© koldunova, Adobe Stock
<h4 class="font_8 wixui-rich-text__text">The Australian Secondary Principals’ Association (ASPA) is sounding the alarm on the escalating crisis in school leadership following the release of the Australian Catholic University (ACU) Principals’ Occupational Health, Safety and Wellbeing Survey.</h4>
<p class="font_8 wixui-rich-text__text">The findings highlight an unsustainable toll on the mental health and wellbeing of principals across Australia, with alarming increases in violence, workload pressures, and a significant number of principals intending to leave the profession.</p>
<p class="font_8 wixui-rich-text__text"><span class="wixGuard wixui-rich-text__text">​<a href="https://www.school-news.com.au/latest-print-issue/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Read the latest print edition of <em>School News</em> HERE</strong></a></span></p>
<p class="font_8 wixui-rich-text__text">The release of this report comes just days after ASPA hosted the 2025 National Education Summit in Canberra, where school leaders, policymakers, and stakeholders gathered to address the challenges facing Australia’s education system. The Summit emphasized the urgent need for systemic reforms, many of which align with the key recommendations outlined in the ACU survey.</p>
<h3 class="font_3 wixui-rich-text__text"><span class="wixui-rich-text__text">Survey highlights a leadership crisis</span></h3>
<p class="font_8 wixui-rich-text__text">The ACU survey reveals that:</p>
<ul class="font_8 wixui-rich-text__text">
<li class="wixui-rich-text__text">
<p class="font_8 wixui-rich-text__text">53 percent of principals signaled their intention to quit, jumping to 82.3 percent for those with low job satisfaction.</p>
</li>
<li class="wixui-rich-text__text">
<p class="font_8 wixui-rich-text__text">49.6 percent experienced physical violence, while 54.5 percent faced threats of violence, with students responsible for 80.4 percent of these threats.</p>
</li>
<li class="wixui-rich-text__text">
<p class="font_8 wixui-rich-text__text">87.6 percent reported cyberbullying by parents or caregivers, showing a worrying trend in community behavior.</p>
</li>
<li class="wixui-rich-text__text">
<p class="font_8 wixui-rich-text__text">45 percent of principals triggered a “red flag” alert for risks of self-harm, occupational health issues, or serious impacts on quality of life.</p>
</li>
</ul>
<p class="font_8 wixui-rich-text__text">ASPA said these findings reflect the growing strain on school leaders, compounded by heavy workloads, increasing administrative burdens, and worsening mental health challenges.</p>
<p class="font_8 wixui-rich-text__text">Federal Education Minister Jason Clare, who addressed the ASPA Summit last week, acknowledged the critical role of principals in navigating these challenges. He praised their dedication despite adversity and emphasised the government’s commitment to improving conditions, stating:</p>
<p class="font_8 wixui-rich-text__text"><span class="wixGuard wixui-rich-text__text">​</span>&#8220;<span class="wixui-rich-text__text">If we get the investment right, we can build a better and fairer country where every child, regardless of their background, has access to quality education.</span>&#8220;</p>
<p class="font_8 wixui-rich-text__text"><span class="wixGuard wixui-rich-text__text">​</span>Minister Clare also highlighted the importance of funding reforms tied to wellbeing programs, mental health support, and innovative school models, such as full-service schools piloted in Western Australia. He reaffirmed the need for collaboration between governments, stakeholders, and educators to ensure sustainable change.</p>
<h3 class="font_3 wixui-rich-text__text"><span class="wixui-rich-text__text">ASPA’s call to action</span></h3>
<p class="font_8 wixui-rich-text__text">ASPA President, Andy Mison, reiterated the urgency of addressing the systemic issues raised in both the ACU survey and <span class="wixui-rich-text__text"><a class="wixui-rich-text__text" href="https://www.aspa.asn.au/_files/ugd/d0bd1d_905398a044c64133874384a1654a09a3.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ASPA’s 2025 Policy Briefing</a></span>.</p>
<blockquote>
<p class="font_8 wixui-rich-text__text"><span class="wixGuard wixui-rich-text__text">​</span>&#8220;<span class="wixui-rich-text__text">The ACU survey confirms what ASPA has been advocating for years: principals are at breaking point. Every threat, every act of violence, every instance of burnout jeopardises the stability of our schools and the futures of our students. This cannot continue,&#8221;</span> Mr Mison said.</p>
</blockquote>
<p class="font_8 wixui-rich-text__text"><span class="wixGuard wixui-rich-text__text">​</span>ASPA calls for the following critical actions:</p>
<ol class="font_8 wixui-rich-text__text">
<li class="wixui-rich-text__text">
<p class="font_8 wixui-rich-text__text"><span class="wixui-rich-text__text">Nationally funded principal wellbeing strategy:</span></p>
<ul class="font_8 wixui-rich-text__text">
<li class="wixui-rich-text__text">
<p class="font_8 wixui-rich-text__text">Establish a comprehensive, federally funded strategy to address principal wellbeing, including mental health support, stress management training, and access to professional supervision programs.</p>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li class="wixui-rich-text__text">
<p class="font_8 wixui-rich-text__text"><span class="wixui-rich-text__text">Workload reduction and administrative support:</span></p>
<ul class="font_8 wixui-rich-text__text">
<li class="wixui-rich-text__text">
<p class="font_8 wixui-rich-text__text">Reduce administrative burdens through fit-for-purpose staffing arrangements, streamlined reporting processes, and increased resourcing for HR, WH&;S, and business management roles in schools.</p>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li class="wixui-rich-text__text">
<p class="font_8 wixui-rich-text__text"><span class="wixui-rich-text__text">Strengthened authority for school safety:</span></p>
<ul class="font_8 wixui-rich-text__text">
<li class="wixui-rich-text__text">
<p class="font_8 wixui-rich-text__text">Grant principals the authority to restrict access to individuals exhibiting unsafe or violent behavior and launch public awareness campaigns to promote respect for educators.</p>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li class="wixui-rich-text__text">
<p class="font_8 wixui-rich-text__text"><span class="wixui-rich-text__text">Equitable funding and accountability:</span></p>
<ul class="font_8 wixui-rich-text__text">
<li class="wixui-rich-text__text">
<p class="font_8 wixui-rich-text__text">Ensure all schools receive 100 percent of the School Resourcing Standard (SRS) funding, with a focus on addressing disadvantage and improving resource allocation through reforms to ICSEA measures.</p>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li class="wixui-rich-text__text">
<p class="font_8 wixui-rich-text__text"><span class="wixui-rich-text__text">Innovative leadership models:</span></p>
<ul class="font_8 wixui-rich-text__text">
<li class="wixui-rich-text__text">
<p class="font_8 wixui-rich-text__text">Explore alternate models such as co-principalship, funded sabbaticals, and flexible work arrangements to create more sustainable leadership roles.</p>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li class="wixui-rich-text__text">
<p class="font_8 wixui-rich-text__text"><span class="wixui-rich-text__text">Bipartisan support for long-term education reform:</span></p>
<ul class="font_8 wixui-rich-text__text">
<li class="wixui-rich-text__text">
<p class="font_8 wixui-rich-text__text">Advocate for a collaborative, bipartisan approach to education policy that prioritises principal wellbeing, equitable funding, and student outcomes.</p>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ol>
<h3 class="font_3 wixui-rich-text__text"><span class="wixui-rich-text__text">The path forward</span></h3>
<p class="font_8 wixui-rich-text__text">The ASPA Summit showcased numerous innovative ideas and policy recommendations designed to address the challenges facing school leaders. The National Principal Reference Group, praised by Minister Clare, has been a critical step forward in fostering collaboration and ensuring the voices of school leaders are heard in shaping national policy.</p>
<p class="font_8 wixui-rich-text__text"><span class="wixui-rich-text__text">​</span>&#8220;<span class="wixui-rich-text__text">We cannot let these findings be just another report that gathers dust. The wellbeing of our principals is the foundation of a strong education system. The time to act is now,</span>&#8221; Mr Mison said.</p>
<p class="font_8 wixui-rich-text__text"><span class="wixui-rich-text__text">​</span>ASPA urges all political parties and stakeholders to prioritise principal wellbeing and education reform in the upcoming federal election to ensure a sustainable future for Australian schools.</p>

A study investigating the realities of out-of-field teachers is seeking participants for groundbreaking research.
The resources are designed to support teachers to make sure all students are engaged in…
Tic disorders are far more common than many people realise, and are often misrepresented in…
The school library has long been a place of discovery, reflection, and learning. But as…
Is your school an inclusive community that empowers students to recognise bullying and to stand…
Performance indicators for the education and VET sectors have just been released with some encouraging…
This website uses cookies.