• Educational Leader Intensive:

    From Vision to Sustainable Practice

    A tailored, full-day professional learning experience for Educational Leaders who are ready to strengthen their role, build shared direction and lead curriculum improvement — without adding unnecessary pressure to educators.

  • "A PRACTICAL INTENSIVE GROUNDED IN REAL EARLY CHILDHOOD PRACTICE"

    Educational leadership is not about having all the answers.

    It is about knowing how to ask meaningful questions, connect documentation to curriculum decisions and support educators to think more deeply about their practice.

    This intensive creates protected time for leaders to step back from daily demands, clarify their role and build a practical approach to leading improvement across their organisation. The focus isn't on adding more work — it's on establishing shared direction, simplifying expectations and building the capability of educators and leaders together.

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    This is not a day of sitting and listening.

    Participants bring one real, de-identified curriculum journey and work alongside Janine to examine what their documentation communicates, where meaningful connections may be missing and how Educational Leaders can guide stronger practice across the whole service.

  • MEET YOUR FACILITATOR

    Janine Kelly

    Janine Kelly is an early childhood teacher, experienced Educational Leader, author and founder of STEPPING STONES Professional Development.

    She holds a four-year Bachelor of Early Childhood Teaching degree and brings more than 30 years of experience across the Australian and Canadian early childhood sectors. Her roles have included educator, teacher, Educational Leader, Assistant Director and Responsible Person.

    Janine has supported services through multiple Assessment and Rating processes, including achieving Exceeding across all seven National Quality Standard areas. She is the author of The Connected Child and creator of the Connect–Regulate–Guide–Reflect Framework.

    Her practical, relationship-focused approach helps leaders translate professional learning into meaningful and sustainable changes in practice.

    Janine Kelly

  • The pressure behind Educational Leadership

    The False Narrative

    When curriculum practice is inconsistent, it can seem that educators need more accountability.

    Another template is introduced. Another checklist is added. Educational Leaders become responsible for monitoring documentation instead of guiding pedagogy.

    The Truth

    The problem is not always commitment.

    Expectations often accumulate over time, creating duplicated documentation and tasks that continue simply because:

    "We have always done it this way."

    The Solution

    During this intensive, participants bring one complete, de-identified curriculum journey and examine how each part of the planning cycle connects — auditing real workload against actual regulatory, National Quality Standard and approved learning framework expectations.

    Together, we identify what to:

    KEEP — SIMPLIFY — COMBINE — REMOVE

    Participants clarify their leadership role, strengthen shared expectations and learn how to guide reflection and change without damaging trust.

    From checking documentation to leading meaningful practice.

  • Your Full-Day Learning Journey

    1. UNDERSTANDING THE EDUCATIONAL LEADER ROLE
    Clarifying the role, its purpose and its boundaries — moving from completing curriculum tasks to leading pedagogy, mentoring educators and building collective capability.


    2. CREATING A SHARED VISION AND GOALS
    Building a vision that gives curriculum leadership clear direction, connecting the organisation's philosophy with achievable goals for children, educators, families and the service.

    3. ENGAGING STAKEHOLDERS AND BUILDING OWNERSHIP
    Moving from consultation as a task to participation that gives stakeholders genuine influence — and a reason to take ownership of the vision.


    4. REVIEWING CURRICULUM WORKLOAD AND EXPECTATIONS
    Auditing each participant's de-identified curriculum example as one complete planning journey, and deciding what to:

    KEEP — SIMPLIFY — COMBINE — REMOVE


    5. LEADING CHANGE AND CRITICAL REFLECTION
    Supporting change through relationships, shared purpose and manageable steps — strengthening critical reflection as a lived professional practice, not a written compliance task.


    6. STRENGTHENING SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT
    Developing shared key practices for high-quality summative assessment and a realistic approach to gathering evidence of children's learning over time.


    7. LEADERSHIP ACTION PLANNING
    Turning learning into a focused plan — one priority, one practice to simplify, one change to lead, and a clear focus for the private follow-up consultation.

  • Participants will leave with:

    By the end of the intensive, participants will have:

    ✓ Greater clarity about their Educational Leader role


    ✓ A shared organisational vision and practical service goals

    ✓ A practical method for auditing the complete curriculum planning cycle

    ✓ Confidence identifying meaningful documentation and areas for improvement

    ✓ Strategies for leading change and guiding critical reflection

    ✓ Consistent key practices for summative assessment

    ✓ An individual leadership action plan and a private follow-up consultation

    Most importantly, participants will understand how to influence practice without becoming responsible for doing everything themselves.

  • Educational Leader Intensive at a Glance

    Format: Private organisational training

    Duration: Six hours of professional learning across one full day, excluding breaks

    Group: Designed for groups of up to seven Educational Leaders. Larger organisational groups are available by arrangement.

    Includes: Participant resources, certificates, catering and one private 30-minute follow-up consultation for every participating leader

    Delivery: Face-to-face, with travel, accommodation and venue requirements discussed during the enquiry process

    Investment: tailoured to your organisation's size, location and needs, which will be outlined during your enquiry.

    Ready to Strengthen Educational Leadership Across Your Organisation?

    Let’s discuss your organisation’s current priorities and how the Educational Leader Intensive can be tailored to support your leadership team.

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