The Bold Blueprint: for Modern Educators

What if great leadership in education and care isn’t defined by how skilled you are - but by how calm, clear and connected you can stay? In this episode of  The Bold Blueprint , Barbi and Jamie sit down with  Adrian Pattra-McLean , Founder and Education Director at  Farran Street Education . Long before he studied educational psychology, Adrian was learning about people by watching his family run...

Once known for Muriel’s Wedding, Gabby Millgate has since found a new stage - early childhood education.    Now a Nature Pedagogy Leader, Gabby brings creativity, care, and courage to early education, reminding us that children aren’t separated from nature - they’re part of it.    In this episode of The Bold Blueprint, Barbi and Jamie talk with Gabby about using performance to build connections, w...

What stays with us isn’t always the systems, the policies, or the structures - it’s the people who showed up when we needed them most. In this episode of The Bold Blueprint, Barbi and Jamie sit down with Narelle Gurney - Jamie’s former caseworker during his teenage years in refuge, and someone who went on to spend more than a decade with The Salvation Army in Malawi. We talk about: · The torchbear...

When a service is bought or sold, educators often feel it first. Questions about trust, change, and the future of their work can sit heavy - but the story is bigger than the transaction. In this episode of The Bold Blueprint, Barbi and Jamie sit down with Hilary Knights - childcare broker, approved provider, and sector insider with three decades of experience. Hilary shares what really happens whe...

Bias isn’t always intentional - but it’s always influential. From who we comfort first, to who we see as “leadership material,” our unconscious choices shape the culture of every classroom and workplace. In this episode of The Bold Blueprint, Barbi and Jamie sit down with their first international guest, Kate Jordan-Downs, M.S.Ed. - an educational entrepreneur, DEIB consultant, and teacher at hear...

What makes a service truly work for the people inside it?  In this episode of The Bold Blueprint, Barbi and Jamie sit down with Stefan Piruk from Jarra - a former teacher turned service developer who has built more than 30+ services across Australia. From staff rooms and storage to outdoor play and parking, Stefan shares how the smallest design decisions can have the biggest impact on both educato...

What happens when programming shifts from ticking boxes to building trust? In this episode of The Bold Blueprint, Barbi and Jamie sit down with Chelsea Fankhauser to talk about programming, practice, and the culture that makes it all work. From trialling tech free days and stepping back into paper based planning, to re-finding connection in active supervision, Chelsea shares how small changes have...

You’ve read her words. You’ve felt her impact. But have you ever heard her story? Freya Lucas has long been one of the clearest voices around education and care - but this is the first time she’s ever been a podcast guest. And we were lucky enough to be her first. From early childhood educator to recruiter, writer, to wellbeing work, Freya’s journey is anything but linear - and everything about pu...

What keeps someone in early education for 30 years, and still loving it?   In this episode of  The Bold Blueprint , Barbi and Jamie sit down with Rebecca Hutchison,CEO of Early Learning Management, for a conversation about leadership, joy, critical reflection, and what it really takes to build quality in education and care. We cover: Empowering the next generation of educators. What culture and co...

This episode of The Bold Blueprint is part check in, part call out, and all heart. Barbi and Jamie go guest free and sit down for a mid year moment of honesty, curiosity - and joy. Because yes, we’re tired. But we’re also hopeful. And there’s power in naming both. We ask: Who’s still missing from the conversation? What would change if psychological safety was a compliance requirement? Would things...

What does  real  inclusion look like - not just on posters, but in practice? In this episode of  The Bold Blueprint , we sit down with Daniel Knibbs - a passionate educator and leader who challenges the idea that inclusion is something you do  after  everything else. We unpack what it means to lead with culture, not compliance - from behaviour support and gender equity, to burnout, bravery, and be...

What if our approach to risk is holding us back, not keeping us safe?  We talk a lot about risk in education and care, but are we really talking about the right things?    In Episode 8 of The Bold Blueprint , Barbi and Jamie sit down with Eric, Risk & Compliance Coordinator at 3Bridges, to reframe and unpack how we think about risk in education and care - beyond checklists, fear, or ticking bo...

What if educator happiness wasn’t just personal, but protective? In this solo episode of  The Bold Blueprint , Barbi is flying without her usual co-host Jamie (who was missed!) and sits down with Declan Edwards - founder of BU Happiness College -  to explore the surprising connection between emotional wellbeing and child safety in education and care. We unpack: The  prosocial effect  of happiness...

What happens when a parent raises concerns about an educator’s OnlyFans account?  In this bold episode of The Bold Blueprint , Barbi and Jamie sit down with HR expert Tahnee McWhirter (HumanX HR) to unpack the messy, unspoken challenges leaders face when personal and professional worlds collide.  We explore:    ✅ Where boundaries really lie between work and personal life?  ✅ What rights educator...

Play isn’t something we control - but the conditions for it? That’s on us. In this episode of  The Bold Blueprint , Barbi and Jamie sit down with  Robyn Monro Miller AM , CEO of Play Australia and President of the International Play Association, to talk about how educators and leaders can better protect children’s and young people’s right to play. We explore: The shift from  creating play  to  cre...

What if the assumptions we make in education and care are doing more harm than good? In this episode of The Bold Blueprint, Barbi and Jamie pull back the curtain on how assumptions silently sabotage culture, safety, and quality. They dig into the idea that a “qualified” educator doesn’t need support, why “upward bullying” is a hidden threat, and how even regulated services can fail without strong...

What can a mathematics lecturer teach us about belonging? In this episode of The Bold Blueprint, Barbi and Jamie sit down with Dr. Poon Leung - a university lecturer whose reflections on learning, safety, and human connection are deeply relevant to anyone working in education and care. From lecture halls to early childhood services, Poon’s message is clear: relationships come first. He shares why...

What would change if Barbi and Jamie took over education and care in Australia? In this episode, we flip the lens - instead of fixing within a broken system, we reimagine one that works. From rethinking educator roles and funding models, to who we attract into the profession and why - this is a blueprint built from the ground up. We challenge existing norms and propose changes that prioritise chil...

Let’s be real – Early Childhood Education (ECE) and Outside School Hours Care (OSHC) deserve spaces that match the heart and purpose behind the work in education and care. The Bold Blueprint  is for modern educators who aren’t here to play small. It’s a human first, reflective, and sometimes disruptive space for people who believe real change starts with messy conversations, brave thinking, and a...