Upcoming Events

Focus: Benefits of coaching for rural school leaders
Speakers:Join Emma Gentle, Emotional Intelligence Coach and education consultant, and Josh Valeri, Director of BTS Spark APAC, as they explore how coaching can empower rural school leaders. Together with the Country Education Partnership (CEP) team, they’ll share practical insights, real-world experiences and leadership strategies that you can apply within your own school and community.

Focus: Clusters
Speakers: Join Kate Steele (Wannon Cluster), Steve Brown (Department of Education), Nat Bennett (TAPPOC Cluster), Mel Swanson (BASS Cluster), and Shane Mathison from the Country Education Partnership (CEP) as they share practical examples of successful school clusters, the latest Department of Education policy updates, and collaborative initiatives supporting rural and regional schools.

Focus:Having difficult conversations successfully
Speakers: Join Ronald Lewis, Leadership Consultant & Coach, Timothy Arnold, Director of Free Agency, and the Country Education Partnership (CEP) team for an interactive session on navigating difficult conversations with confidence. Discover practical strategies, communication techniques and leadership insights to help you approach challenging conversations with clarity, empathy and positive outcomes in your school community.

Focus:PD online Grand Finale – Revisiting some of our most popular episodes and get valuable updates
Speakers: Join Nick Lovering, Julie Rowse, Jennifer Bowden, and the Country Education Partnership (CEP) team as they revisit some of the most popular topics from the 2026 Spring Series and share valuable updates, fresh insights and practical strategies for school leaders. Additional guest presenters will be announced soon, making this the perfect opportunity to reflect on key learnings and finish the series with new ideas to take back to your school.

Back for its third year, the Small Schools Forum is proudly brought to you by CEP in partnership with The Academy of Teaching and Leadership

Hear from practicing small school principals about the great things happening in small schools and the opportunities available by being ‘small’. Hear the latest research in the area of teacher retention in rural areas as well as the opportunity for networking with other small schools.

Attendees can choose from a variety of locations (Bairnsdale, Ballarat, Bendigo, Geelong, Hamilton, Shepparton and Swan Hill) to attend the event.