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. 3 DAYS AGO

    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

  2. 3 DAYS AGO

    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

  3. 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

  4. 12 JAN

    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

  5. 5 JAN

    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

  6. 21/12/2025

    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

  7. 14/12/2025

    Stacey Lapira: When Your Score Doesn't Go To Plan

    What do you do when the score you worked so hard for doesn’t turn out the way you hoped...and you feel completely devastated? In this powerful and deeply honest episode of More Than a Score, we sit down with Stacey Lapira—former teacher, prison officer, and now fitness coach and gym owner—to explore what happens after disappointment, and how one moment doesn’t get to define the rest of your life. Stacey openly shares her experience of missing the ATAR she expected, feeling embarrassed, withdrawing from friends, and questioning her own intelligence. But what follows is a remarkable story of courage, course-correction, and learning how to back yourself, even when the path ahead feels unclear. Stacey’s journey, from criminal justice to working in maximum-security prisons, teaching, and eventually building a thriving fitness business, reminds us that growth often comes from trying, reflecting, and choosing the courage to begin again. In this episode, we explore: • What it’s really like to feel devastated by results and how to move forward anyway • Why changing direction isn’t failure, but often the beginning of finding your fit • The power of having one person who believes in you when you can’t yet believe in yourself • Why success is built through lived experience, not linear pathways • How parents can support young people by offering perspective, patience, and belief - not pressure This episode is a must-listen for: • Parents supporting a child after disappointing results • Young people feeling unsure, stuck, or “behind” • Anyone questioning whether they’ve taken the right path Because one score, one decision, or one setback was never meant to define you.

    1h 3m

  8. 07/12/2025

    Stef Pedersen: Motivation, Opportunity & Finding Your Direction

    What if you (or someone you know) knows what they want to do but still feels unsure, overwhelmed, or afraid to make the wrong choice? And what if the very thing that helps them thrive isn’t perfect grades, but internal motivation, curiosity, and the confidence to grab opportunities as they come? In this episode, we sit down with Stef Pedersen, a specialist midwife and clinical educator, whose story is a blueprint for pursuing a passion while staying open to the twists and turns that shape a meaningful career. Stef shares how she navigated Year 12, selected a brand-new and untested double degree, juggled early placements, created her own learning opportunities, and eventually built a deeply rewarding career in midwifery and education — all while navigating major life challenges and transitions along the way. In this episode, you'll discover: • Why passion and curiosity are stronger drivers than ATAR pressure • How to keep options open without losing direction • The power of work experience and seeking help early • How parents can advocate respectfully and effectively for their child • What real confidence looks like in Year 12 (and what it doesn’t) • Navigating placements, setbacks, and tough environments • Why calm, intentional choices matter more than perfect planning • What young people need most when they’re navigating uncertainty For any student (and their parent) who feel overwhelmed or unsure about their future, Stef’s honesty offers both clarity and comfort.l: you don’t need certainty to move forward , you just need a starting point, and the willingness to learn along the way. After all, the future isn’t built on one score. It’s built on motivation, opportunity, self-belief, and the courage to take the next step.

    59 min
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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
    22
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Show Website
    More Than a Score