More Than a Score

Laura Pitt & Dan Steele
  • 5.0 (2)
  • PARENTING
  • UPDATED TWICE WEEKLY

More Than a Score is a podcast about life beyond school results. After all, no one wants to peak at high school. Each episode dives into real stories of people from all walks of life: leaders, parents, athletes, entrepreneurs, and creatives. Each guest shares what school was like for them, their paths beyond school, the lessons they've learned, skills that have helped, and how they define success today. Hosted by Laura and Dan, educators with over 30 years of combined experience leading and teaching in schools, we explore how success isn’t ever defined by one score. If you’re a parent supporting your child, an educator guiding students, or going through change in your career, More Than a Score is made for you.

  1. Val Gnanakone: Success, Pressure and Becoming Yourself

    3 DAYS AGO

    Val Gnanakone: Success, Pressure and Becoming Yourself

    Help Shape the Podcast: To keep improving the podcast, we’d love to know a little more about you. We’ve created a quick 2-question survey that takes about 10 seconds. As a thank you, you’ll go into the draw to win a $100 prize (drawn on April 30). 👉 Complete the survey: https://forms.gle/nK52PuGAdpQtBmjB9 Show Notes: What if success was never just about getting through school, getting the degree, and starting work? In this episode of More Than a Score, we sit down with Val Gnanakone to explore expectation, education and what success really means as life unfolds. Val’s story begins with transition. Moving from Singapore to Australia as a young person, he quickly realised that school, culture and expectations looked very different here. At the same time, he was growing up in a family and culture where education wasn’t optional, it was essential. There was an expectation to work hard, get through, get the degree, and begin your career. And in many ways, that’s exactly what he did. But what makes Val’s story worth listening to is not just that he stayed the course. It’s that he has taken the time to reflect on what that path gave him, what it cost, and how his definition of success has evolved. This conversation is thoughtful, grounded and especially valuable for listeners navigating pressure, identity and expectation. Val speaks honestly about discipline, family influence, doing what was expected, and what it has taken to arrive at a more different view of success... one shaped not just by achievement, but by contributing andbfeeling comfort in yourself. If you’re a parent trying to help your child work hard without overwhelming them, this episode will share different perspective and insights. If you’re someone wondering whether you need to have it all mapped out right now, this conversation will help you breathe a little easier. What You’ll Hear in This Episode • What it was like moving from Singapore into Australian schooling • How culture and family shaped Val’s approach to education • Why education felt essential, not optional • The pressure and benefits of a disciplined, back-to-back pathway • What Val now sees differently about success • Why contribution and self-understanding matter more over time • What parents can do to support without overloading • Why every young person’s path unfolds differently Because one score doesn't define us and one path doesn't have to define your whole life. 🎧 Help Shape the Podcast 🎧 At More Than a Score, we’re all about helping parents and young people redefine success and see there’s more than one pathway. To keep improving the podcast, we’d love to know a little more about you. We’ve created a quick 2-question survey that takes about 10 seconds. As a thank you, you’ll go into the draw to win a $100 prize (drawn on April 30). 👉 Complete the survey: https://forms.gle/nK52PuGAdpQtBmjB9

    48 min
  2. Claire Tonti: From Not Feeling"Smart Enough" to Being a Successful Artist & Podcast CEO

    8 MAR

    Claire Tonti: From Not Feeling"Smart Enough" to Being a Successful Artist & Podcast CEO

    Have you ever achieved something others celebrate… but still felt like you fell short? In this episode of More Than a Score, we sit down with Claire Tonti - a former teacher, now musician, filmmaker, podcaster, CEO and deeply generous community builder — for an honest and heartfelt conversation about identity, pressure and redefining success. Claire grew up in a bright, high-achieving family, quietly carrying the belief that she wasn’t “smart enough.” When she finished school with an ATAR of 89.95, it still felt like failure. A guidance counsellor asked, “What happened?” — a question that lingered far longer than the number itself. But Claire’s story didn’t follow a neat, linear path. She found herself through creativity, performance, teaching, storytelling and building communities both online and in real life. Along the way, she discovered something powerful: Success is not a score. If you’re a parent supporting a young person under pressure, a student feeling defined by numbers, or an adult still untangling self-worth from performance…this episode is for you. What you’ll hear in this episode: • Growing up with unspoken expectations in a high-achieving family • Why an “excellent” ATAR still felt like failure • The emotional weight of comparison and bullying in senior school • Creativity as an outlet and lifeline • The power of reinvention and non-linear pathways • Why perfectionism disconnects us from who we really are • Redefining success through connection, contribution and presence • What parents can do to help kids feel enough beyond achievement One score doesn’t define you, but one conversation can change how you see yourself.

    58 min
  3. James Cameron: Why Changing Direction Could Be The Best Decision You Make

    1 MAR

    James Cameron: Why Changing Direction Could Be The Best Decision You Make

    This is a TITANIC episode. (See what we did there?). Have you ever started down a path because it seemed like the “right” choice… only to realise it didn’t quite fit? Maybe you chose certain subjects because they sounded impressive, began a university degree because it felt safe, or you’re quietly wondering whether your child’s current pathway actually suits who they are. (Or even your own!). In this episode of More Than a Score, we sit down with James Cameron, a teacher, adventurer, mentor and outdoor education specialist who understands what it means to change direction. James began university on one course and realised it wasn’t aligned. He made the decision to shift. Not because he couldn’t cope, but because he was paying attention to who he was becoming. Now working within the education system as a teacher, James sees first-hand how quickly young people tie their identity to subjects, scores and labels. But he has also discovered something powerful: his greatest strengths were never just academic. They were relational. Building trust, creating belonging, leading through outdoor education. Helping young people grow through challenge, not just content or "typical" learning. This is a grounded and honest conversation about choosing growth over comfort, backing yourself when something doesn’t fit, and redefining success beyond a single decision. If you are a parent navigating subject selection or university pressure with your young person, or questioning whether it is “too late” to change direction, this episode will make an impact and give you perspective. And if you work in education, James offers insights from inside the system about what truly shapes confidence and capability that affect us long after we leave school. What You’ll Hear in This Episode • What it really feels like to change course at university • Why changing direction is often growth, not failure • How early labels shape our identity • What school did well for James and what he needed more of • How working inside schools reshapes our view of success • Why relationship-building is a skill that outlasts any exam result • The impact of outdoor education and adventures on resilience and confidence • What he has had unlearn after school and university • Ways you navigate uncertainty Sometimes the most important step forward is having the courage to adjust course. 🔗 Discover more about Rise Outdoors here: https://riseoutdoors.com.au/ Check out James on Loz's previous podcast episode on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3aaJzeQdawQyZQ5KdWbUoC?si=ft0n-dFSQzecew_4dnch-A

    53 min
  4. Cade Witnish: From “Not Likely to Get In” to Co-Founding PlayHQ

    22 FEB

    Cade Witnish: From “Not Likely to Get In” to Co-Founding PlayHQ

    What happens when you're told university probably isn’t realistic for you? Maybe it comes from a teacher, a report card, careers counsellor, or from someone who thinks they’re being helpful. In this episode of More Than a Score, we sit down with Cade Witnish — co-founder of digital marketing agency Loud & Clear and sports technology platform PlayHQ — who heard exactly that just months before his final exams. Growing up in regional New South Wales, Cade was labelled as someone with “potential” who didn’t quite apply himself. He was advised to consider alternative plans because he was not seen as likely to achieve the score required for university. Then his ATAR surprised everyone. But this conversation is not about proving people wrong. It is about something deeper. It is about how low expectations can shape who we think we are, the influence of a determined mum who believed finishing Year 12 and “getting a ticket” to opportunity mattered, and the teacher who saw something in Cade before he saw it in himself. And it is about discovering that you are far more capable than any label placed on you. Today, as a successful entrepreneur and business leader, Cade reflects on growing up first-generation tertiary educated, navigating comparison and self-doubt, and why growth is often uncomfortable but necessary. What You’ll Hear in This Episode • What to do if you or your child has ever been told university may not be realistic • How to navigate the label “has potential but doesn’t apply themselves” without letting it define identity • Why finishing Year 12 and “getting a ticket” can mean more than just a score • What first-generation tertiary education looks like in real life • How one teacher’s belief can shift a student’s entire trajectory • Why exam pressure can sometimes reveal strengths you didn’t know you had • The difference between surviving school and truly understanding how you grow • How to help young people build resilience without comparison • Why confidence rarely arrives all at once and often develops years later • How choosing growth and challenge over comfort builds long-term success This episode is a powerful reminder that potential is often misread in the moment, and that the trajectory of a life is rarely defined at 18. One score does not define you, but one sentence of belief can change your whole trajectory.

    1h 3m
  5. Dean Brady: When School Makes Space for Passion & Interests

    15 FEB

    Dean Brady: When School Makes Space for Passion & Interests

    What happens when school works with a young person’s passion and interests instead of against it? In this episode of More Than a Score, we sit down with Dean Brady, former Rip Curl professional surfer and founder of the Noosa Surfing Academy, to explore what’s possible when flexibility, trust, and belief are built into education. Dean shares his experience of a school environment that recognised his commitment to surfing, supported alternative pathways, and allowed him to pursue elite sport without being boxed into a single definition of success. From international competition and sponsorships, to career pivots, setbacks, and eventually building his own business, Dean’s story shows how discipline, resilience, and lived experience shape a meaningful life beyond results. This conversation offers a powerful reframe for parents and young people navigating pressure, passion, and uncertainty, especially those wondering whether school can accommodate a learner with different interests or talents. What You’ll Hear in This Episode: • How school flexibility helped Dean thrive rather than disengage • The realities of professional sport — beyond the highlight reel • Why identity beyond results matters • Learning discipline, resilience, and responsibility through lived experience • Navigating setbacks, transitions, and career pivots • Turning interests and a passion into purpose — and eventually, a business • What parents and schools can do to better support young people with strong interests If you're a parent supporting a child with clear interests or passions, a young person questioning whether there’s “only one way” to succeed, or an educator rethinking what meaningful support really looks like - this is for you. Because when young people are trusted, supported, and allowed to grow, incredible things can happen. Find out more about Noosa Surfing Academy at https://www.noosasurfingacademy.com/.

    58 min
  6. Sophie Perez: Following Your Thread, Creativity & Backing Yourself

    15 FEB

    Sophie Perez: Following Your Thread, Creativity & Backing Yourself

    What if the thing you’ve always loved, that quiet, consistent thread running through your life is actually pointing you somewhere meaningful? In this episode of More Than a Score, we sit down with Sophie Perez — fine artist, Royal College of Art graduate, former elite cyclist, studio founder, and mother of three, to explore what it really means to follow passion over prestige, and to keep redefine success - even if it different to what others may think. Sophie’s pathway is anything but linear. From studying painting in London and couriering by bike, to racing at the Tour de France level, stepping away from art for a decade while raising her family, and then rebuilding her creative practice on the Mornington Peninsula in Victoria, her story is layered with courage, reinvention, and backing yourself. This conversation offers reassurance for parents and young people alike: success doesn’t arrive all at once, and it rarely follows a straight line. Instead, it evolves and gets shaped by curiosity, community, discipline, and the willingness to begin again. If you’re supporting a creative young person, navigating identity beyond school results, or questioning whether passion can truly become a pathway, this episode offers perspective and permission...because sometimes the bravest thing you can do is keep following the thread. What You’ll Hear in This Episode In this conversation, Sophie shares: • Why art was never a backup plan — it was always the throughline • What studying at the Royal College of Art taught her about identity and discipline • The unexpected lessons from professional cycling and elite competition • Why stepping away from your passion doesn’t mean it’s gone • The power of community in building creative confidence • How success shifts through motherhood and different life stages • Why “don’t shut the door on yourself” matters more than chasing certainty • Supporting young people who don’t fit into neat academic categories Discover More About Sophie Perez and her art here 👇: https://www.sophieperezartist.com/

    1h 1m
  7. Tash Chapman: The Real Skills That Matter More Than School Results

    9 FEB

    Tash Chapman: The Real Skills That Matter More Than School Results

    What if the most valuable skills young people need for life aren’t the ones measured by exams but the ones developed through experience, self-awareness, and learning to work with others? In this episode of More Than a Score, we’re joined by Tash Chapman, whose journey from school into people-focused work in HR and leadership (and now her work with Nissi Wellness) offers a powerful perspective on what really helps people thrive over time. Tash shares her experience of navigating school expectations, exploring different pathways, and eventually building a career centred on understanding people: how they think, make decisions, manage pressure, and grow. Through her work in HR and leading teams of people, she’s seen firsthand that confidence, communication, adaptability, and emotional awareness often matter far more than a perfect academic record. This conversation is especially valuable for parents supporting young people who may be questioning their direction, feeling unsure about what comes next, or worrying about “getting it wrong” — and for students who need reassurance that learning through lived experience is not a weakness, but a strength. (After all, success isn’t just about outcomes on a piece of paper...or digital PDF!). It’s really about becoming self-aware, capable, and confident enough to navigate change, wherever the path leads. In this episode, we explore: • Tash’s experience of school and navigating expectations • How exploring different pathways builds clarity over time • What working in HR reveals about real-world success • The skills employers and teams value most — beyond results • Why self-awareness, communication, and adaptability matter • How parents can support young people without over-directing • Reframing uncertainty as part of growth, not failure This episode is for: • Parents of high school students navigating pressure and transition • Young people unsure about their next steps • Anyone questioning whether there’s “one right way” to succeed You can learn more about Tash’s work and follow her pathway at Nissi Wellness on Instagram: @nissi_wellness

    1h 11m

  8. 19 JAN

    Emily Rovere: Forging a Path When Your Score Doesn’t Match Who You Are

    What happens when the result staring back at you doesn’t reflect who you know you are? In this episode of More Than a Score, we speak with Emily Rovere, an osteopath, business owner, mentor, and lifelong learner, about opening her results, feeling deeply confused and deflated...and slowly realising that the number in front of her wasn’t the full story. Emily shares honestly about being a high-achiever who worked hard but didn’t yet know how she learned best, the pressure she carried as the “one who had to succeed,” and how missing the score she hoped for forced her to problem-solve, adapt, and ultimately discover a path that truly suited her. This is a powerful conversation about: • Identity vs results • Learning how you learn • Asking for help (and why that’s hard) • Resilience built through discomfort • Why progress matters more than perfection For parents, this episode offers reassurance that: • Struggle doesn’t mean failure • Detours can lead to clarity • Confidence is built through experience, not comparison For young people, and those supporting them, it’s a reminder that feeling lost doesn’t mean you’re off track, it often means you’re learning something important. Because one moment, one exam, or one score never defines the whole story.

    1 hr
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

More Than a Score is a podcast about life beyond school results. After all, no one wants to peak at high school. Each episode dives into real stories of people from all walks of life: leaders, parents, athletes, entrepreneurs, and creatives. Each guest shares what school was like for them, their paths beyond school, the lessons they've learned, skills that have helped, and how they define success today. Hosted by Laura and Dan, educators with over 30 years of combined experience leading and teaching in schools, we explore how success isn’t ever defined by one score. If you’re a parent supporting your child, an educator guiding students, or going through change in your career, More Than a Score is made for you.

Information

  • Creator
    Laura Pitt & Dan Steele
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    27
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Show Website
    More Than a Score

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