What an incredible few days at ASBA2025 in Darwin! It was truly fantastic connecting with so many brilliant school leaders, embracing that "Resilience at the Top End" spirit, and sharing invaluable insights. A huge thanks to everyone who stopped by for a chat – we loved seeing you all! Stay tuned, as we'll be sharing a special podcast episode with more insights from the conference very soon!

It’s something that’s been bubbling under the surface for a while, and it’s time to pull back the curtain and let you in on what’s really happening behind closed doors. If you thought the schools around you have their finance function on lock, well, think again. We’re seeing finance staff leave the school sector in droves. But where are they going? And how are some schools keeping their finance functions running like a well-oiled machine — while others are drowning? We went digging — and what we found is reshaping the conversation around school finance. Here’s the full report.

Today on the Business of School podcast, we're joined by Lucas Filer, one of the co-founders of Compass —a platform that, over the past 15 years, has grown from a bold idea into a core administration system used by thousands of schools across Australia and beyond. In this conversation, we’ll hear how Compass was shaped by real-world school challenges, the relationships that informed its development, and how a vision of reducing complexity and improving school efficiency continues to guide its future. This episode offers practical insights into how a software platform built for schools can support schools to achieve their strategic goals.

With tuition fees set to rise well above inflation in 2025, school fee transparency is more important than ever. Learn how being clear about costs builds trust, supports enrolments, and helps families plan with confidence.

Introducing the fantastic Bec, our Business Success Coordinator! With a knack for creating growth opportunities and fostering connections in education, Bec's journey to Cole was a perfect match. Outside of her impressive 20+ years in corporate events and multiple qualifications, she's also a lover of the outdoors, family time, and a good coffee (or wine, or gin!). Get to know this amazing member of our team!

Many Australian schools are currently weighing up an important decision regarding their SIS: to stay with an outdated, underperforming platform, or make the effort to switch to something more modern and progressive.

In this article, we explore the benefits and implementation realities of the transition according to two distinctly different schools. Both prove that transitioning to a new SIS can be a transformative, manageable, and highly worthwhile process.

Toni Powell is a renowned speaker known for her hilarious keynotes and ridiculously simple (yet wildly effective) wellbeing hacks that people actually remember and use. 
She’s an author, award-winning filmmaker, and the unforgettable subject of an ABC’s Australian Story episode called Let There Be Light. Her powerful Goalcast talk The Power of Words has reached over 15 million viewers worldwide. 
During the pandemic, Victoria University invited Toni to create a coached wellbeing program for 12 exhausted school principals. That program—now called HAPPY HEALTHY STRONG TEAMS—was such a hit it went on to be offered through the WA Department of Education’s Leadership Institute for two full years. The program has also been run by DoE NSW and some principal associations have offered it to their members. To date, more than 500 school and Department leaders have taken part in this fun, fast, and refreshingly easy approach to culture change and staff wellbeing.

As of January 1, 2025, new criminal underpayment laws have come into effect. These laws aim to combat wage theft and ensure employees receive their rightful entitlements. For schools, this means it’s more crucial than ever to ensure accurate and compliant payroll practices.

Schools must take proactive steps to ensure compliance and avoid potential penalties. Cole School Experts is here to help you navigate these changes and ensure your school’s payroll practices are accurate and compliant.