In this interview episode, Brad speaks with Jack Stevens, CEO of Edstart, about what findings from Edstart’s 2026 School Fees Report mean for school Heads. The discussion explores why fee increases have remained steady, yet continue to outpace inflation, how staffing costs and government funding pressures are reshaping school budgets and why parent perceptions of value matter more than ever. Brad and Jack reveal how flexible payment options can reduce friction, improve parent experience and support both enrolment and retention.

A school’s brand is not owned by marketing. It is shaped by leadership clarity, consistency and decision-making over time. In this episode, Brad, Bel and Scully discuss why brand is a leadership responsibility, how mixed signals create uncertainty for families, and why enrolment confidence is built through coherence rather than volume. The trio explore the danger of reactive branding, the role of tone and direction, and why every major strategic decision becomes a brand decision, whether leaders intend it or not.

When your mission is clear, it does more than guide strategy; it prevents misalignment before it starts.

In part two, Brad and Bel explain why mission clarity should narrow your messaging, your promises, and the families who naturally feel called to your school. They discuss why broadening language can feel rational under enrolment pressure, but often creates confusion, hesitation and superficial comparison. The duo explore how mission-fit enrolment conversations reduce friction later and share a practical test for leaders to audit what parents would conclude from the last month of your communications.

In this special Deep Dive, Brad sits down with Dr Mark Merry, long-serving Principal of Yarra Valley Grammar and former National Chair of the Association of Heads of Independent Schools Australia (AHISA), for a conversation about leading a school through scrutiny, crisis, criticism and change. The duo explore why authority is earned through relationships and how culture is shaped in the small everyday moments. Mark also shares a grounded approach to media and reputational pressure including why staying silent can backfire, how to front issues without becoming defensive, and what it looks like to hold the narrative when emotions are high and information is moving fast.

Most schools have a mission statement. Some use it as a reference point for decisions and others treat it as a familiar phrase that sits in the background.

In this episode, Brad and Bel explore what happens when a mission becomes a practical leadership tool and the importance of having a directional mission. The duo discusses how direction shapes priorities, messages and resourcing. If it’s decorative, it tends to appear in documents but rarely changes behaviour or drives decision-making. Part 1 sets up the key tests you can use to assess whether your mission is genuinely guiding strategy across your school.

Many school leaders feel they are doing ‘all the right things’ in marketing – posting consistently, investing in digital, telling their story – yet their school is still not being chosen by prospective parents. In this interview, Brad speaks with digital marketing practitioner Brendan Schneider about the real issue behind underperforming marketing – relevance. They discuss why differentiation is leadership work, how digital marketing simply amplifies unclear positioning, and a simple leadership exercise to uncover whether your team can clearly answer the question parents ask: ‘Why your school?’

The first episode for 2026 sees Belinda ‘Bel’ McCubbin welcomed as a regular voice, sharing what’s changing in schools this year. The trio introduce two new formats: a termly deep dive interview with experienced school Heads and a 92-second mini stories capturing testimonials of common problems faced by Heads and how to move forward. The main conversation centres on first principles, and why they matter when teams are busy, yet outcomes remain unimproved.