Stronger Smarter Metastrategies

The Stronger Smarter Metastrategies are a set of interconnected, high-level strategies that bring the Stronger Smarter Approach to life. These are strategies that work together to shift mindsets, practices and systems. The Stronger Smarter Metastrategies reimagine what education can be, particularly for First Nations Students.

Join our Social Profiles

The Stronger Smarter Metastrategies

At its core, the Stronger Smarter Approach is about hope. It is about empowering educators to lead with integrity and empowering students to see themselves as capable, valued, and proud. It calls for systemic change—not through imposed solutions, but through authentic partnerships, courageous leadership, and a deep belief in the potential of every child.

The Stronger Smarter Metastrategies are a set of interconnected, high-level strategies that bring the Stronger Smarter Approach to life. They are more than just a set of steps to take. What really matters is how the synergies between the strategies. These are strategies that work together to shift mindsets, practices and systems. The Stronger Smarter Metastrategies reimagine what education can be, particularly for First Nations Students. They help educators move beyond surface-level change and into deep, systemic transformation.

At his speech at the National Press Club in 2008, Dr Chris Sarra described the Stronger Smarter Metastrategies as being at the forefront of our education revolution. Dr Chris Sarra explained, “This is not something we are theorizing about. This is something we know. We know it from our experience of growing up Aboriginal in this country and in always having respect and high expectations for our people”.

1. Acknowledging, embracing and developing a positive sense of identity in schools

The truth is, the stronger we become in our Aboriginal identity, the greater the scope for us to get smarter. Aboriginal children must know this.

Dr Chris Sarra

When we acknowledge, develop and embrace a positive sense of Aboriginal identity in schools, we also create the space to challenge the extent to which all of us, including Aboriginal children, including teachers, collude with a watered-down perception of what being an Aboriginal student is all about. The Stronger Smarter Approach insists that First Nations Australian children deserve access to the same high-quality educational outcomes we would expect for any Australian child. This means setting high expectations, applying rigorous and engaging teaching strategies, and rejecting any watered-down perception of what constitutes a quality education.

Building a positive sense of identity for First Nations students begins with teachers understanding their own beliefs and the historical and cultural contexts that shape their students’ lives. The Stronger Smarter Approach celebrates ‘otherness’ rather than trying to assimilate students into the mainstream. It encourages students to define their own identity as strong, smart, and grounded in their culture and community. It ensures that all students can experience learning environments where excellence is expected and achievable and cultural identity is not just acknowledged but actively celebrated.

2. Acknowledging and embracing Indigenous leadership in schools and school communities

Conventional models of leadership often overlook the rich and diverse leadership that exists within Australia’s First Nations communities. In schools, leadership is not always confined to formal roles—it can often be found in Elders and community members who hold deep cultural knowledge. When schools recognise and embrace this leadership, they create stronger connections with community and foster environments where students feel supported and proud of who they are.

Embracing Indigenous leadership means working together with communities. It is central to educational reform and must move beyond the tokenistic towards genuine power-sharing and respect for Indigenous Knowledge systems. The Stronger Smarter Approach works to empower communities and involves genuine opportunities for engagement which might be Elders-in-residence programs, dedicated community spaces, and inclusive decision-making processes. This shifts schools from isolated institutions to vibrant community hubs of learning, where First Nations voices guide direction and help shape educational experiences that are culturally responsive, inclusive, and empowering.

I am not articulating the need to develop leadership capacity in Aboriginal communities, I am arguing that in any places, very good Aboriginal leadership exits, yet goes completely unnoticed and unappreciated.

Dr Chris Sarra

3. High-Expectations leadership to ensure high-expectations classrooms with high-expectations teacher/student relationships

I may not have control over the whole school culture, but I can control the culture of my classroom and the relationships with children that exist within it. … I need to get out there and connect with students beyond the classroom so I can find out more about where they’re coming from.

Dr Chris Sarra

High-expectations leadership means school environments where all educators have a strong sense of commitment and accountability to the pursuit of improving student outcomes. This is a sense of personal responsibility for change, together with school environments with a collective commitment to high expectations for all students.

Classrooms are at the forefront of the education revolution. Research shows that students thrive in environments where expectations are high and relational support is strong. High-Expectations Relationships combine a deep belief in every student’s potential with a commitment to creating a classroom culture that is firm and fair.

These expectations are about possibility. They are framed by the need for support, development, monitoring, challenging and intervening as appropriate. They say to students: “I believe in you. I know you can succeed. And I will support you every step of the way.” In these classrooms, behaviour improves not because students are controlled, but because they feel connected, respected, and motivated.

4. Innovative and dynamic school models in complex social and cultural contexts

If we lift the education standard for Indigenous Australian children, we lift the overall education standard of all. It’s time for the rhetoric to be matched by realities that reflect a real difference in the lives of all our children

Dr Chris Sarra

The Stronger Smarter Approach encourages schools to embrace innovative and dynamic models that respond to the unique social and cultural contexts in which they operate. This moves beyond standardised approaches to develop strategies that reflect the strengths, aspirations, and lived experiences of students, families, and communities. This views complexity not as a barrier to success, but as an opportunity for creativity, collaboration, and culturally grounded leadership.

These are school models that might include flexible structures to support student wellbeing and engagement such as on-Country learning, language programs, community-led mentoring programs, or integrated cultural and academic pathways. It might mean changing school times to suit local seasons. It might mean looking at different models for secondary schooling so that students can stay on country rather than having to travel to boarding schools.

Whether in remote communities, urban centres, or regional hubs, this Metastrategy inspires educators to work together with First Nations communities to adapt to local needs, and to co-design learning environments that are inclusive, culturally safe, and driven by high expectations.

5. Innovative and dynamic school staffing models in complex social and cultural contexts

Let’s create opportunities for all accomplished teachers and school leaders to embrace the challenge and privilege of teaching in remote Indigenous communities.

Dr Chris Sarra