Teach

Each year the Public Education Awards recognise the vital role our people and communities play in helping children and young people to learn and thrive. In this episode of Teach , you’ll meet the 2026 finalists for the Excellence in Learner Agency Award – Largs North Kindergarten, Stansbury Primary School, and Charles Campbell College. This award recognises people and systems that empo...

Each year the Public Education Awards recognise the vital role our people and communities play in helping children and young people to learn and thrive. In this episode of Teach , you’ll meet the 2026 finalists for the Inclusive Practices in Education Award. This award celebrates the people and teams helping every child feel included, supported and able to thrive at school. It recognises tho...

In this episode of Teach, Marina Elliot, the department’s Executive Director People and Culture, talks about gender equity, leadership and supporting women at work. Explore why women are underrepresented in some leadership roles despite making up much of the school and preschool workforce. The episode also looks at perimenopause, how it can affect people at work, and why understanding i...

What does it take to make self-regulation part of everyday school life? In this episode of Teach, Oakbank School shares how a whole-school focus on regulation helped shift culture, reduce stigma and keep more students engaged in learning. With support from the Department for Education’s Self-Regulation Service, staff moved from using withdrawal spaces in a reactive way to giving students con...

In this episode, Dr Richard Hames, philosopher, author, and strategic foresight practitioner, reflects on his keynote speech at the 2026 Education Leaders Day. He shares insights into leadership and learning in South Australia’s public education system, using the metaphor of hot air balloons to illustrate how schools can break free from old ways of thinking. Dr Hames highlights the importanc...

Explore the future of public education in South Australia with Tom Bentley, Vice President for Strategy and Community Impact at RMIT University. This episode delves into the purpose of public education in the 21st century, reflecting on lessons from the Gonski review and addressing the ongoing challenges facing schools today. Learn how education reform can foster equity, strengthen community relat...

At Prospect North Primary School the students are telling their own stories via PNTV (Prospect North TV) videos and podcasts. Hear how it all began, why it’s got the whole school community excited, and how students come up with their own story ideas to share with everyone. Staff members Judy and Sam share how making media boosts student confidence and connects their learning with real life....

Berri Regional Secondary College, 2025 winner of the Public Education Award for Inclusive Practices in Education, reimagined the traditional school house sports competition to encompass diversity, belonging and unity. Principal Clinton Ridgway, along with Sports and HPE Coordinator Josh Vater share how students were the instigators of the Inclusion Cup – an event with such a variety of activ...

In this episode, hear how civics and citizenship education is brought to life at Golden Grove High School with teacher Chantel Lee and year 11 student Joel Strauss. The pair share their experiences from last year’s inaugural Active Citizenship Convention, where students from across the state learned about politics, democracy, and having a real say in their communities. The episode highlights...

In this episode, Teach welcomes back Ron Berger (Senior Advisor, EL Education, and Harvard Graduate School of Education professor) and Gwyn ap Harri (CEO & Co-founder of XP Schools Trust, UK) to reflect on the progress and growth since Learning Expeditions were first introduced a year ago. Discover how schools have embraced this approach, linking academic challenge with character development a...

Professor Bill Lucas is internationally recognised for his work on creativity, assessment, and educational leadership. In this week’s episode, Prof. Lucas explores how education has developed over time, emphasising the importance of creativity, critical thinking, and dispositions alongside traditional knowledge. In this insightful conversation, Prof. Lucas clears up common myths about assess...

In this episode, Kaurna Elder Kauwana Tamaru and Family Day Care Service Manager Liz Whitbread share insights on their collaborative "Walking Alongside" project, helping educators to embed Kaurna language and culture into their services. Hear stories about how they are connecting connecting children, educators, and families with Country, the ripple effect of knowledge sharing, and practical advice...

In this episode of Teach we explore effective strategies for supporting Aboriginal EALD (English as an Additional Language or Dialect) learners in South Australia. Our guests highlight approaches such as explicit teaching, translanguaging, and leveraging students' first languages and cultural backgrounds through co-teaching and culturally responsive practices. The episode also outlines the resourc...

Start the new school year inspired with Chief Executive Martin Westwell as he joins Teach to discuss the year ahead. From encouraging new teachers and exploring the updated curriculum, to the introduction of three-year-old preschool and the first technical college student graduates, the Chief Executive shares his optimism, vision, and practical insights for educators. Discover how South Australia...

In the final episode of Teach for 2025, Chief Executive Martin Westwell reflects on the many achievements made across the Department for Education this year. Professor Westwell shares stories from his visits to schools and preschools and discusses big projects such as the rollout of EdChat to all secondary students and preparing for the start of 3-year-old preschool in 2026. He also highlights how...

In this episode Stew Nancarrow, Assistant Principal at Colonel Light Gardens Primary School and Sarah Bradbury, Assistant Director in the Department for Education’s Learning and Teaching Directorate discuss the Curriculum Leaders' Network.  This initiative is designed to connect leaders of curriculum and pedagogy in public schools across South Australia. There are separate networks for...

Principals Sylvia Groves, Salisbury High School and Sally Schwartzkopff, Renmark Primary School, join us to talk about implementing Positive Behaviour for Learning (PBL) at their schools. Hear how adopting the PBL framework has led to cultural transformation, improved wellbeing and strengthened relationships amongst their staff and students. From overcoming challenges to celebrating school-wide ac...

Join us to explore Lenswood Primary School’s Resilient Lenswood Parents in Education project, an inspiring initiative born from the devastating 2019 Cudlee Creek bushfires. Sokhan Greenwood, Principal at Lenswood Primary School and Caroline Williamson, parent, volunteer and Project Lead share how their disaster-stricken community turned adversity into an empowering program for children and f...

Natalie Gentle, Education Programs Manager at Reconciliation SA and a member of the Department for Education’s Reconciliation Action Plan working group, and Leonie Shelley, Principal at Blair Athol North School (B-6), join us to discuss anti-racism in education. Natalie shares how Reconciliation SA’s Education, action and change: anti-racism resource for schools and preschools is a blu...

Professor Caroline Cohrssen and Dr. Danielle Harris share their insights into enhancing mathematical understanding in early childhood and secondary education, emphasising the importance of purposeful communication and responsive engagement in early years to foster mathematical thinking beyond basic counting and shapes and visualisation strategies in secondary education to encourage students to art...

Global education expert Professor Emeritus Michael Fullan joins us to unpack the shift from shallow to deep learning and why South Australia is leading the way. He explains how the Six Cs are redefining what it means to thrive in school and society and why empowering schools and communities from the bottom up is key to lasting change. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Matthew McCurry, Principal of Hospital School SA , joins us to discuss how his team supports students across South Australia, and beyond, who are navigating illness, mental health challenges, and school refusal. With more than 4,600 students a year coming through their doors, Hospital School SA provides education across three campuses located within major hospitals. Matthew shares how each young p...

Join us as Tiffany Westphal and Louise Rogers, co-directors of School Can’t Australia (SCA), share their views on why some students experience distress around school attendance. Tiffany and Louise discuss how school attendance difficulties are often a protective nervous system response to chronic stress, especially for neurodivergent students. This episode provides insights for school leader...

Join us as Jared Daly, Assistant Principal of Equity and Inclusion at Murray Bridge High School shares how Tailored Learning, formally known as Flexible Learning Options, is making a difference for students facing barriers like anxiety, disengagement or complex home lives. He outlines how his site has transformed its support model by expanding its Independent Learning Centre, creating new programs...

How can play be a powerful tool for developing young children's language skills? In this episode we sit down with Professor Louise Paatsch, Deputy Director of Deakin University's Strategic Research Centre in Education to explore how intentional play-based learning environments can nurture children’s oral language skills, setting a strong foundation for lifelong learning. This episode is aime...