Right Now

“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 fl...

"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 cult...

“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 c...

“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...

“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...

“When you’ve got a really strong, collective learning culture, anything is possible.” There’s something powerful about walking into a school where you can feel the energy straight away: a sense of purpose, connection and possibility. Tracey Ezard has spent years observing what creates that kind of environment, and she has a unique ability to articulate the patterns she sees. In this conversation,...

“How are the humans going?” When talking about schools, Meg brings such a human lens that resonates at every level of my being as an educator.  It’s part of why I started this podcast. Over the past decade there has been a huge focus on student wellbeing - and there should be. But if we want schools to truly flourish, we need to focus on every human in education. That means supporting the educator...

“If a flower doesn’t bloom, you fix the environment in which it grows, not the flower.” - Alexander Den Heijer Rather than focusing on “fixing” children, Dr Louise Mansell encourages schools to build environments that are predictable, supportive and safe for learning. In this episode, clinical child psychologist Dr Louise Mansell, who specialises in early intervention and trauma-informed care, exp...

Education isn’t broken. But the narrative around it might need to change. In this episode, wellbeing strategist, bestselling author and leadership advisor David Bott joins the conversation to explore what helps educators truly flourish. Drawing on his work with schools, governments and organisations across Australia, David shares practical insights on how wellbeing can move from intention to every...

Creativity, courage and thinking differently. This is the approach of Amy Green, a thriving education strategist working with schools, educators and leaders across Australia to design learning environments that are effective, innovative and human. In this conversation, we explore: The importance of clarity and consistency in curriculum, processes and systems that make teaching and work more sustai...

“No one is coming to save us.” It’s a confronting idea, but Daniela Falecki shows how this realisation can be quietly empowering. In this episode of Right Now , I speak with Daniela, founder of Teacher Wellbeing, international speaker and former classroom teacher with 30+ years’ experience in schools. She shares a refreshingly honest, uplifting perspective on educator wellbeing and the realities o...

“Are we really preparing young people for life online. Or just hoping they survive it?” In this episode of Right Now , I sit down with Susan McLean, one of Australia’s most respected voices in cyber safety. With 28+ years’ experience helping schools, organisations, and families navigate the digital world, Susan brings clarity, calm, and a deeply human perspective to one of the most pressing issues...

Relationships first. Everything else comes second. That’s the message Karen Young shares in this episode of Right Now . One of Australia’s leading psychologists and authority on children’s anxiety and development, Karen has supported hundreds of thousands of children, teens and families worldwide. She is the founder of Hey Sigmund and the author of six books, including the bestselling Hey Warrior...