ( www.notjustateachereducation.com ), to explore how Dylan’s unique journey—from Port Lincoln to the Northern Territory and even mustering cattle—has shaped his deep understanding of emotional intelligence in education. Dylan b...

In this episode of Around the School Table ( www.xuno.com.au/podcast ), host Steve Davis is joined by Tim Nolan , Principal of Port Melbourne Secondary College ( www.portmelbournesc.vic.edu.au ) to explore how leadership, vision, and creativity shape a school’s culture and community. Tim leads one of Melbourne’s most distinctive schools, a striking campus inspired by the maritime chara...

In this episode of Around the School Table ( xuno.com.au/podcasts ), host Steve Davis is joined by Tim Bullard , CEO of the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL) (aitsl.edu.au), to explore the state of the teaching profession across Australia. With more than half a million registered teachers, Tim shares how the latest Australian Teacher Workforce Survey is helping policy...

In this episode of Around the School Table ( xuno.com.au/podcast ), host Steve Davis is joined by Richard (Richie) Furber , Principal Consultant at the Motivation Foundation (motivationfoundation.com.au) and leader of the soon-to-launch  Motivation Education Career School  in Perth. Together, they explore how innovative education models are connecting learning with real-world industry op...

Associate Professor Lisa McKay-Brown from Faculty of Education at the University of Melbourne (education.unimelb.edu.au) joins host Steve Davis on Around the School Table ( xuno.com.au/podcast ) for a practical, compassionate look at school avoidance. This audio episode explores why attendance challenges are rarely a simple choice, and how schools can respond with care, clarity, and data-informed...

In this episode of Around the School Table (www.xuno.com.au/podcast), host Steve Davis is joined by Kirsten Ellis , Associate Professor in the Faculty of Information Technology at Monash University (www.monash.edu/it) to explore how her creation,  TapeBlocks (www.tapeblock.com), is reshaping STEM learning for students of all abilities. These vibrant, foam-based circuit blocks help children bu...

Deputy Principal - Education Support, Brent Passchier joins Around the School Table (xuno.com.au/podcasts) to unpack a practical blueprint for inclusive education at Atwell College (atwellcollege.wa.edu.au) in Western Australia. From sensory rooms and hydrotherapy to music programmes and smart use of technology, he explains how schools can widen access without always adding more staff. The convers...

Senior Leader at XUNO Suite (xuno.com.au) and driving force behind the Student Maps platform, Anthony Sacker , joins Around the School Table (xuno.com.au/podcasts) to unpack how DIBELS can move from raw scores to real classroom action. In this interview, we explore how smart visualisations and simple workflows help teachers identify risk early and respond with confidence. From pronunciation myths...

Rebecca Woolnough, Area Manager, Oceania at SMART Technologies ( http://smarttech.com/en-au) joins  Around the School Table ( https://xuno.com.au/podcast) to unpack how right-fit edtech lifts learning, not workload. From “divisolation” to Universal Design for Learning, her lens is practical and hopeful. Crucially, she argues for outcomes before hardware. Consequently, schools avoi...

CEO and Founder Anna Vermooten joins  Around the School Table (xuno.com.au/podcasts) to share how Parents Battle of the Bands (parentsbattleofthebands.com) grew from a St Kilda idea into a movement. This audio-only conversation captures the energy of community music. It also reveals how parent bands can strengthen connections between families and schools. From the first rehearsal room jokes t...