Curriculum Digital

Small school, big impact bite-size strategies for leading curriculum

Education EN ↓ 6 episodes

Listen to first-hand stories and ignition ideas for small schools, led by our host, public service award winner Michelle Tregoning, Leader K–12 Initiatives, with NSW teaching principals and subject matter experts. The NSW Department of Education, School and System Leadership team, provides a new podcast series for teaching principals in small schools. Each episode focuses on engaging, enacting, and embedding curriculum across all Key Learning Areas, incorporating explicit teaching, tips, and tricks. The short, sharp episodes, 10–15 minutes in length, provide information to strengthen curriculu...

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Curriculum Digital

Episodes

Episode 6 - Explicit teaching in small schools 21.06.2026 10:37

Unpack strategies such as checks for understanding, explicit teaching, data triangulation and collaborative practice to strengthen student learning outcomes as part of curriculum implementation. Michelle and Bianca's conversation highlights the leadership mindset required to embrace change, model sustainable practice, and build collective efficacy across schools.

Episode 5 - Enact phase of curriculum implementation 08.06.2026 10:37

Explore how small schools can navigate curriculum change through purposeful collaboration, planning, implementation and reflection through Michelle and Bianca's experience. Hear how Assistant Principal, Curriculum and Instruction (AP C&I) teams, communities of schools and the NSW Department of Education phases of curriculum implementation resources can strengthen teacher practice and build col...

Episode 4: Thunderbolt Alliance- Curriculum Community of schools 25.05.2026 12:28

Delve into the realities of implementing curriculum across a community of schools, with a focus on how explicit teaching can drive improved practice. Revisiting the Thunderbolt Alliance, this episode explores how schools collaborated on professional learning, using technology to bridge distance and strengthen collective impact. Hear how a full cycle of learning intentions and success criteria (LIS...

Episode 3: Thunderbolt Alliance - Engaging the Curriculum 11.05.2026 11:55

Step into a conversation with the four teaching principals of the Thunderbolt Alliance as they join Michelle Tregoning to unpack what it really means to engage with syllabuses. Jenna, Dani, Sarah and Tim share honest reflections from their leadership journeys, drawing on their experiences as Assistant Principals Curriculum and Instruction. Listen as they explore how these experiences translate int...

Episode 2 - Embedding English 01.04.2026 11:34

Michelle Tregoning, Leader K–12 Initiatives, Hannah Crawford, Teaching Principal (Niangala Public School) and Erin McShane, K–6 English Advisor discuss embedding English in a small school. Listen to them share stories about specific syllabus changes and the importance of vocabulary, especially in written and oral language. Catch the ignition ideas that principals and teachers can reflect on and us...

Episode 1 - Embedding Mathematics 19.03.2026 12:39

Michelle Tregoning, Leader K–12 Initiatives and Wendy Robb, Teaching Principal (Girilambone Public School), walk us through embedding Mathematics in a small school. Listen to their stories of pedagogy, building teacher capability and engaging students. Catch our ending with the ignition ideas that principals and teachers can reflect on and use tomorrow.