smj: school marketing journal

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Episodes

258

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Aug 2026

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About the show

The School Marketing Journal podcast is for school Heads, covering the latest in school marketing and communications.

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60 recent

September 10, 2026Episode 25819 min

258: Short-termism weakens trust

School Marketing Journal with Brad Entwistle and Andrew Sculthorpe and Belinda McCubbin In this episode, Brad, Bel and Scully examine why quick wins can borrow from future trust. They distinguish acting quickly from short-termism, where immediate pressure replaces a school's long-term strategic direction. The discussion explores why marketing that reassures leaders can unsettle parents, whose school choice can unfold over years rather than campaign cycles. The trio challenge Heads to maintain continuity through change and consider families' longer decision journey. Episode link: Reflection and Leadership Guide: Short-termism weakens trust Get in touch at smj@imageseven.com.au

September 3, 2026Episode 25720 min

257: Turning strategy into action – Interview with Chris Post

School Marketing Journal with Brad Entwistle and Chris Post In this interview episode, Brad is joined by Chris Post, Headmaster of the Boys' Latin School of Maryland in Baltimore, the United States of America, to examine how strategy can guide decisions and drive action. Chris explains why broad, agreeable plans fail to move a school forward and why sharper choices require rigorous debate and alignment between the Board and leadership team. He shares how a strategy-on-a-page keeps priorities visible, guides decisions about programs, positions and resources, and creates the discipline to ask what should continue, what should change and what needs to stop. Get in touch at smj@imageseven.com.au

August 27, 2026Episode 25619 min

256: Trust through repeated proof

School Marketing Journal with Brad Entwistle and Andrew Sculthorpe and Belinda McCubbin In this episode, Brad, Bel and Scully examine two connected principles: consistency builds trust and reputation lags behaviour. They explain how families build confidence from patterns across touchpoints, while contradictions act as a confidence tax. The discussion explores why reputation changes only after behaviour has been experienced long enough to be believed, and why pressure reveals whether a school's priorities and decision logic are genuinely stable. They challenge Heads to resist short-term reputational fixes and ensure communication reflects behaviour the school can repeatedly prove. Episode link: Reflection and Leadership Guide: Consistency builds trust; Reputation lags behaviour Get in touch at smj@imageseven.com.au

August 20, 2026Episode 25545 min

255: Deep Dive – Interview with Ros Curtis AM

School Marketing Journal with Brad Entwistle and Ros Curtis AM In this deep dive episode, Brad is joined by Ros Curtis AM, Principal of St Margaret's Anglican Girls' School, to reflect on 16 years of leadership as the School grew from around 800 to more than 1,400 students. Ros explains how clear values, a relentless focus on students and consistent storytelling helped strengthen academic reputation while protecting the School's sense of community. She discusses why marketing must reflect reality, how trust is built through relationships and integrity, and why Heads are stewards who must guard against complacency and arrogance. Get in touch at smj@imageseven.com.au

August 13, 2026Episode 25419 min

254: The Head as Asker In Chief – Interview with Alan Jones

School Marketing Journal with Brad Entwistle and Alan Jones In this interview episode, Brad is joined by Alan Jones, Principal of Christ Church Grammar School in Claremont, Western Australia. Together they examine why the Head is central to school philanthropy. Alan explains that the ask only becomes possible after trust has been built and the educational purpose is clear. He describes fundraising as a long-term relationship, strengthened when donors understand the difference their support can make and feel part of the school's direction. He also explains why Heads must thank donors personally, steward relationships carefully and show what their generosity has achieved. Get in touch at smj@imageseven.com.au

August 6, 2026Episode 25319 min

253: Visible difference, meaningful value – Part 2

School Marketing Journal with Brad Entwistle and Andrew Sculthorpe and Belinda McCubbin In this episode, Brad, Bel and Scully continue examining two principles: differentiation or invisibility, and the market defines value. They explain why distinctiveness should create clarity without becoming rigid, and why differentiation communicates particular value rather than superiority. Parent language and enrolment feedback become leadership intelligence, testing whether the school is understood as leaders intend. They challenge Heads to decide what their school must be known for, sharpen that signal consistently and ensure the promise made to families aligns with their experience. Episode link: Reflection and Leadership Guide: Differentiation or invisibility , and the market defines value Get in touch at smj@imageseven.com.au .

July 30, 2026Episode 25219 min

252: Replacing assumptions with clarity – Interview with Tim Watson

School Marketing Journal with Brad Entwistle and Tim Watson In this interview episode, Brad is joined by Tim Watson, Principal of Northern Beaches Christian School (NBCS), to explore how schools can replace assumed understanding with shared clarity. Tim explains how the school's Compass document illustrates NBCS's founding principles, beliefs, values and educational commitments, helping leaders distinguish what must remain fixed from what can change. He discusses how this concise reference point guides Board recruitment and decision-making, preserves continuity through generational change and gives the school freedom to face the future without losing the intent that shaped it. Get in touch at smj@imageseven.com.au

July 23, 2026Episode 25117 min

251: Visible difference, meaningful value – Part 1

School Marketing Journal with Brad Entwistle and Andrew Sculthorpe and Belinda McCubbin In this episode, Brad, Bel and Scully examine two connected principles: differentiation or invisibility, and the market defines value. They explain why a school's strengths only influence choice when parents can recognise, understand and use them when comparing schools. They explore how presenting every program and proof point can obscure what matters most, why purpose must be translated into meaning for families, and why Heads must establish a clear hierarchy of strengths. The discussion challenges Heads to make the school clearer, not broader, without diluting its purpose. Episode link: Reflection and Leadership Guide: Differentiation or invisibility, and the market defines value Get in touch at smj@imageseven.com.au

June 18, 2026Episode 25019 min

250: School choice: what's changed, what's next – Interview with Graham Catt

School Marketing Journal with Brad Entwistle and Graham Catt 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. Episode link: Independent Schools Australia – School Choice Counts: The Great Education Shift Get in touch at smj@imageseven.com.au

June 11, 2026Episode 24918 min

249: Strategy drives story. Meaning before message.

School Marketing Journal with Brad Entwistle, Andrew Sculthorpe and Belinda McCubbin In this episode, Brad, Bel and Scully examine why strong school communication begins before the wording 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. Episode link: Reflection and Leadership Guide: Strategy drives story and meaning before message Get in touch at smj@imageseven.com.au