Leadership and culture
How trust, shared norms and a whole-school behaviour culture are built on purpose. Here you'll find webinars, videos and reading on building a whole-school behaviour culture, relational trust and high expectations.
Practices in this area:Relational trustShared languageBehaviour curriculumHigh expectationsBelonging
Lesson with commentary
AERO · F-10 · Australia
Teachers discuss and demonstrate how to respond to disengaged and disruptive behaviour.
FreeOpens at edresearch.edu.au
Lesson with commentary
Steplab · 41:10 · Primary and secondary · UK
Part two looks at how teachers build trust, routines and shared norms so that behaviour supports learning, filmed in one secondary and one all-through school.
FreeOpens at steplab.co
Lesson with commentary
Chalk Dust · F-10 · Australia
Denarius Frazier of Uncommon Schools joins the hosts to compare classroom footage and discuss how routines, feedback and a culture of error build both rigour and belonging.
FreeOpens at youtube.com
Lesson with commentary
Steplab · Primary · UK
A Steplab video from Marine Primary Academy in the UK exploring the school's Core 10 teaching techniques. Of interest to leaders building shared routines across a primary school.
FreeOpens at youtube.com
Lesson with commentary
AERO · F-10 · Australia
Teachers discuss and demonstrate practical ways to build positive connections with all students.
FreeOpens at edresearch.edu.au
Webinar
Think Forward Educators, with Cate Whiting, AERO · 30 to 60 minutes · 2024 · Australia
Cate Whiting presents the evidence behind AERO's first set of classroom management resources and how teachers at any career stage can use them to refine routines.
Free account neededOpens at thinkforwardeducators.org
Interview
NSW Department of Education · 15:42 · Primary · Australia
A Riverina primary principal describes a whole-school approach to wellbeing built on student voice, staff support and community ties, and the lift in belonging that followed.
FreeOpens at players.brightcove.net
School story
Michaela Community School · Secondary · UK
A film from Michaela Community School, a UK secondary school, presenting its approach to education. Background viewing for leaders interested in school culture and high expectations.
FreeOpens at youtube.com
Interview
NSW Department of Education · 15:36 · Years 7-12 · Australia
The principal of a large western Sydney high school explains how a decade of culture change and consistent classroom expectations were built with staff.
FreeOpens at players.brightcove.net
Interview
AERO · 4:20 · Secondary · Australia
Staff from six schools explain how they talk with students and families about intervention so that extra support carries less stigma.
FreeOpens at edresearch.edu.au
School story
Department of Education, Victoria · Case study with video · About 3 minutes · Australia
A Victorian case study with short videos showing how Echuca College built a transition program with its feeder primary schools so new Year 7 students, including autistic students, start well.
FreeOpens at vic.gov.au
Webinar
Think Forward Educators, with Joshua Bourke, Dandenong West Primary School, and Cassandra Flanagan, Rosewood Downs Primary School · About 1 hour · 2025 · Australia
Leaders from Rosewood Downs and Dandenong West primary schools recount how they built whole-school routines and behaviour expectations, then embedded explicit instruction and a knowledge-rich curriculum.
FreeOpens at thinkforwardeducators.org
Webinar
Think Forward Educators, with Lachlan Yeates, Cranbourne Primary School · 30 to 60 minutes · 2023 · Australia
Principal Lachlan Yeates describes how Cranbourne Primary rose from the bottom of its network to the top in three years, covering staff buy-in, behaviour and leadership mindsets.
Free account neededOpens at thinkforwardeducators.org
Webinar
Think Forward Educators, with Ollie Lovell and Mark Dowley · 30 to 60 minutes · 2024 · Australia
Ollie Lovell and Mark Dowley share routines from their Classroom Management Handbook for entering the room, gaining attention and defusing debate, and show rehearsal through coaching.
Free account neededOpens at thinkforwardeducators.org
Talk
researchED, with Sara Wiggins · About 45 minutes · 2025 · Australia
Sara Wiggins's researchED Ballarat 2025 talk on classroom mastery, behaviour and lifting results. A starting point for staff discussion about routines and expectations.
FreeOpens at youtube.com
Webinar
Raising Children Network · About 1 hour · Australia
A recorded webinar on ADHD in children and teenagers from the Raising Children Network, the Australian parenting website. Worth knowing about when a family asks you where to start.
FreeOpens at youtube.com
Talk
Yellow Ladybugs, with the Victorian Government · About 2 hours 10 minutes · 2019 · Australia
A recorded panel from Yellow Ladybugs and the Victorian Government. Panellists share their own experience of six areas that often challenge autistic girls at school, including hidden anxiety, peer relationships and class rules.
FreeOpens at youtube.com
Interview
Aspect (Autism Spectrum Australia) · About 40 minutes · 2026 · Australia
An episode of Aspect's podcast A Different Brilliant on what dysregulation is, what can contribute to it and how adults can support an autistic person who is overwhelmed. This is the video recording of the episode.
FreeOpens at youtube.com
Webinar
Be You (Beyond Blue) · About 40 minutes · Australia
A recorded Be You session on how to support neurodiversity and disability inclusion in school communities. Be You is the national mental health in education initiative led by Beyond Blue.
FreeOpens at youtube.com
Interview
The School Can't Experience Podcast, with Linda Graham · About 50 minutes · Australia
Professor Linda Graham, Director of the QUT Centre for Inclusive Education, talks with host Leisa Reichelt about teaching and assessment that every student can access, and what the Disability Standards ask of schools. This is the video recording of the podcast episode.
FreeOpens at youtube.com
Webinar
Think Forward Educators, with Cate Whiting, AERO · 30 to 60 minutes · 2024 · Australia
Cate Whiting explains AERO's resources for leading a whole-school approach to classroom management, and how leaders can build shared understanding and consistent practice across classrooms.
Free account neededOpens at thinkforwardeducators.org
Interview
NSW Department of Education · 16:03 · Primary · Australia
Two leaders from a remote primary school with a largely Aboriginal enrolment describe how teaching teams and instructional leadership keep expectations high for every student.
FreeOpens at players.brightcove.net
Education Research Reading Room · with Katharine Birbalsingh
Katharine Birbalsingh, founder of Michaela Community School in London, discusses standards, consistency and the routines behind the school's reputation for strictness.
FreeOpens at ollielovell.com
Behaviour management
Education Research Reading Room · with Tom Bennett
Tom Bennett, researchED founder and behaviour adviser to the UK government, discusses behaviour management and what teachers and schools can do to run calm classrooms.
FreeOpens at ollielovell.com
Staff culture and retention
Knowledge for Teachers · with Simon Fairall, Lauren Naldrett and Kirby McDonald
Leaders from the Junior School of Trinity Anglican College, Albury, explain how a large school moved from islands of excellence to a coherent, low-variance instructional model.
FreeOpens at knowledgeforteachers.podbean.com
Education Research Reading Room · with Greg Ashman
Greg Ashman discusses what makes Ballarat Clarendon College a high-performing school, including shared expectations, professional learning, shared lesson plans and use of data.
FreeOpens at ollielovell.com
Rebecca Birch (On Education) · Substack · 2025 · Australia
Drawing on her doctoral literature review, Birch sets out research linking explicit teaching with better student behaviour and other non-academic outcomes, and argues that academic success underpins wellbeing.
FreeOpens at rebeccabirch.substack.com
Teacher magazine (ACER) · Article · Australia
Opens at teachermagazine.com
Doug Lemov (Doug Lemov's Field Notes) · Substack · 2026 · USA
Drawing on Peps Mccrea's work, Lemov explains how students' sense of what peers approve of shapes their behaviour, and how teachers can amplify positive norms, especially around academic effort.
FreeOpens at douglemov.substack.com
Ambition Institute · Blog post · UK
Opens at ambition.org.uk
EducationHQ · News report · Australia
Opens at educationhq.com
AITSL · Guidelines and videos · Australia
Opens at aitsl.edu.au
The Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne · Fact sheet · Australia
The Royal Children's Hospital's fact sheet for families on supporting a child with ADHD at school and at home. Handy to share with parents so everyone is working from the same advice.
FreeOpens at rch.org.au
Yellow Ladybugs, with the Department of Education, Victoria · Website guide · Australia
A website guide to supporting autistic girls and gender-diverse students, covering masking, hidden anxiety, peer relationships, group work, executive functioning and class rules.
FreeOpens at autisticgirlsatschool.com.au
Department of Education, Victoria · Policy and guidance · Australia
The Victorian policy on Student Support Groups, the meeting of school, family and others that plans support for a student with disability or diverse learning needs.
FreeOpens at www2.education.vic.gov.au
Nathaniel Swain · Substack · 2026 · Australia
A follow-up on culture of error that turns to whole-school consistency. Swain discusses phasing in change, no opt out with support, and the difference between collaboration and mere co-operation among staff.
FreeOpens at nathanielswain.substack.com
Haili Hughes · Substack · 2026 · Australia
Prompted by a Victorian primary principal's talk, Hughes examines how the phrase "our kids can't" lowers expectations, and how explicit, systematic teaching makes ambitious goals reachable for all students.
FreeOpens at hailihughes.substack.com
Jamie Clark · One-page guide · Australia
Summarises the principles and routines from Mark Dowley and Ollie Lovell's Australian book, including entry routines, gaining attention and tight transitions.
FreeOpens at jamieleeclark.com
Kylie Hoey · Substack · 2026 · Australia
Questions behaviour supports that end up rewarding disruption, and argues for clear school systems that hold high expectations while still caring for students.
FreeOpens at kyliehoey.substack.com
Teacher magazine (ACER) · Interview · Australia
Opens at teachermagazine.com
Rebecca Birch (On Education) · Substack · 2025 · Australia
Using her own fear of flying, Birch argues that school accommodations for anxiety can reinforce avoidance, and that participation and low-stakes testing better support students' competence and belonging.
FreeOpens at rebeccabirch.substack.com
Doug Lemov (Doug Lemov's Field Notes) · Substack · 2026 · USA
Lemov recommends George Bonanno's research on resilience and cautions that loose use of the words trauma and trauma-informed in schools can lead to well-meant but counterproductive responses.
FreeOpens at douglemov.substack.com
Bryk and Schneider (Educational Leadership) · 2003 · Research summary
FreeOpens at ascd.org
Tom Bennett (independent review) · 2017 · Government review
Opens at assets.publishing.service.gov.uk
