Meet our team: Phil

Growing up on the Central Coast our Regional Manager for NSW North, Phil Page, always believed one of the main factors of a good education came down to how parents helped and guided their children through their time at school.

Since having his own kids and going through the process of choosing the best schools for them, he’s been able to see first hand the difference a quality education can make. It’s an experience that opened his eyes, and also gave him a new perspective that he brings to his job. By being able to relate to schools and understand the challenges they’re going through, it’s enabled him to help them improve their ways of working, and allow more families access to an independent education.

We spoke to Phil about how he likes to spend time with family, the favourite part of his role at Edstart and what fascinates him the most about working with schools.

Tell us a bit about yourself and your life growing up

I was born in a small regional town in NSW called Yass. When I was young we moved to Wollongong where my twin sisters were born, and then when I was in Year 2 we moved to the Central Coast. My parents still live in that family home on the Coast that we grew up in, which is still full of energy with six grandkids coming and going for cuddles and fun.

Growing up, mum worked in administration for the local primary school so we were very involved in our community, and dad was a civil engineer. I loved playing sports and gave everything I could a go, from basketball to cricket, aussie rules, soccer and athletics. But my real love was for golf which came when I was 12, and it still is my number one passion today - besides my family of course!

How did education impact your life?

Aside from joining as many sports teams as I could, I was also in the school band where I played the euphonium. Being a part of the school's concert band for six years gave me incredible opportunities, like playing at the Sydney Opera House, and even travelling to Japan where I stayed with a local family, which really opened my eyes for a young kid from the Coast.

Tell us about your family - how do you like to spend time with your kids?

I’ve been married to my wife Bec for almost 10 years. We met when I was living in Sydney, at a local rugby game one Saturday afternoon. Not long after tying the knot, we purchased our first home together in Botany where we lived for five years. In that time we welcomed our son Jack, who is now in Year 1 at school, and Matilda, who is really excited to join her brother at school next year. In 2020 we decided to move back to the Central Coast to give the kids a bigger backyard, live closer to the beach and my family, and enjoy a slower, more connected lifestyle.

In the summer months I love relaxing and spending time with the kids, whether that's playing ‘classic catches’ with Jack in our pool at home or taking them down to Toowoon Bay for a swim. They also love the challenge of building Lego at the moment, which I find very therapeutic. It brings back some great memories from when I was a kid.

What do you see is the role of education for your kids?

Working at Edstart has definitely reinforced the importance of the role of quality education in helping create opportunities and to shape the future of our kids. Visiting so many schools means I get to see the many ways they can help children as individuals to grow. I’ve seen the importance of it with my son - the extra care and the quality of education he receives has helped him enormously, which is something we’re very grateful for.

My wife and I simply want our kids to be happy, learn at their own pace, and grow up to be respectful of themselves and others. We believe choosing the right education will help to give them a solid foundation to achieve whatever they aspire to in life.

When you were choosing a school for your kids, what did you look for? Talk us through the experience of choosing the right school for them.

I used to think it was about the parents and how they directed their children to understand education, and you could get that at public or private schools. But my role at Edstart has allowed me the privilege to really see the private sector up close, and to recognise the huge difference their systems and values can make.

We had the option of sending our kids to the local primary school we’re zoned for, or our local Catholic school. My wife was raised with a Catholic education and wanted our kids to have the same experience, with a focus on community values and to learn about spirituality as well as academic growth. So this helped make our decision much easier when it came to choosing which school to send them to.

How long have you worked at Edstart? What attracted you to work here?

I’ve been here almost three years, and love the work we do. In my previous roles, I’d always been in more corporate environments, so coming to work for a startup was a big drawcard for me. In the corporate world you’re dealing with a lot of red tape. At Edstart, we listen to the feedback we get from schools, and that input has been instrumental in shaping our core product. Everyone here plays a role in refining how we operate and engage with schools. It’s been a truly life-changing experience for me.

What are your favourite things about working at Edstart?

My favourite part of the job is being on the road, talking with schools, being given school tours and seeing how different schools work. I'm amazed at the history of some of the schools - it’s incredible. I find it fascinating how there can be so many different schools offering so many benefits to their students and families, from little country town schools to big GPS schools. I really enjoy getting out and about and meeting people, that's what I love doing the most.

How have your life experience and having kids helped you with your job?

Having my own kids and going through the experience as a parent selecting a school has allowed me to relate to conversations I'm having with schools, without a doubt. It’s definitely opened my eyes to see the troubles that finance teams have when it comes to parents paying school fees, or the challenges they have to deal with inside the school grounds which might have parents reluctant to pay school fees for various reasons.

As well as my appreciation of independent education, it's also given me more of an appreciation for the decisions school staff have to make, and the complexity in their roles.

What are you most excited about in your Edstart journey in the next 12 months?

I'm thrilled about the growth and vision of our business. It's incredible to see more families coming on board and being able to help them access the education of their choice. I'm especially excited about the new schools that have joined us this year and the positive impact we can create together.

I’m confident these new ways of working with schools—both in our business practices and fee collection—are the right way forward. I truly believe we’re only scratching the surface, and that an avalanche of interest is on the horizon. As more schools see the positive results we’re delivering, they’ll be eager to join us and experience the benefits for themselves.

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