More Than a Score: Redefining Success Beyond School

If your child is devastated by a result that did not go their way, this is for you. One moment does not get to define the rest of their life. What do you do when the score you worked so hard for does not turn out the way you hoped, and you feel completely devastated? Stacey Lapira is a former teacher and prison officer, now a fitness coach and gym owner. She shares honestly about missing the ATAR...

If your young person knows what they want but feels afraid of the wrong choice, this helps. You do not need certainty to move forward, just a starting point. What if the thing that helps a young person thrive is not perfect grades, but internal motivation, curiosity and the confidence to grab opportunities? Stef Pedersen is a specialist midwife and clinical educator whose story is a blueprint for...

If your teenager's ATAR came in lower than hoped and their friends all seem miles ahead, this is for you. A lower score does not define their future. What happens when your ATAR comes in lower than you hoped and everyone else seems miles ahead? Tyson Day is a careers coach and co-founder of Arrive and Thrive who received 66.6, lived with undiagnosed dyslexia, and spent years unsure of who he was o...

If your child wants to leave school early or learns differently, Gwen's story is a reassurance. School can be the starting point, not the peak. What if school is not the peak of your story but just the starting point? Gwen Gothard left school at sixteen with dyslexia and built an inspiring life across fitness, high-performance nutrition, elite sport, product development and entrepreneurship. Movin...

If you or your child is facing change or uncertainty about their path, this helps. Growth often comes from staying curious, not from choosing one fixed route. What if success was not about choosing one path, but learning to grow through change and uncertainty? Josh Kinder shares how curiosity and courage have shaped his life, from moving schools and chasing surf breaks to building a career and a b...

If you want a school leader's view on what actually helps a child thrive, start here. It is not about getting everything right, but what you do next. What if thriving at school was not about getting everything right, but about what you do next? Kristy Kendall, Principal of Toorak College and an education innovator, reflects on her journey from a curious student to a nationally recognised school le...

If your child loves school and worries about what comes after, this helps. Sometimes the real learning starts once school is over. What happens when you leave a school you loved, only to realise the real learning starts after it is over? James Pattison is a writer, broadcaster, creative and founder of Miniature whose path ran from the classroom to Radio National and beyond. His story is about curi...

If you want to know how one supportive adult can change a child's direction, this is for you. Small acts and advocacy matter more than we think. How much difference can one caring adult make to a young person's path? Ellen Steele explores how small acts of support and advocacy can change the direction of a young person's life. Her conversation is a reminder that the people around a child, the ones...

If your child's best school memories are the people, not the marks, this resonates. The most valuable lessons often are not the graded ones. What makes a great school experience, the marks you earn or the memories you make? For Tom Pountney, it was the laughter, sport, and sense of community that made learning come alive, and the teachers who treated students like adults ready for the world. Leavi...

If you have ever waited for permission before backing yourself or your child, this is for you. Courage and curiosity open doors that school sometimes can't. What happens when you stop waiting for permission and start backing yourself instead? Lael Stone, speaker, educator and author, shares how leaving a school system that did not quite fit opened the door to a life of possibility. At seventeen sh...

If your child faces a setback right before exams, this is reassurance. A curveball in Year 12 does not have to derail their future. What do you do when life throws a curveball right before your final exams? For Shayegan Abdollahbeigi, a severe illness in Year 12 almost stopped him sitting his exams. With a teacher's encouragement he pushed through and discovered a principle that still guides him:...

If your child's big dream does not work out, this helps. The end of one path can be the start of an unexpected, meaningful one. What happens when your childhood dream of being a professional athlete ends and you have to start again? For TJ Weistra, badminton was everything, first as a player at the highest level, then as a coach in Peru and New Zealand. Today he is the CEO of Badminton Australia,...

If your child missed their first university preference, this is reassurance. A pivot can lead to experiences they would never have planned. What if your best school memories were not about results, but connection, laughter and a community that felt like home? For Jess Orr, it was house singing days and a close-knit year level that defined her final years. After school she pursued an Arts Law degre...

If you or your child has been told they are going non-scored, this is for you. For Thomas, it was the start of resilience, not a full stop. Imagine being told at school that you have to go non-scored. For many that feels like a full stop and time to shut down. For Thomas Pitt, it became the spark for resilience that shaped every step of his journey. From working as a wool presser and on the floor...

If you or your child wants to follow what they love rather than chase a score, this is for you. Leaning into strengths can open unexpected doors. What happens when you stop chasing results and start following what you truly love? Elleni Pearce shows that when you lean into your strengths and back yourself, the path ahead can unfold in unexpected and exciting ways. Her story is encouragement for an...

If you are new to the show, start here. Hosts Laura and Dan explain why a score is not the whole picture and who this podcast is for. What really defines success? For too long, school results and test scores have been treated as the ultimate measure, but life after school tells a different story. In this first episode, hosts Laura Pitt and Dan Steele introduce the vision behind More Than a Score:...