In this episode, Amy sits down with Chris Pyne, Principal of Faulconbridge Public School to discuss their remarkable journey transforming student engagement and school culture. When Chris arrived at the school four years ago, it was struggling - 60% of their staff had left and student belonging was at a rock-bottom 39%. Students felt disconnected from their school and disengaged from their learning. But through a collaborative approach to building belonging and empowering engagement, the school achieved extraordinary results. Student belonging soared to 81%, and in 2025, the school received the NSW Secretary's Award for Outstanding School Achievement for their work in improving engagement.

What You'll Discover:

The Crisis Point: How staff turnover created rising disengagement and students who were struggling to feel connected to their school and their learning.

The Turning Point: How they discovered the engagement continuum and began making it their own.

The Keys to Success:

• Why connecting new frameworks to existing practices made the difference.
• How building a shared language and vision within their community created lasting change.
• The importance of trusting your staff to drive innovation and empowering them to take ownership.
• Understanding that this is ongoing work that evolves and expands over time.

This conversation offers practical insights and inspiration for school leaders and educators looking to create meaningful, lasting change in student engagement.

Want to learn more?

Join us in The Engagement Hub, our online community for educators interested in supporting engagement and empowering learners. You can connect with Amy and many of our guests there.

Thanks for listening!