Australia: The Steplab Certificate in Professional Development Leadership 2027

Sign up for our flagship year-long teacher professional development program.

The Steplab Certificate is now in its fifth year. So far, we’ve supported over a thousand leaders in Australia, the UK and worldwide to dramatically improve teacher professional development (PD) in their schools and organisations.

Certificate graduates have transformed the quality of teaching and learning and, most importantly, student outcomes.

For 2027, we have refreshed the program to reflect what we have learnt working
with over 16,000 schools over the past decade. Steplab, and effective teaching and learning, encompasses much more than just coaching, it’s about effective PD more broadly. With this refresh comes a more representative name; introducing the Steplab Certificate in PD Leadership.

Applications for Australia’s Cohort 4 (commencing February 2027) are now open.

• 1.
  Those already using Steplab and those not yet utilising the platform.
• 2.
  Anyone responsible for teacher professional development in a school or organisation.
• 3.
  Anyone preparing to lead instructional coaching or professional development.
• 4.
  Past participants include Department Leads and Leading Teachers, Assistant Principals, Deputy Principals, Principals and System leaders.

• 1.
  How to lead effective teacher professional development, including solo study, group PD and coaching.
• 2.
  How to design and lead an effective PD program at a department, whole-school, and multi-school level.
• 3.
  How to use group PD and drop-ins effectively and become a strong instructional coach and leader of coaches.

You’ll experience:

• 1.
  World-class training. Hear from experts, see best practice, visit different contexts, and develop approaches you can apply in your school
• 2.
  Unparalleled peer support. Work closely with other PD leaders who will motivate you, provide feedback and help you make change happen
• 3.
  A rigorous but reasonable program. High standards, valuable activities, and support to meet them

The program uses a blended approach, including:

• 1.
  Independent study
• 2.
  Four in-person days
• 3.
  Fortnightly virtual group calls
• 4.
  Access to the Steplab platform

In-person days (attend East or West coast, or a combination thereof)

• 1.
  West Coast in-person days (in Perth)
• 2.
  • 1.
    Days 1 and 2: Monday March 15 and Tuesday March 16, 2027
  • 2.
    Days 3 and 4: Thursday July 22 and Friday July 23, 2027
• 2.
  East Coast in-person days (in Melbourne)
• 3.
  • 1.
    Days 1 and 2: Thursday March 18 and Friday March 19, 2027
  • 2.
    Days 3 and 4: Monday July 26 and Tuesday July 27, 2027
• 3.
  Group calls (all participants required)
• 4.
  • 1.
    Group calls: Four each term, each a fortnight apart. A variety of times will be made available, including just after school, before dinner, and after dinner. All relevant timezones are catered for.

• 1.
  Module 1 launch: Thursday February 4, 2027, 7:30-9:30pm AEDT
• 2.
  Module 2 launch: Thursday May 6, 2027, 8-9pm AEDT
• 3.
  Module 4 launch: Wednesday October 13, 2027, 8-9pm AEDT
• 4.
  Closing/celebration webinar: Tuesday November 30, 2027, 8-9pm AEDT
• 5.
  NB: There is no Module 3 launch. This is replaced by in-person days 3 and 4.

• 1.
  $5,050 + GST for participants from a school already signed up to Steplab.
• 2.
  $5,450 + GST for participants from a school without an existing Steplab account. This price also includes the minimum four Steplab user licenses required for the course.
• 3.
  10% off when two or more staff from the same school enrol together.
• 4.
  15% off when two or more staff enrol together and one is a principal or deputy principal.

The application process is as follows:

1. 1.
   Complete the application form.
2. 2.
   We will then contact your principal to ensure that you have full support and release for the required training dates.
3. 3.
   Following this, we will provide you with the booking link that can be used to register for the course. Your position is secured upon payment.

Please direct any questions to [email protected].

Hear what the past participants of this year-long course have to say about their experience!

"The Steplab Certificate has been the most effective, developmental, collaborative, and practical professional learning I have ever participated in. The combination of online learning, face-to-face sessions, and practical assignments provided a range of opportunities to engage. St Bede’s has developed strong foundations of an instructional coaching program, built the capacity of lead coaches, and fostered a positive coaching culture. We have successfully conducted over 235 observations and feedback cycles. This has been the most positive and practical learning experience of my career."
- Breen Fox, St Bede's Primary School

"I am always searching for how I can improve. Over the years, I have cobbled together bits and pieces of things, reinventing the wheel repeatedly. The Certificate course has really clarified my thinking and provided me with a usable framework: Responsive coaching!"
- Chris Guy, Elizabeth Vale Primary School

"The Steplab year-long training program has given me a profound understanding of how instructional coaching, professional development, and school improvement are interconnected. The course has directly influenced my vision for Hammond Park SC, particularly my goal to embed instructional coaching across the college over the next two years to support staff growth and improve student outcomes."
- Hayatti Miller, Hammond Park Secondary College

"I have found this to be a very transformative experience. There are simply too many lessons that I will be taking away to list. I feel like my day to day teaching, understanding of good leadership and effective professional development have been shaped, clarified and focused so significantly, that I am finishing the year in a completely different place to where I was at the beginning."
- Lisa-Marie Schneehage, Banyan Fields Primary School

"I am incredibly grateful to Steplab for the knowledge and professional learning I have gained this year. My understanding of instructional coaching has grown significantly, and I now realize my role is essential in driving change. The process of gathering and analyzing lesson evidence and testing hypotheses has become much more granular and specific. I am also more effective in modeling and rehearsal, ensuring the best outcomes for my teachers. The Certificate has been the highlight of my professional learning journey. Ollie and Rory have created a program so thorough that improvement is inevitable. Thank you, Steplab!"
- Kelly Plunkett, Challis Community Primary School

"The Certificate has been a game-changer for me. It gave me the knowledge, frameworks, and confidence to build coaching teams and lead whole-school change effectively. I’ve applied what I’ve learnt this year to my current school and will use these skills in more depth next year. The Certificate has expanded my capacity to lead change and been pivotal in my professional growth."
- Natalie Edwards, Springside Primary School

"Engaging in the Steplab Certificate course throughout 2024 has deepened my appreciation for precision. Being specific about curriculum, skills, and goals transforms ambiguous aspirations into tangible, measurable behaviors. The Certificate has fostered a challenging yet nurturing environment where learning happens through doing, reflecting, and sharing. I thought I knew a lot about instructional coaching, but the Certificate has stretched my understanding and shown me how much more there is to learn. I especially loved the group calls."
- Zoei Nixon, Serpentine Primary School

"Module 2 was where I really started to find my feet as a coach. I struggled with imposter syndrome, feeling too young or inexperienced, but pushing through gave me so much confidence. By the last group call in Module 4, hearing my group reflect on the value and knowledge I brought to the table was incredibly reaffirming. The confidence and interpersonal skills I’ve developed will benefit me professionally and personally in so many areas of my life."
- Olivia Hall, Challis Community Primary School

"Since starting the Steplab Certificate, my knowledge of effective instructional coaching has improved considerably. I now embed key mechanisms that efficiently and effectively improve practice into all coaching conversations and PLCs. This course has helped me build teachers’ knowledge incrementally, making coaching feel safe and supportive. It has been the most impactful professional development course I’ve completed."
- Maxine Galante, Challis Community Primary School

"The Steplab process, backed with evidence-based research, has changed the way I think about teacher improvement. The course not only changed how I see support for Teacher practice but also other supportive professional development such as the frequency of PD required, the sequence and process of effective PD and, most importantly, the need to have shared understanding through cooperation and collaboration."
- Allie Oweis, Nepean Christian School

"This course has been, by far, the most engaging and beneficial professional learning I have completed in over 15 years in education. The way we have applied what we've learned through Steplab—first in our classrooms, then at whole-school professional learning sessions, and finally in contributing to the creation of a playbook—has been truly transformative for us."
- Jacqueline Attard, Springside Primary School