Timothy Barraud is a highly respected Queensland educational leader recognised for leading transformative and future-focused educational innovation. As Principal of Balmoral State High School, he has strengthened curriculum leadership, built staff capability, and restored community confidence through strategic, people-centred reform. Known for clarity, authenticity and inclusive leadership, Timothy champions equity, student voice, and learner agency. His work embeds innovation, belonging and high expectations across school culture. With a strong focus on measurable impact, he creates environments where students and staff thrive academically, socially, and personally. Timothy’s leadership is defined by courage, collaboration, and an unwavering commitment to improving outcomes for every learner.
Recently, in an exclusive interview with K12 Digest, Timothy shared insights into his journey as an educational leader, his approach to leadership, and the future of education. Timothy emphasized the importance of learner agency, citing it as the fundamental building block to self-actualization, and shared how his school is using technology to personalize learning and elevate student voice. He also shared his favorite quote, future plans, words of wisdom, and much more. The following excerpts are taken from the interview.
Hi Timothy. What inspired you to become an educational leader, and how has your journey shaped your approach to leadership?
I was inspired to lead because I saw too many capable young people quietly disengaging from systems that were never designed to truly see them. Early in my career, I remember thinking, “If school is meant to be a place of possibility, then we must design it that way.” During my own high school experience, I had thought about leaving school, trying a different opportunity to find out what I wanted to do in the future. My friends at school were the cornerstone of enabling me to improve my self-confidence and skills as a future and inspired educator.
My leadership journey within the Brisbane metropolitan area and within my work across international education has been inspired by those incredible students I have connected with during my journey. As a leader in a system I often saw too many capable young people quietly disengaging from a school system that they felt was not designed for them. Contributive learning for greater student impact should be our call to action for all educational leaders. We want our students to focus on personal growth, academic and personal resilience and when faced with adversity be willing to try and strive for personal improvement. I am successful as a leader if my community appreciate this commitment from me as a principal and from those in my team. Early in my career, I remember thinking, “If school is meant to be a place of possibility, then we must design it that way.”
My leadership journey across metropolitan, international and innovation-focused school contexts — alongside state and national partnerships — has shaped a clear belief: leadership is not positional, it is cultural.
As I have often said in my writing and conversations, “Culture is not what we say — it is what students experience when no one is watching.”
That belief now guides my approach. I lead to building a school culture where students feel known, teachers feel trusted, and learning feels purposeful. innovation-focused school contexts — alongside state and national projects— have help me shape a clear belief: leadership is not positional, it is cultural and connection to community is critically important to lead successfully with any school community.
As I have often said in my writing and conversations, “Culture is not what we say — it is what students experience when no one is watching.”
That belief now guides my approach. I lead to building cultures where students feel known, teachers feel trusted, and learning feels purposeful.
What do you love the most about your current role?
I love witnessing agency come alive. Enacting student agency is my fundamental way of leading for purpose, passion and clarity as a leader. Students who interact with me understand why it is important to me, and my colleagues and community acknowledge the impact this has for the community that I lead as Principal.
Whether it is a student confidently articulating their learning pathway, a teacher redesigning curriculum with courage, or a community reconnecting with a school’s purpose — those moments remind me why this work matters.
In one of my recent leadership reflections, I wrote: “The most powerful shift in a school occurs when learners stop asking for permission to think.” For me as Principal, who is a leader of community, influencing a local and national ecosystem, as a leader I need to design systems and provide opportunity for all members of my school community to contribute and ensure that we are all support our students to personally achieve.
What are some of the biggest challenges facing educators today, and how can we address them?
The greatest challenge is not change — educators are resilient and innovative. The challenge is coherence amongst teams, within schools and making sure to highlight what matters most in your community.
Teachers are navigating wellbeing demands, curriculum reform, digital disruption and accountability expectations simultaneously. What they need most is clarity, trust and alignment. Of course, we need a dedicated workforce willing to support the next generation of learners, we also need committed people willing to put others before themselves. Educators rely on intrinsic reward and celebration, we are driven by the purposeful conversations and connections we have each and every day as educators.
Nationally and across Queensland, I have worked with leadership teams to simplify improvement agendas around learner impact, not compliance. As I often say, “If our strategy cannot be felt in a classroom, it is not yet a strategy.” What is our value proposition or our promise to our community and students.
We must protect the moral purpose of education while modernising how we deliver it.
How do you think technology will continue to shape education in the next 5-10 years?
Technology will always reshape education, but culture will determine whether that change is transformative or transactional.
Through my involvement in AI and emerging issues research with school leaders published nationally, we have explored how digital tools can amplify agency rather than replace thinking.
I strongly believe: “Technology should extend human potential, not automate human curiosity.”
The next decade will belong to schools that use technology to personalised learning, elevate student voice and strengthen relationships. Sure the emergence of this technology will help us summaries, consolidate study notes or reference points for presentations, but it will never replace the need for us to connect to the story, purpose of the narrative of why we are learning this information for meaning and impact.
What’s the most important skill or competency you think students should be developing in school?
Learner agency is the fundamental building block to self-actualization as a lifelong learner.
Agency enables students to reflect, adapt, collaborate and lead themselves. Through programs such as learner agency conversations, micro-credentialing and authentic pathways partnerships with universities, I have seen firsthand how agency transforms confidence and aspiration.
As I have said publicly, “When students own their learning story, they begin to write a future they believe in.” Agency is the foundation of lifelong success as a learner, leader and successful graduate who is future focused.
What’s your favorite book or resource that has shaped your leadership style?
Michael Fullan’s work on moral purpose and system coherence has deeply influenced me. But equally, student voice has been my greatest teacher.
One student once said to me, “School works best when adults trust us to be part of the solution.” That sentence reshaped how I view leadership more than any textbook ever could.
How do you stay informed about changes in education policy and curriculum?
I stay connected through state advisory networks, national research collaborations, professional associations and leadership communities.
However, I filter every policy through one lens: learner impact.
I often remind leaders, “Policy gives us direction, but purpose gives us meaning.”
If we hold onto purpose, policy becomes a tool rather than a burden
What is your favorite quote?
“Every child deserves a school that believes in who they are becoming, not just who they have been.”
This reflects my belief that education is fundamentally about hope.
Where do you see yourself in the next 5 years?
Still leading learning — but at broader scale.
I see myself continuing to shape school and system cultures that prioritise agency, belonging and excellence, while contributing nationally to conversations around assessment reform, learner pathways and future-focused schooling.
I also hope to continue mentoring emerging leaders who believe, as I do, that leadership is an act of optimism.
What advice would you give to someone just starting their career in educational leadership?
Lead with courage and compassion.
Do not chase approval — chase impact and personal growth to feel more fulfillment in life.
Listen deeply to students. Trust your teachers. Challenge systems respectfully. And remember: “You do not change schools by changing structures — you change schools by changing beliefs.”
If you hold onto that, your leadership will always matter.