The Curious Cat and the Quest for School Improvement: Reclaiming Wonder in Education

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Dr Wayne Craig

The Curious Cat and the Quest for School Improvement

Reclaiming Wonder in Education

Dr Wayne Craig

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English

Amba Press
10 September 2025

Reference works; Education; Educational strategies & policy

The Curious Cat and the Quest for School Improvement reveals how curiosity - once the heartbeat of vibrant schools - has been quietly squeezed out by compliance cultures, standardised testing, and the relentless pursuit of measurable outcomes. Dr Wayne Craig explores how this erosion has left educators feeling depleted, students disengaged, and school improvement efforts spinning without true transformation. Compounding the challenge, the persistent influence of school socioeconomic status (SES) continues to shape outcomes in ways that traditional reforms have failed to address. Yet curiosity isn't lost - it's simply waiting in the margins, ready to reignite the wonder that makes learning meaningful and sustainable change possible.

Through the metaphor of the Curious Cat, this book presents a compelling framework for renewal built on three pillars: curiosity as the spark for genuine learning, moral purpose as the ethical foundation of educational work, and school capital as the conditions that allow inquiry to flourish. Moving beyond surface-level reforms, it offers practical guidance for teachers, leaders, and systems ready to move from compliance to curiosity, from implementation to investigation.

This is not another improvement strategy - it's an invitation to remember what makes schools truly alive and to nurture the questions that lead to transformation from the inside out.

By: Dr Wayne Craig
Imprint: Amba Press
Dimensions: Height: 234mm, Width: 156mm, Spine: 12mm
Weight: 331g
ISBN: 9781923403246
ISBN 10: 1923403249
Pages: 234
Publication Date: 10 September 2025
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active

Dr Wayne Craig is an Australian educator, researcher and consultant whose career has been shaped by a deep belief: that meaningful change in education begins not with mandates but with purposeful questions, shared inquiry, and moral purpose. Over four decades, he has worked across the system - as a teacher, principal, regional director, and researcher - consistently championing student voice, high expectations, and curiosity-driven learning. His system-level leadership includes co-founding the Powerful Learning strategy with Professor David Hopkins and helping establish the Koorie Academy of Excellence. Wayne remains committed to the idea that the most profound shifts in education arise from within schools, not above them.