The devotion of schools to ensure the quality of education is of the highest standard brings significant challenges and opportunities.
Research conducted in 2023 highlights the challenges and opportunities schools face in their endeavour to achieve their strategic and operational objectives.
Academic
Quality of teaching – The quality of teaching continues to be the single most important reason parents choose a school for their child. Parent expectations continue to increase in relation to:
- High quality of teaching.
- Minimal teacher changes.
- Provision of differentiated teaching and learning that meets the needs of their child.
- Staff knowing their students.
- Staff being motivated and engaged while proactively keeping parents informed regarding their child’s progress.
Increased challenges schools face relates to higher teaching staff turnover (almost double that of previous years), increased employment of substitute and part-time teachers and a higher occurrence of recruiting younger and less experienced teachers.
Leading schools have recently placed more attention on recruiting experienced and highly qualified staff in key learning areas, tailoring professional development, offering substantial incentives and benefits to attract staff and the introduction of graduate teaching programs.
Elective subjects – Parents’ expectations have significantly increased in relation to the range and nature of elective subjects available for their child. Important factors include:
- Subjects that will meet student needs for future employment.
- Monitoring the range of elective subjects across leading schools in Australia and overseas.
- Providing increased advice and support regarding subject choice.
- Increased engagement with universities regarding views relating to subjects offered.
- Understanding it is not the number of elective subjects available but the relevance and importance.
- The limited number of students to economically provide teaching resources.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) – AI has become a significant issue in schools today and one which will influence many aspects of school life. The following are some areas that schools will need to consider:
- The reality that students will have a greater knowledge of AI, its uses and development, than staff and parents.
- Identification of positive and negative applications.
- Initiatives required to minimise inappropriate use.
- Training of staff.
- Education of students and parents.
Student wellbeing and behaviour
Research has highlighted an increased occurrence of student behavioural issues within senior primary years and middle years. This may be attributed to such areas as:
- Impact from COVID-19, due to aspects such as restrictions in social engagement and interaction, reduction in participating in team activities and events and difficulties for teachers and wellbeing staff to maintain face-to-face contact.
- Increasing number of students with learning and behavioural needs enrolling at schools.
- Increased employment of younger and less experienced teaching staff that may be more challenged in negative student behaviour in the classroom.
Other key areas driving student wellbeing include initiatives and programs that are age- specific, engagement of older students with younger, effectiveness of tutor/wellbeing groups and quality and experience of staff and student participation in sport and co-curricular.
Staff welfare
Research undertaken in 2023 has indicated a slight recovery in relation to staff welfare, particularly where there has been strong leadership, continuity of management and greater visibility from management with staff, parents and students.
Examples of major drivers negatively impacting staff welfare include:
- Breakdown in trust between executive and staff.
- Timeliness and transparency of communication.
- Visibility and engagement of the school executive.
- Consultation on matters relating to role and responsibilities.
- Lack of acknowledgement, not feeling valued or important.
- Instability through changes in senior management structure.
- Insufficient opportunities for staff voice.
- Frequency and effective management of change – timetable, structure, management.
The quality, experience and continuity of school leadership will remain critical factors that will differentiate a school’s value proposition, attract and retain quality staff and ensure a school is perceived as a school of first choice for future parents.
