The School of Play Academy is a practical, engaging and self-paced professional learning program designed to help educators create more connected, inclusive and engaging learning environments.
Created by The School of Play, The Academy brings together five professional learning modules that explore the powerful role of play, movement, connection, belonging and human-centred practice in education.
The five modules include:
1. The Superpowers of Play
Explore why play matters and how purposeful play can strengthen connection, engagement, wellbeing and learning.
2. Brain Breaks That Work
Discover practical ways to use movement, play and short activity breaks to support attention, regulation, energy and readiness to learn.
3. Play for Every Brain
Explore inclusive, play-based approaches that recognise different brains, strengths and needs, helping educators create environments where more students can participate, connect and thrive.
4. Wolf Logic: Play-Based Leadership
Explore a human-centred approach to leadership, including connection, curiosity, belonging, collective culture and the everyday behaviours that influence others.
5. From Behaviour to Belonging
Move beyond simply managing behaviour and explore how relationships, connection, regulation and belonging can help create positive and supportive learning environments.
Each module includes a 45–60 minute professional learning webinar presented by The School of Play Directors Dale Sidebottom and Paul Campbell, guided reflection tasks, practical implementation tasks and impact reflection tasks designed to move the learning from theory into everyday practice.
Participants also receive access to The Academy Textbook, a comprehensive 50,000-word resource that expands on the concepts, research, strategies and practical applications explored throughout the five modules.
The Academy is aligned to the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (AITSL), with relevant standards mapped throughout the professional learning experience to support educators in connecting their learning to their professional practice and ongoing development.
The Academy is completely self-paced, allowing educators to work through the five modules in sequence or explore the areas most relevant to their current practice.
Learn it. Try it. Reflect on it. See what changes.
The School of Play Academy is professional learning designed not simply to be completed, but to be put into practice.
