In this episode of Around the School Table, host Steve Davis is joined by David Loader OAM, Chair of the Institute of Education Reform (IER), to explore one of the most urgent challenges facing Australian education: Student Disengagement. With research suggesting that between 30% and 50% of students are disengaged at school, Loader argues that attendance alone does not equal learning. Many students are physically present in classrooms, yet emotionally disconnected from their education. Others are refusing school altogether. As a result, he believes the current system must rethink how success is measured.

Drawing on his decades of experience as former principal of Methodist Ladies’ College and Wesley College, David reflects on introducing one-to-one laptops in schools in 1989 — long before digital learning became mainstream. However, he explains that technology alone was never the solution. Instead, the real goal was creating more agency, creativity and independence for students.

Throughout the conversation, David challenges traditional models of teaching that position students as passive learners. Instead, he advocates for schools that encourage curiosity, exploration and student voice. He also examines the growing gap between what students are taught and what they genuinely want to learn, particularly during the critical middle years of schooling.

Furthermore, he discusses why teachers need greater freedom, why rigid curriculum structures may be limiting innovation, and how education systems must better respond to individual student needs. The episode also explores the role of educational technology, alternative schooling models, residential learning programs, and why future-ready schools must become more flexible and personalised.

This thought-provoking conversation challenges long-held assumptions about education and offers a compelling vision for schools that prioritise engagement, agency and meaningful learning for every student.

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