In this interview episode, Brad is joined once again by Graham Catt, Chief Executive Officer of Independent Schools Australia, to discuss what School Choice Counts has achieved and what now matters for school leaders. Graham explains why the campaign’s strongest stories were not about sectors, buildings or funding, but families, students and communities. He argues that Heads need to move beyond election-time advocacy by building ongoing relationships with local MPs, helping parents understand how policy affects fees and affordability, and equipping families and school communities to engage confidently in conversations about school choice.

In this episode, Brad, Bel and Scully examine why strong school communication begins before the writing stage. Combining the principles of strategy drives story and meaning before message, they explain why schools can sound articulate while still leaving parents unsure about what matters most. The trio discuss how weak strategy turns communication into a list, why more content rarely builds confidence, and how clearer intent gives story direction and message weight. They challenge Heads to settle purpose and meaning before asking marketing teams to write.

In this interview episode, Brad is joined by Tracey Cain, Chief Executive Officer at H/Advisors, to unpack reputation risk in independent schools. Tracey explains why what matters to a school community must matter to the school, and why that community now extends beyond staff, parents and students to alumni, neighbours and local influencers. She explains how Heads and boards can prepare before risk eventuates by listening early, testing likely scenarios and building the trust, policies, processes and culture needed to manage risk as part of day-to-day school operations.

In this episode, Brad, Bel and Scully explore the sixth principle in the series: experience beats message. They discuss why messaging can open the door, but parent confidence is shaped by what families repeatedly experience through tours, follow-up, responsiveness and prospective parent touchpoints. The trio examines how mixed signals weaken trust, why the enrolment journey is the brand made visible, and why Heads must lead the standards, systems and behaviours that give the school’s message something true to stand on.

In this deep dive episode, Brad is joined by Shane Hogan to explore what school leadership requires when communities need stability and confidence. Drawing on a career across Catholic and independent schools, boys’ and girls’ education, and interim roles in schools under pressure, Shane discusses why visibility, relationships and discernment matter as much as structure. He explains why marketing must reflect the school’s lived experience, how staff, parents and alumni influence enrolment confidence, and why school Boards need to understand the long-term work behind positioning and enrolment growth.

In this interview episode, Brad is joined by David Woodgate, Chief Executive of the Independent Schools’ Bursars Association (ISBA) in the UK, to examine how millennial parents are reshaping school choice. David explains why reputation, tradition and results are no longer enough to create confidence, as parents look for clearer evidence of value, individual care and alignment between a school’s promise and lived experience. Together, they discuss what this shift means for Heads, admissions and marketing teams, and why every interaction must build trust in the school’s value in a competitive market.

In this episode, Brad, Bel and Scully explore why external confidence depends on internal coherence. They discuss why staff goodwill is not the same as shared understanding, how parents sense mixed signals across tours, conversations and follow-up communication, and why alignment is built through repeated leadership decisions, not announcements. The trio examines the risk of a school sounding clearer than it feels, and why Heads must ensure the school’s story is understood and reinforced by their own staff before it can be trusted by prospective families.

In this interview episode, Brad is joined by Pauline Shuttleworth, imageseven Advancement Specialist, and Chris Lang, co-founder and head of sales for Asia Pacific at Digistorm, to examine the changing enrolment landscape for independent schools. Using the findings from Digistorm’s 2025/26 State of K–12 School Admissions Report, they discuss how softening demand and growing enrolment pressure are shifting admissions from reactive management to data-informed planning. This requires Heads to sharpen their positioning and take a more intentional approach to the parent journey.