The Peter Underwood Centre for Educational Attainment

03/08/2026

🌈 “I can be myself more” – the difference pride groups make for young people in schools

New research from the University of Tasmaniaa, commissioned by LGBTQIA+ education and advocacy service Working It Out Inc, highlights the experiences of Tasmanian students who say these groups provide a sense of belonging, safety and connection.

Students told us pride groups helped them feel more accepted, build friendships and find support during challenging times. Their stories offer important insights into how schools can create inclusive environments where all young people can thrive.

Read the article in The Conversation:
👉 ‘https://theconversation.com/i-can-be-myself-more-what-students-told-us-about-pride-groups-in-schools-288725

30/07/2026

🌏✨Expanding children’s worlds, together

In this thoughtful new article for Power to Persuade, Sachie Yasuda (Regional Lead, Children's University Australasia (Tasmania)) examines how informal learning experiences such as sport, arts, libraries, travel and community activities help to shape children's confidence, belonging and aspiration, and why unequal access to these opportunities is a design issue that deserves greater attention.

Read the article here:

In the quest to improve outcomes for children, schools often bear the brunt of reform. However, the foundations of advantage and success are laid long before children enter a classroom. Informal learning experiences such as sport, arts activities, libraries, travel and participation in community lif

09/07/2026

📚 New research is helping us better understand student engagement in schools

Last week, the Peter Underwood Centre at the University of Tasmania brought together education leaders and researchers from across Tasmania to discuss the early findings from a major national study led by Social Ventures Australia.

The study gathered feedback from more than 13,000 students across 43 schools in Tasmania, New South Wales, Victoria and Western Australia. It found that student engagement often starts to decline during the middle primary years, with a significant drop between Years 5 and 9.

💡 The research also highlights the importance of factors such as school enjoyment and student agency (students feeling they have a voice and can influence their learning). These early signs can appear before changes in attendance or academic results, creating opportunities to provide support sooner.

📖 Read the full report:

First findings from the Education Engagement Taskforce, drawing on 16,000 student responses across five states and territories, show warning signs of disengagement long before they appear in absence data, including a sharp engagement cliff between Year 7 and 9.

01/07/2026

Thinking about a career change?

A new Tasmania-wide initiative, Change2Teaching, is opening pathways for degree-qualified professionals to bring their skills and life experience into the classroom. Participants will be able to earn a salary while completing a Master of Teaching through the of Tasmania.

Peter Underwood Centre Director Leanne McLean and Program Director Mary Ann Hunter from the School of Education joined ABC Radio Hobart to discuss how the program aims to attract talented people from diverse backgrounds into teaching and help strengthen Tasmania’s education workforce.

🎧 Listen in: https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/hobart-mornings/change-teaching-tasmania-program-masters-of-teaching/106860824

ℹ️ Find out more: https://www.utas.edu.au/courses/arts-soc/courses/e7g-master-of-teaching?year=2027

The Change2Teaching Program has been launched which aims to find teachers with different backgrounds and life experience, and will pay a salary during training.

23/06/2026

Why are there so few male primary school teachers - and does it matter?
New research from University of Tasmania experts Vaughan Cruickshank and Nicholas Hookway looks at this question. Men now make up less than 18% of primary teachers in Australia.
So, does it matter? The research shows it’s not that simple. While some students like having male teachers, what really matters is good teaching—not a teacher’s gender.

👉 Read more: https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/lifematters/male-school-teachers/106832972

🎧 Listen to Nicholas Hookway and Eddie Woo (high school maths teacher and YouTube sensation) discuss on Radio National's Life Matters: https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/lifematters/male-school-teachers/106832972

Australian primary school principals have called for more male primary school teachers, saying boys need more ‘male role models’.

11/02/2026

🎉 Celebrating an outstanding achievement! 🎉

Launceston Big Picture School graduate Armon Castor has finished Year 12 with a university diploma already completed, thanks to the University of Tasmania's High Achiever Program (HAP) coordinated by Dr Jess Woodroffe at the Peter Underwood Centre.

https://www.utas.edu.au/study/pathways-to-university/high-achiever-program

Armon’s dedication saw him ranked in the top 100 ATARs in Tasmania. Through HAP, he built a national photography competition platform, completed university-level units, and contributed to STEM initiatives in his community.

Now progressing into his Bachelor of ICT at UTAS, Armon is already working on real software and app development projects.
Armon says the support of the Peter Underwood Centre and the Big Picture learning model opened doors he “wouldn’t have accessed anywhere else.”

We’re incredibly excited to see what he achieves next! 🚀💻

📸 Photo of Armon by Saree Salter

11/12/2025

"At Waverley Primary School, we are deeply committed to ensuring every child sees themselves as a capable, confident and lifelong learner. One of the most powerful ways we have seen this come to life is through our involvement in Children’s University"
Read this inspiring speech by Katie Wightman, Principal Waverley Primary School at the ’s University Tasmania Graduation in Launceston, 2 December 2025.

"At Waverley Primary School, we are deeply committed to ensuring every child sees themselves as a capable, confident and lifelong learner. One of the most powerful ways we have seen this come to life is through our involvement in Children’s University.
For many of our students, Children’s University has been their very first connection with an institution beyond primary school and even thoughts beyond high school. That connection is incredibly important. It helps make the idea of further study real, visible and achievable. When our children walk into a university or a training institution, collect stamps in their learning passports, or attend a graduation ceremony in a formal academic setting, their sense of what is possible grows.

Through Children’s University, our students begin to see themselves not just as primary school children, but as future learners’ young people who can one day choose from many pathways, whether that be university, TasTAFE, apprenticeships, or other further training options. The message is clear: all positive pathways are valued, and all are within reach.

Across the year, our students engage in vibrant and exciting learning opportunities, after-school clubs, sporting and creative activities, cultural events, science experiences and community programs. These experiences expand their curiosity, build their confidence and spark new passions. Importantly, they are learning that education doesn’t just happen in a classroom between 9 and 3 it happens everywhere.

Children’s University has also strengthened our students’ sense of purpose. They set goals, they persist, they track their progress, and they take great pride in their achievements. For some of our children, the graduation ceremony is the first time they have worn a gown, walked across a stage, and been publicly celebrated for their learning. The impact of that moment is lasting.

We have seen students grow in confidence, motivation and aspiration. We hear them speak differently about their future. We see them encouraging each other. We see families engaging in learning alongside their children. These are powerful outcomes that reach far beyond academic results.

Children’s University aligns so strongly with our vision at Waverley that every child is known, safe, well and inspired to achieve their very best. It nurtures a genuine love of learning, builds connection beyond our school gates, and opens doors our students may not have previously imagined.

We are incredibly proud of our students, grateful to our families for your ongoing support, and thankful for the partnerships that make Children’s University possible. Most of all, we are excited about the futures our students are learning to believe in futures full of choice, confidence and opportunity."

30/11/2025

This November and December, more than 900 young learners from across Tassie will graduate from the Children's University, marking a decade of inspiring curiosity and achievement 🎓

Parent and grandparent Rita shared:

“It’s the different learning environments that are so valuable. They bring the history of the topics to life and provide hands-on opportunities for the kids.”

👏 Let’s celebrate these incredible kids and the team behind Children’s University Tasmania for 10 years of learning adventures!

Learn more about the program 👇

06/10/2025

Delighted for the recognition of Santosh and his amazing contributions to our community alongside his work with the Children’s University. Congratulations Santosh.

🏆 Congratulations to the Winner of the 2025 People's Choice Award, Santosh Adhikari!

Santosh Adhikari of Riverside is strengthening diversity, leadership, and social cohesion across Tasmania. As founding President of the Nepali Society of Northern Tasmania (NSNT), he helped establish its CBD office and secure over $75,000 in grants for programs in cultural preservation, research, and community awareness. His initiatives include Bhashalaya, a language and cultural school engaging 300+ students across three generations, and community consultation research projects influencing state and federal policy. Santosh has also fostered sporting clubs and different migrant stakeholders, building trust and promoting strength of diversity. During his tenure, NSNT received the MCOT’s 2020 Society Award (North) and is a national award semi-finalist.

Santosh will receive one night's accommodation in a Superior Harbour View Room at the Hotel Grand Chancellor Hobart, including a full breakfast for two! 🏨

25/09/2025

A word from our Director, Leanne McLean, on school attendance:

🎓 Over years of working with hundreds of young Tasmanian young people – from those who thrive at school to those who struggle to connect, or are completely disconnected, I keep hearing the same three things that could make a real difference:

1️⃣ More say in what they learn
2️⃣ More say in how they learn
3️⃣ More support to learn, to feel safe and to belong

Perhaps we can embed these agency-driven principles into how we think about attendance and engagement, and back them with a strong multi-tiered system of support.

Young people CAN tell us what they need. Our challenge is to listen, and act.

Australia's school attendance levels have dropped since the pandemic but education experts are particularly concerned about Tasmania — a state with an already notoriously low literacy rate.