More Than a Score

Laura Pitt & Dan Steele
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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. Cade Witnish: From “Not Likely to Get In” to Co-Founding PlayHQ

    23H AGO

    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
  2. Dean Brady: When School Makes Space for Passion & Interests

    FEB 15

    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
  3. Sophie Perez: Following Your Thread, Creativity & Backing Yourself

    FEB 15

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

    FEB 9

    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

  5. JAN 19

    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

  6. JAN 12

    SPECIAL EP: Dan Steele - Learning, Failure and the Power of Relationships

    What happens when the person usually asking the questions becomes the one being interviewed? In this special episode of More Than a Score, award-winning school leader, internationally accredited leadership coach, and co-host Dan Steele steps into the guest seat to reflect on his own school experience, the moments that shaped his pathway, and the beliefs that now guide his work with students, teachers, leaders, and families. Dan shares why he was never overly defined by his final score, how early setbacks became unexpected springboards, and what decades in classrooms, teaching and leadership roles, and working in a remote community have taught him about learning, success, and possibility. This episode is especially for parents who are worried about their child’s future, students navigating uncertainty, and educators supporting young people through high-pressure moments and times of change. In this episode, you’ll hear: • Why school is just the beginning — not the verdict • How powerful adults, conversations, and belief can change a child’s trajectory • What parents can model right now to build confidence, agency, and resilience • Why effort, curiosity, and learning how to learn matter more than outcomes • How to help young people “run their own game” — even when the path isn’t clear If you’ve ever worried that a score, subject choice, or moment might define everything that comes next, this conversation offers clarity, reassurance, and a much wider lens. Because education lasts a lifetime — and no one moment gets to decide it all.

    56 min

  7. JAN 5

    SPECIAL EP: Laura Pitt - What School Taught Me & What It Didn’t

    You’ve heard the conversations. Now it’s time to meet the people behind them. In this special episode of More Than a Score, we flip the script and turn the mic toward Laura Pitt — co-host of the podcast — to explore her own journey through school, uncertainty, decision-making, and the moments that shaped how she now supports young people and families. Laura shares openly about her experience of school, the expectations she carried, the choices she made along the way, and how her understanding of success has evolved over time. It’s an honest reflection how life rarely follows a straight line — and why that’s not only okay, but often where growth begins. This episode is especially for listeners who: • Are supporting a child through school transitions • Are worried about results or “getting it right” • Want reassurance that there are many ways to live a fulfilling life • Young people who need to hear that uncertainty is normal What You’ll Hear in This Episode • Laura’s experience of school and early decision-making • How pressure and expectations can shape confidence • Why success looks different at different stages of life • The power of reflection, self-trust, and support • What Laura wishes parents and students knew during school years • Why More Than a Score exists — and who it’s really for Because behind every pathway is a human story. And no one score ever tells the whole one.

    59 min

  8. 12/21/2025

    Athan Didaskalou: From School to Startup and Redefining Success

    What if the path you’re meant to take only becomes clear once you stop chasing the “right” one? In this episode of More Than a Score, we sit down with Athan Didaskalou, founder of July, one of Australia’s most recognisable lifestyle brands, to explore how curiosity, courage, and lived experience can matter more than perfect results or linear pathways. Athan shares honestly about his relationship with school, the uncertainty he felt early on, and the moments that helped him realise that success isn’t about following a script...it’s about backing yourself, learning fast, and staying open to opportunity. This conversation is a powerful reminder for parents and young people that: • There is no single “right” pathway after school • Confidence often comes after action, not before • Skills can be built through experience, not just qualifications • Entrepreneurship and leadership are learned over time • One result never defines future potential In this episode, you’ll hear about: • How Athan navigated uncertainty after school • Why curiosity and experimentation matter more than early certainty • The risks and realities of starting something from scratch • What parents can do to support exploration without pressure • Why success looks different at different stages of life Whether you’re a parent supporting a young person through big decisions, a student unsure of what comes next, or someone rethinking their own direction, this episode offers perspective, reassurance, and practical insight. Because school is only one chapter and success is built over time.

    1h 3m
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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
    24
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Show Website
    More Than a Score