Well-Led Schools

Hosted by Adrienne Hornby

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May 2026

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As the rates of professional stress and burnout increase for school leaders, teachers and staff, the solution lies in how we lead our schools and prioritise workplace wellbeing to become "Well-Led" Schools - those that lead with “wellbeing in mind.” Join experienced Wellbeing Consultant, Strategist, Speaker and School Leader Adrienne Hornby for a host of inspiring conversations with experts and forward thinkers. Covering all things teacher wellbeing, school leadership and culture building - you'll walk away with ideas and recommendations on ways to evolve your leadership, create a mentally healthy workplace and ultimately influence the lives and learning of our students.

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June 16, 2026Episode 91 hr 8 min

Why Your Psychosocial Risk Assessment Isn’t Stopping Staff Burnout

Most school leaders understand that psychosocial safety is a legal obligation. Very few have figured out how to make it feel like anything more than a compliance activity. In this solo episode, I unpack the gap between obligation and opportunity, and what it actually takes to move psychosocial safety from a four-step process on a page to something genuinely woven into how a school leads, communicates and operates.Drawing on data from almost 80 schools and thousands of staff, I walk through common psychosocial hazards in Australian schools, why they are connected rather than isolated, and why the four-step risk management process, while important, is actually the easiest part of the whole process.The real work is not in the paperwork. It’s the leadership commitment and authentic ongoing consultation that determine whether any of it sticks.What I cover in this episode:What is missing from the four-step risk assessment process in many schoolsThe national data: the most common psychosocial hazards in Australian schools and why they compound each otherWhy good communication underpins the entire process, and how to ensure your messaging landsHow to embed wellbeing into your school’s way of doing and not let it be an initiative layered on top of othersLeadership commitment as the foundation: why it falters, what it actually requires, and the personal and professional skills that make it landWhy the hardest feedback can be the most important data you will ever receiveWhat the Safe Work Australia Code of Practice actually requires of school leaders, and why most schools are not quite there yetResources and links mentioned:Safe Work Australia Model Code of Practice: Managing Psychosocial Hazards at Work (July 2022) www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/sites/default/files/2022-08/model_code_of_practice_-_managing_psychosocial_hazards_at_work_25082022_0.pdf Article: The Wellbeing Weave: The Three Phases of Addressing Staff Wellbeing in Well-Led Schools adriennehornby.com.au/the-wellbeing-weave-the-three-phases-of-addressing-staff-wellbeing-in-well-led-schools/ Article: Embedding a Sustainable Wellbeing Ecosystem: The Key to Psychosocial Safety and Staff Wellbeingadriennehornby.com.au/designing-a-sustainable-wellbeing-ecosystem-the-key-to-psychosocial-safety/ If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts.

May 26, 2026Episode 81 hr 10 min

Leaders Don’t Need More Things to Do, They Need More Time to Think with Aimee Presnall

What if the one thing that would make the biggest difference to your wellbeing, strategic clarity and positive school culture as a school leader isn’t another strategy or initiative, it’s simply more time to think?In this episode of Well-Led Schools, I’m joined for the third time by Aimee Presnall - leadership coach, TEDx speaker and founder of Wellnest. After more than 16 years in education, Aimee built her career around one observation that kept repeating itself: brilliant school leaders burning out while the systems around them kept asking for more.Aimee’s recent TEDx talk landed on something leaders feel in their bones but rarely hear said out loud: that we’re treating the shadow, not the source; that when leaders don’t have time to think, everything downstream suffers, their clarity, their team’s culture, and ultimately their students.We go deep on what actually changes when leaders are given space to develop the human skills needed to lead people well, why one-off PD rarely shifts anything, and what it takes for schools to build a genuine coaching culture rather than a tick-box one.In this episode:Why leaders don’t need more things to do, but rather need more time to thinkClarity vs certainty: what staff want vs what leaders can actually giveWhy giving yourself dedicated time to think feels so difficultHow recognising your default, high-pressure habits creates the fastest leadership shiftWhat one-off PD misses in comparison to navigating the “messy middle” of long-term coachingThe three pathways into middle leadership (aspiring, accidental, anointed), and how they shape your mindsetLINKS AND RESOURCESConnect with Aimee Presnall via:Wellnest: www.well-nest.com.au TED Talk: youtu.be/qjGM4esebQU?si=5eyFpR_-0KbUngty LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/aimee-parkinson/ Connect with me via:Website: adriennehornby.com.auLinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/adrienne-hornby-a4126a205/Email: hello@adriennehornby.com.auSchool Partnerships: adriennehornby.com.au/school-partnerships/

May 6, 2026Episode 71 hr 18 min

From Programs to System: Building Whole-School Wellbeing That Works with Justin Robinson

Most schools have wellbeing programs or initiatives. Very few have wellbeing embedded into the way they function and flourish. That is the difference between bolting something on and creating real, lasting change.In this episode, I am joined by Justin Robinson, co-founder of the Wellbeing Distillery and formerly the founding director of the Institute of Positive Education at Geelong Grammar School. Justin has worked with hundreds of schools across Australia and internationally, and his approach is built on the idea that wellbeing has to be embedded across the whole school community, not delivered as a series of disconnected initiatives.We unpack what it actually takes to move from add-on programs to embedded practice, and why so many schools get stuck in the cycle of doing more without seeing more results.In this episode:Why a collection of programs is not the same as embedded wellbeingThe four partners every school needs to engage: leaders, staff, students and familiesThe most common mistake schools make when rolling wellbeing out across the whole communityHow adopting the mindset that "wellbeing is a shared responsibility" changes the way you design your whole approachPractical starting points for schools that want to shift from doing wellbeing to being a wellbeing-led schoolLINKS AND RESOURCES7 Habits of Wellbeing-Wise Families: https://drive.google.com/file/d/18SmHYlVuY60XGq_g3b8bMYkUrmq5AdAE/view?usp=drive_link Wellbeing Compass Brochure: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1L_GRARsSBWpkcTN3rrCaQJOS2qY-uZ8F/view?usp=drive_link Connect with Justin:Website: thewellbeingdistillery.comEmail: justin@thewellbeingdistillery.com LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jrobinson-wellbeingConnect with Adrienne:Website: adriennehornby.com.auLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/adrienne-hornby-a4126a205Email: hello@adriennehornby.com.au Staff Wellbeing Survey: adriennehornby.com.au/staff-surveyWell-Led Schools Partnership Program: adriennehornby.com.au/school-partnerships

April 21, 2026Episode 61 hr 2 min

What Educators Actually Need to Feel Purposeful Again with Glen Gerreyn

It’s the start of a new term. Some of your staff may be walking back into school running on empty, not because they don’t care, but because they’ve lost sight of why it matters.What educators actually need to feel purposeful again isn’t another wellbeing afternoon or a gratitude wall. According to this week’s guest, it’s a reconnection to vision, and that’s something a school can teach, build and sustain.In this episode of Well-Led Schools, I'm joined by Glen Gerreyn, speaker, author, youth advocate and founder of The Hopeful Institute. His work, spanning two decades and hundreds of schools globally, is grounded in one powerful idea: hope is not a passive feeling. It's a skill. It's a strategy. And it can be taught.In this episode:Glen's personal origin story: from elite athlete to disability pension to Young Australian of the YearThe three components of Hope Theory: goals, pathways, and agencyWhy disengagement is often a vision crisis, not a behaviour problemThe Hopeful Schools Framework and how it works in practiceWhy purpose and meaning matter as much as curriculum in educationWhat leaders can do to build hope into school culture systemicallyAbout Glen Gerreyn:Glen Gerreyn is a speaker, author and youth advocate who has dedicated his career to building hope in young people and the educators who work with them. After overcoming a serious a chronic illness that ended his career as a state champion sprinter, heGlen rebuilt his life through purpose, resilience and connection to meaning, and was named Young Australian of the Year in 1998.He is the founder of The Hopeful Institute and has worked with more than 300 schools across Australia and worldwide. His work draws on Charles Snyder's Hope Theory and translates it into practical frameworks that schools can embed into their culture. He is also the author of Men of Honor, a book on sexual ethics and character development for young men.Links and Resources50 Book Summaries for Educators7 Infographics (burnout, procrastination and more)Well-Led Schools Partnership ProgramIf this episode resonated, leaving a review wherever you are listening means the world. Thank you for listening!Connect with Glen via:Website: www.thehopefullinstitute.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/glengerreyn/Pinterest: https://au.pinterest.com/glengerreyn/ Connect with me via:My website: adriennehornby.com.auLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/adrienne-hornby-a4126a205/Email: hello@adriennehornby.com.au

August 15, 2023Episode 2841 min

EP28: The Key Personal Attributes Every Effective Leader Should Master

In episode 28, I uncover the most essential personal attributes to becoming an effective and inspiring school leader who "leads with wellbeing in mind." Beyond cognitive skills, personal attributes like self-awareness, empathy, and emotional intelligence are essential for navigating the challenges of education and fostering a thriving school culture. As school leaders, it's crucial to adopt a wellbeing-focused approach, putting the needs of our staff first. By leading with compassion and care, we can inspire and motivate our teams, leading to improved staff wellbeing and student performance outcomes. Tune in to learn about the key attributes that make a difference in educational leadership and discover practical tips for building self-awareness to become a more impactful leader. Let's create a positive and supportive educational environment together! In this episode, I cover: The significance of a wellbeing-focused approach for leaders The key personal attributes required for effective leadership How leaders can influence staff wellbeing and create a positive school culture Practical ideas to cultivate self-awareness and enhance your leadership skills Links and Resources: Blog article: The Most Essential Personal Attributes of an Effective Leader Blog article: A Functional Approach to Leadership Blog article: The Key Skills to Become an Emotionally Intelligent Leader Free personality assessments: Big 5 Personality Test Via Character Strengths DISC Personality Test DOPE Bird Personality Type Thank you so much for listening. I’m so honoured that you’re here and would be so grateful if you could leave me a review on Apple Podcasts or on your preferred podcast app, that way we can inspire and educate even more people together. Connect with me via: My website Linkedin Instagram EmailSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

June 20, 2023Episode 2236 min

EP 22: Why You Shouldn’t Introduce New Wellbeing Initiatives Until You’ve Conducted a School Scan

The foundation for problem-solving lies in gaining a thorough understanding of the issue at hand. By delving deep into the problem, we can develop effective solutions that address the root causes rather than merely providing temporary fixes. In this episode, I introduce a concept called the "school scan of wellbeing." This exercise involves examining various pieces of data to uncover valuable insights and shed light on the underlying problems within a school and their potential causes. I cannot stress enough the significance of this initial step before implementing new initiatives aimed at improving staff wellbeing. When we overlook this crucial phase, we often resort to tokenistic measures that lack the power to bring about lasting change. This approach can prove immensely frustrating for both leaders and staff, as it fails to produce tangible, long-term improvements. By prioritising a thorough understanding of the problem through the school scan of wellbeing, we lay the groundwork for meaningful transformations and ensure that our efforts are not in vain. In this episode, we cover: What a scan is and why we do it The benefits of conducting a school scan How to scan your school What to do with the information from your school scan Links and Resources: Get started with a school scan with our Anonymous Staff Wellbeing Survey Learn more about my 6-Step Approach Blog article: What Is A School Scan Of Wellbeing And Why Does Your School Need To Do One? Blog article: Adopting An Inquiry Approach To Staff Wellbeing And School Culture In Our Schools Blog article: The Wellbeing Action Plan: An Essential Tool For Ensuring Staff Wellbeing In The Workplace Thank you so much for listening. I’m so honoured that you’re here and would be so grateful if you could leave me a review on Apple Podcasts or on your preferred podcast app, that way we can inspire and educate even more people together. Connect with me via: My website Linkedin Instagram EmailSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

September 24, 2024Episode 201 hr 6 min

S2E20: The Interplay of Staff and Student Wellbeing in Schools with Tony Cox

In this episode of the Well-Led Schools podcast, we welcome Tony Cox, founder of Wellbeing Education Solutions, to discuss the important topic of student wellbeing. Tony shares his insights on why prioritising wellbeing isn't just beneficial for students but also makes teachers' jobs easier. When students feel supported, engaged, and emotionally secure, they perform better, reducing the strain on teachers. Likewise, when educators experience high levels of wellbeing, they are more effective in managing classrooms, fostering positive learning environments, and supporting their students. The episode dives into the interconnected nature of staff and student wellbeing and offers practical strategies for creating a thriving culture of wellbeing within schools. In this episode, we cover: The interplay of staff and student wellbeing and why it’s critical we focus on both at the same time Why effective wellbeing approaches should be holistic, proactive and embedded within a school’s culture, rather than s a topical solution How we can approach wellbeing education for kids in schools The value of building self-awareness and emotional intelligence at a young age so students can be empowered to grow and thrive How schools and teachers can contribute towards creating a culture of wellbeing How to involve parents and the school community in the process of fostering a school culture of wellbeing About Tony Cox: Tony Cox is the founder of Wellbeing Education Solutions, an organisation dedicated to enhancing the wellbeing of both students and educators. With over 25 years of experience as an educator, Tony has taught across various levels, from primary to tertiary, and served in leadership roles, including Deputy Principal. After experiencing burnout, Tony stepped away from education and embarked on a personal journey of health and fitness, becoming a certified health and wellbeing coach. Upon his return to the education sector, Tony focused on helping educators and school communities foster wellbeing, drawing on his expertise in Positive Education, NLP, coaching, and counseling. He has since established Wellbeing Education Solutions, providing consulting, coaching, and support to schools across Australia. Tony's mission is to empower individuals to achieve peak personal and professional wellbeing, grounded in values of gratitude, respect, authenticity, care, and excellence. Links and Resources: Thank you so much for listening. I’m so honoured that you’re here and would be so grateful if you could leave me a review on Apple Podcasts or on your preferred podcast app, that way we can inspire and educate even more people together. Connect with Tony via: His website: https://wellbeingeducationsolutions.com.au/ Email: tony@wellbeingeducationsolutions.com.au Connect with me via: My website: http://adriennehornby.com.au Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adrienne-hornby-a4126a205/ Email: hello@adriennehornby.com.au See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

May 4, 2023Episode 1941 min

EP 19: Breaking the Stigma: Promoting Mental Health and Wellbeing in Schools

Teaching is regarded as one of the most stressful professions in Australia, and navigating the shifts brought on by the pandemic has only amplified these feelings for staff. Chronic stress ultimately leads to teacher burnout and mental health conditions like anxiety and depression. A study based on Australian school teachers reported that teachers are more depressed and anxious than the average Australian. With more than half suffering from anxiety and nearly one-fifth feeling depressed. Teacher burnout is a growing problem across schools worldwide as teachers struggle to manage their workload, and their classrooms and live up to growing expectations amongst staff shortages and the implications they’re still experiencing due to the pandemic. With these statistics on the rise, it makes sense that our approach to managing staff mental health and wellbeing needs to change. In episode 19, I discuss: How burnout and stress affect teachers and staff Why it’s essential to address staff mental health in schools Ways to create and promote a mentally healthy workplace Links and Resources: Join the May 11 live training - Develop Your Staff Wellbeing Action Plan To Inspire A Positive Change In Culture At Your School In 2023 Blog article: 7 Ways To Promote Staff Mental Health And Wellbeing To Create A Mentally Healthy Workplace Thank you so much for listening. I’m so honoured that you’re here and would be so grateful if you could leave me a review on Apple Podcasts or on your preferred podcast app, that way we can inspire and educate even more people together. Connect with me via: My website Linkedin Instagram EmailSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

April 27, 2023Episode 181 hr 10 min

EP 18: Thriving in Our Emotional World: Insights into Cultivating Emotional Wellbeing With Violetta Znorkowski

In episode 18 of the Well-Led Schools podcast, I am joined by Violetta Znorkowsky, a leadership mentor, meditation/mindfulness teacher, holistic counsellor, experiential educator and the founder of Expand and Impact. In the episode, Violetta shares powerful insights into what it really takes to feel a sense of emotional wellbeing and the importance of developing skills like self-awareness, emotional intelligence and empathy in order to thrive in our emotional world. When you’re emotionally well you’re more capable of processing your emotions using healthy coping strategies and mechanisms and you’re going to be more likely to see yourself in a positive light and be resilient in the face of stress. About Violetta Violetta Znorkowski is the Founder and Facilitator at Expand and Impact, an Experiential Education Company that works with Female Professionals and Entrepreneurs who want to challenge the status quo and create a new normal in how success and leadership looks and feels. With over 10 years of experience and an international career working around the world with both youth and adults to develop leadership skills, raise emotional intelligence and build resilience, Violetta is passionate about guiding others to safely explore their connection to self, others and the world around them. Her work is informed through her training in Holistic Counseling Psychology, Leadership Coaching and Mindfulness and Meditation Training; blending Eastern and Western philosophies and techniques to consider the WHOLE person. “Emotional wellbeing is an individual's capacity to move through the many different emotional states without getting stuck in one or the other” - Violetta Znorkowski Tune into this episode to discover: What emotional wellbeing is Signs that you have a strong sense of emotional wellbeing How to know if your emotional wellbeing needs a boost What emotional intelligence is Strategies to cultivate greater emotional intelligence Ways of connecting to our physical selves to become more attuned to our emotional wellbeing Links and Resources: Join our online wellbeing course for educators today Free boundaries visualisation resource Thank you so much for listening. I’m so honoured that you’re here and would be so grateful if you could leave me a review on Apple Podcasts or on your preferred podcast app, that way we can inspire and educate even more people together. Connect with Violetta: On Linkedin Through her Website ‘Expand and Impact’ Listen to Violetta’s podcast ‘Expand and Impact’ Connect with me via: My website Linkedin Instagram EmailSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

March 28, 2023Episode 1240 min

EP 12: The Leading Causes of Workplace Stress and The Top Rated Wellbeing Initiatives Across Australian Schools

While you may think you know what challenges your staff are facing and what they need to thrive in the workplace - you won’t really know for sure unless you ask them. And while you’ve probably made an honest effort to provide your teachers and staff with more support, you may be wondering why so many are still struggling with or on the brink of burnout. Our national data collected from schools across Australia reveals that workload and administrative tasks are the leading causes of workplace stress for teachers and staff, and while in some cases it may seem near impossible to reduce workload, there are many creative strategies that can be employed to streamline it and reduce the burden staff are experiencing. The point is, we have to get to the root of the problem in order to make lasting changes and improvements to staff’s wellbeing and school culture. Our Anonymous Staff Wellbeing can support you in doing just that! In this episode, we cover: The importance of identifying staff stressors Organisational vs operational workplace stressors How our Anonymous Staff Wellbeing Survey can help you identify staff stressors and make better decisions about which initiatives to pursue The top reported stressors across Australian schools based on our survey findings The top rated strategies for supporting wellbeing across Australian schools according to our survey findings Links and Resources: Anonymous Staff Wellbeing Surveys Blog article: How To Use a Staff Wellbeing Survey To Support a Whole-School Scan Blog article: The Leading Causes of Workplace Stress for Teachers and School Staff Across Australia Blog article: The Top Rated Initiatives to Improve Staff and Teacher Wellbeing and How to Address Them Thank you so much for listening. I’m so honoured that you’re here and would be so grateful if you could leave me a review on Apple Podcasts or on your preferred podcast app, that way we can inspire and educate even more people together. Connect with me via: My website Linkedin Instagram EmailSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.