Emmie Cossell, Year 9 project leader and secondary science teacher at Matthew Flinders Anglican College on the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, has been recognised in the top 50 educators in Australia in the 2025 Education Hot List, announced today.
This distinction celebrates her transformative impact on K–12 education over the past 12 months and her dedication to educational excellence.
Cossell spearheads the acclaimed Flinders Year to RISE program – a transformative bespoke curriculum for Year 9 students at Matthew Flinders Anglican College. The program was previously honoured as an Excellence Awardee for "Innovation in Curriculum Design" at the 2024 Australian Education Awards.
The Educator’s 11th annual Hot List celebrates skilled educators driving Australian education to new heights by “reshaping classrooms and creating high-quality opportunities that inspire and empower students across the country”.
Visit Mrs Emmie Cossell’s Hot List profile here.
Cossell's innovative approach seamlessly integrates wellbeing frameworks, design-thinking pedagogy and character-based learning to ignite student motivation and foster genuine engagement.
Guided by optimism and authenticity, Cossell believes schools should be vibrant communities of connection, creativity and contribution. She remains dedicated to empowering young people to think critically, act with compassion and become architects of a brighter future.
Principal Michelle Carroll congratulated Cossell for the award, recognising her contribution as an inspiring and forward-thinking educator.
“Emmie is deserving of this Hot List recognition as she brings great energy, optimism and unwavering dedication to her role at Flinders,” Ms Carroll said. “She is highly regarded by her colleagues and by our students, who all appreciate her positivity, innovation and collaborative approach to every lesson and every project,” she said.
“At Flinders, we are fortunate to have passionate teachers from P-12 who are deeply committed to the students in their care and believe in the power of student agency and collective efficacy. We are thrilled when our staff are recognised for their hard work, innovative approach to teaching and learning and the powerful impact they make to their classrooms and communities.”
Staff at Flinders are on an exciting journey to embed the new Flinders Teaching and Learning Framework and Flinders Wellbeing Framework as key priorities. The two evidence-based frameworks are deeply interconnected and mutually reinforcing, working together to place student wellbeing and learning at the core of Flinders’ educational vision. The aim is to meet students’ explicit needs as individuals and to enable them to flourish as they grow through each age and stage of their development, from Prep through to Year 12 graduation.
Since beginning her teaching career in 2011, Cossell has built a reputation for designing and implementing innovations that provide students with high-quality educational experiences. Her leadership inspires both staff and students to embrace curiosity, collaborate meaningfully and pursue learning with purpose.
Beyond the classroom, Cossell actively expands opportunities for young people through her involvement with the Flinders Inspiring Women in Science and Health (I-WiSH) Conference. Now in its fifth year, the Flinders I-WiSH is led by Dr Louise McCuaig, Director of the Flinders Discovery Institute, with a mission to open doors for girls in STEM and health-related fields across Australia. In 2025, the I-WiSH expanded to three Australian states.
Alongside Dr McCuaig and through the Flinders Discovery Institute, Cossell also collaborates with the Australian Catholic University's Institute for Positive Psychology and Education to evaluate and enhance student motivation and engagement.
The Educator received nominations for the 11th annual Hot List between 14 July and 8 August. The 50 award winners represent the cutting-edge of educational excellence in Australia.
See Mrs Emmie Cossell’s Hot List profile here.
