A cluster of primary schools on Melbourne’s Mornington Peninsula are banding together, sharing leadership, resources and relationships to better support students, staff and families across their communities.
From a Catholic secondary classroom on the Mornington Peninsula to specialist schools, hospital settings and now a small primary school in Frankston, Mr Warren Bull’s career has taken a less conventional path than many school leaders. That breadth of experience now informs his work as principal of Frankston East Primary School, where collaboration between staff, schools and systems is central to daily practice.
Frankston East Primary is a small school, with around 165 students and a staff of approximately 25. It sits within a cluster of four nearby primary schools and a local secondary college, all working within a relatively stable population area where enrolments are steady rather than growing. In this context, scale matters. Small schools rely heavily on strong relationships, shared approaches and deliberate cooperation to meet student needs and sustain staff wellbeing.
“Leadership isn’t just about me telling people what to do,” Mr Bull says. “It’s about making sure the right systems and relationships are in place so our staff can focus on what matters – teaching and learning.”
leadership presentation.
A career shaped by specialist settings
Mr Bull began his teaching career in Victoria as a science teacher at Padua College’s Rosebud campus, later leading the science faculty. From there, he moved overseas, teaching science and physical education in London for three years. During that time, he worked in a school catering to students with significant emotional and behavioural challenges – an experience that would shape the direction of his career.
“Working with students facing emotional and behavioural challenges really changed my view of teaching,” Mr Bull reflects. “It showed me how important relationships are, no matter the setting.”
On returning to Australia, Mr Bull continued working in specialist environments, including at Stepping Stones, an adolescent psychiatric unit at Monash Hospital. There, he taught young people experiencing acute mental health challenges and also worked alongside the Butterfly Foundation, supporting students with eating disorders.
A key figure throughout this period was Mr Bruce McPhate, who became a long-term mentor. Mr McPhate worked with Mr Bull at Stepping Stones and later at a special school for students with intellectual disabilities, where Mr McPhate served as assistant principal.
“Bruce was a huge influence on me,” Mr Bull says. “Having a mentor who understands the complexities of specialist education made a big difference in shaping how I lead today.”
From there, Mr Bull transitioned back into mainstream education at Elizabeth Murdoch College, a large co-educational government secondary school. Over a decade, he taught science, mathematics and physical education, while also leading student wellbeing initiatives. His wellbeing leadership, he notes, was grounded less in formal qualifications and more in the cumulative experience gained across hospital, specialist and mainstream settings.
“I learnt that wellbeing isn’t a separate program – it’s embedded in everything we do for students and staff,” he says.
Leadership roles followed in specialist education, including an assistant principal position at Marnabec Special School and later at Southern Autistic School, where Mr McPhate was principal. Mr Bull was part of the leadership team at Southern Autistic School throughout the COVID-19 period, working with students and families during a time of significant disruption.
“That period tested everyone, but it also strengthened our resolve to support our community,” he reflects.
In 2023, Mr Bull took on his first principal role at Frankston East Primary School.
While his background spans secondary and specialist education, Mr Bull says the core of the work remains consistent: building relationships with students, families and staff, and ensuring structures are in place to support learning.
“No matter where you’re working, it really is all about those relationships that you develop with the students and the staff around you,” he says.
Supporting students through partnerships and recognition
Frankston East Primary benefits significantly from its relationship with The Smith Family, a long-standing community partner that supports families through initiatives like the Learning for Life scholarship program. These scholarships provide vital assistance with school essentials such as uniforms and digital devices, easing some of the barriers faced by families.
“Programs like the Learning for Life scholarships make a real difference to families who are doing it tough,” Mr Bull explains. “It’s not just about money; it’s about giving our students the tools to succeed.”
Mr Bull was recently recognised for his outstanding contribution to supporting students experiencing disadvantage at the 31st National Excellence in Teaching Awards (NEiTA), sponsored by Futurity Investment Group.
He received the prestigious The Smith Family–NEiTA Award for Powering Potential, along with a $10,000 professional development grant from the NEiTA Foundation. The award, created in partnership with The Smith Family, celebrates educators who go above and beyond to help children facing disadvantage achieve their potential.
“It was humbling to be nominated and recognised alongside so many inspiring educators,” he says. “But this award wasn’t just for me – it reflected the passion and hard work of the whole Frankston East team.”
While access to technology remains an important focus, educators recognise that simply providing devices does not guarantee learning outcomes. Reflecting on shifts in educational technology use, there is a growing awareness that equitable access must be coupled with effective teaching practices to support student success. Additional funding and equity grants, managed by school leaders, are crucial in providing the resources and staff needed to support diverse learning needs within the school.
“There’s no doubt there’s a divide in equitable access to education,” Mr Bull says. “But we’re also realising that tech isn’t a silver bullet. It’s how we use it that matters.”
The school also works within broader funding structures, including additional equity funding and targeted grants. As principal, Mr Bull manages applications for departmental funding aimed at supporting students with additional learning needs and enabling the employment of extra staff where possible.
“There’s always more to do, and chasing funding is part of the role,” he admits. “But it’s worth it when it means better support for our kids.”
Frankston East Primary’s small size also shapes its internal structure. With enrolments spread across year levels, most classes are composite, with the exception of prep. This requires careful planning and collaboration among teachers, as well as shared expectations around curriculum and pedagogy.
“Our classes are mostly composite, so teachers need to be really flexible and work closely together,” Mr Bull says. “It’s challenging but also rewarding.”
The school’s values – kindness, respect and integrity – underpin these approaches, but Mr Bull is quick to point out that values are only meaningful when they are reflected in daily practice.
“Those values aren’t just words on a wall,” he says. “They guide how we interact, learn and support each other every day.”
Cluster collaboration and shared leadership
One of the defining features of Frankston East Primary’s work is its participation in a close local cluster. Within a two-kilometre radius, four small primary schools – Frankston East Primary, Ballam Park Primary, Karingal Primary and Karingal Heights Primary – work alongside McClelland College, the local secondary school that most students transition to after Year 6.
“This cluster model is a real strength,” Mr Bull says. “We meet regularly – at least once a term – to share ideas, align our approaches and support each other.”
The focus includes curriculum alignment, behavioural practices, professional learning and responding to departmental priorities. Recent collaborative work has included joint planning around the new mathematics curriculum and discussions about consistent behaviour management approaches across schools.
“We want to make transitions seamless for our students,” Mr Bull explains. “Consistency across schools means kids feel more confident and supported.”
The cluster also plays a key role in supporting student transitions to secondary school. Primary students participate in activities with McClelland College students and staff, building familiarity with the secondary environment before the move to Year 7. This work is supported by strong professional relationships between school leaders across the cluster.
Beyond curriculum and transition, the cluster provides an important support network for principals and staff. Mr Bull acknowledges that teaching and school leadership are increasingly challenging, with workload, wellbeing and retention ongoing concerns.
“There’s no doubt teaching is as challenging as it’s ever been,” he says. “That’s why having this network is vital – we share the load and support each other.”
Working together allows schools to share strategies for managing administrative demands, coordinate professional development and support staff wellbeing. For principals, the opportunity to connect with peers facing similar challenges is particularly valuable.
Mr Bull also situates this work within a broader departmental structure, as part of the Central Peninsula Network. This wider network provides additional opportunities for collaboration and professional support, reinforcing the idea that leadership does not occur in isolation.
“Leadership is shared – it’s relational, not just positional,” Mr Bull says. “It’s about whole communities coming together for our kids.”
“It’s not just me doing this work,” he says. “It’s very much a whole-of-school approach to supporting our students and families, and extending that work across our cluster and network as well.”
