S3E2 - Creating Positive School Cultures and Communities to Improve Learning with Hayley Taylor

Positively Leading

Send us a text

Join us for a down-to-earth chat with Hayley Taylor, Principal of Canning Vale Primary School, as she shares her journey from an early childhood teacher in a small Wheatbelt school to leading a thriving school community. Hayley opens up about how family priorities and unexpected challenges shaped her career, showing the power of courage, determination, and building strong relationships in education.

Hayley talks about creating a positive school culture, including her experience implementing the Positive Behaviour Support School program. She reflects on the early challenges of leadership, like inconsistent expectations and team building, and compares aligning personal values with a school’s vision to finding the right partner. Her story is packed with practical advice for leaders at every stage, from mentorship to using leadership frameworks for guidance.

We also dive into the importance of growing middle leaders and making the leap from teaching to leadership. Hayley shares tips on staying motivated, balancing work and life, and using strategies like distributed leadership and prioritization to create a culture where everyone feels valued. With insights from thought leaders like Brené Brown and Simon Sinek, this episode is full of ideas to help schools thrive and individuals shine.

Did you know there is more? You can access every episode, show notes, links and more via my website Positively Beaming.

Chapters

1. Leadership Journey (00:00:00)

2. Creating a Positive School Culture (00:08:16)

3. Developing Middle Leaders and Effective Leadership (00:15:56)

4. Developing Leadership Through Strengths and Culture (00:27:55)