ABOUT MCCLELLAND ACADEMY
Honour the past. Light the present. Forge the future.
Animated and spoken-word courses that help young Australians understand where they come from and think clearly about where they are going.
What is McClelland Academy?
Australia's story is extraordinary, and much of it goes untold. McClelland Academy brings it to life through short animated films and spoken-word courses built on real people, real places and primary sources.
We teach students to weigh evidence, question what they are told and reach their own conclusions. Our courses explore the achievements of Western civilisation, from the abolition of slavery to liberal democracy and individual liberty, and how they shaped the country we live in today.
Every course is researched and written by Australian teachers, scholars and specialists, for students, families and schools.
What we teach
Australian history
Real stories of the people and places that shaped the nation, including First Nations history, told through primary sources.
Western civilisation
The ideas and achievements behind liberal democracy, individual liberty and the rule of law, and why they matter.
Civics and critical thinking
How laws are made, how to test an argument, and how to trace an idea back to its source.
Character and resilience
Courses that help students know who they are, own their choices and grow stronger from setbacks.
ABOUT MCCLELLAND ACADEMY
By free thinkers, for free thinkers
01
Evidence first
We go back to primary sources and let students weigh the evidence for themselves.
02
Many voices
Our speakers come from many backgrounds. What they share is a commitment to thinking for themselves.
03
Questions, not slogans
Every course ends with students able to explain, question and defend their own view.
MEET THE FOUNDER
Sam McClelland
Sam is a Victorian classroom teacher who started out as a musician and came to education through the classroom. Teaching every day, he saw that young Australians weren’t getting an honest account of their country’s story, or the thinking skills to weigh what they’re told. He founded McClelland Academy to fill that gap, with content that is proudly Australian, grounded in truth, and built to help students think for themselves.
SUPPORT THE ACADEMY
Help us bring more of Australia's story to life
McClelland Academy is independent. Donations fund new courses, animation and free resources for schools.