Grattan Institute reveals teacher workloads have blown out

Teachers in Australian schools say this widespread issue is making students’ performance suffer.

Teachers in Australian schools don’t get enough time to prepare well for class and student performance is suffering as a result, according to a new report.

The report, by the Grattan Institute, revealed that teacher workloads had blown out in recent decades, and many teachers are now too stretched to do everything asked of them.

The survey, of 5442 Australian teachers and school leaders conducted for the report, found more than 90 per cent of teachers said they did not have enough time to prepare effectively for classroom teaching – the core of their jobs.

“Our survey results amount to a cry for help from the teachers of Australia,” Grattan Institute education program director and report lead author Jordana Hunter said.

“If governments don’t hear this cry and act on it, they will be letting down our children.”

The report also calls on governments to pursue a three-pronged reform agenda, including calling on the federal, state and territory governments to spend $60m on pilot studies of new ways to make more time for better teaching.

“That’s a tiny fraction (less than 0.1 per cent) of the $65bn Australian governments spent on schools each year, so it’s a small price to pay to improve the quality of our children’s education,” Dr Hunter said.

More than 90 per cent of teachers said they did not have enough time to prepare effectively for classroom teaching. Picture: iStock

In an accompanying report on principals by the Grattan Institute, it identifies practical steps school leaders can take immediately to give their teachers more time.

The report says principals should cancel unproductive meetings and reduce teachers’ extra-curricular and yard-duty responsibilities.

“Principals don’t need to wait for governments to embark on new reforms – they can act now,” Dr Hunter said.

“But government action is essential. Our reports show that governments need to fundamentally rethink the way schools operate – for the sake of our children.”

Australian Education Union federal president Correna Haythorpe said: “The unsustainable workloads placed on teachers, principals and education support staff in Australian public schools is a significant matter that requires urgent attention.”

“The first and best way to address overwhelming teacher workloads is for the federal government to fund public schools to 100 per cent of the Schooling Resource Standard, a responsibility they have repeatedly failed to meet,” she said.

Victorian Principals’ Association president Andrew Dalgleish said: “We would applaud consideration of additional time for teachers to be able to prepare high-quality lessons.”

“It’s about getting that balance right between maximum time in front of their class as well as appropriate time for preparing,” he said.

“I think that’s something government system school leaders are grappling with”.

Victorian public school teachers work an extra 15 unpaid hours a week on average, while principals often work 60-hour weeks on average.