School principals across Australia suffering a Monash University study reveals

Stress, burnout and increasing workloads are pushing principals to the brink as experts warn urgent work needs to be done to address retention and recruitment.

Urgent work needs to be done to address the current “major crisis” in principal recruitment and retention, driven by stress, burnout and intensified workloads, experts warn.

A new study led by Monash University’s Faculty of Education aims to shed light on the “invisible challenges” facing school principals which are pushing many “to the brink”.

The survey will gather the “testimonies” of Australian principals in public schools to study the current issues and emotional demands they are facing.

Lead researcher and Professor of Educational Leadership Jane Wilkinson said more work is needed to address principals’ excessive workload.

“It’s the emotionally draining nature of the work, the ‘hard’ hours where principals are dealing with more and more demanding, emotionally-intense situations as they support troubled staff, students and parents,” she said.

Professor Wilkinson said principals have to deal with high levels of anxiety and stress daily, all while managing their own emotions

“This includes children’s behaviour, particular kids who are acting out in anti-social ways,” she said.

Monash University Professor in Educational Leadership Jane Wilkinson. Picture: LinkedIn

“One former principal who took part in the survey said he could still feel the bruises on his ankle as he recounted a child who used to act out and kick him daily. He could still feel the pain six years later.”

Chief investigator Professor Lucas Walsh added these stressful encounters can lead to “chronic stress, burnout and low job satisfaction”.

The three-year project, which is funded by the Australian Research Council, will aim to improve leadership preparation and development for school principals to help them manage these complex demands.

Professor Wilkinson said the long term goal is to reduce principal turnover and improve teacher retention, student outcomes and social cohesion.

A Victorian principal, who has worked in the profession for almost two decades, said the job had taken a “serious toll” on his mental health.

“I’ve had students attack me and my staff. There’s been instances of angry parents abusing me over the phone and via email, it can be very stressful,” he said.

“I also know of other principals that have been forced to go on WorkCover because of serious incidents.”

Spensley Street Primary School principal Bec Spink. Picture: Stuart McEvoy

Spensley Street Primary School principal Bec Spink said there is a lot of “invisible labour” involved in the job.

“This includes significant student mental health issues and incidents, many principals are seeing huge rises in school refusals and increasing threats of violence and abuse behaviour from community members,” she said.

Retired school principal of 15 years Pitsa Binnion said most of a principals’ time is spent dealing with “intense critical matters”.

“You are always navigating difficult relationships and very complex matters. All of it takes a toll,” she said.

“There is help available but you are intrinsically responsible and you’re often left exhausted at the end of each year.”

It comes as a recent survey found almost a third of Victorian principals have been physically attacked by aggressive students or parents.

The Australian Catholic University study showed just under 40 per cent of Victorian principals said they faced threats of violence, 37 per cent bullying, 60 per cent conflicts and quarrels, 52 per cent gossip and slander and 31 per cent cyber bullying.

Australian Education Union Victorian Branch president Meredith Peace said despite the Department’s initiatives to help support principals, workload and wellbeing remains a “critical problem”.

“The chronic teacher shortage in Victoria has exacerbated this problem as principals have been forced to shoulder additional teaching and administrative responsibilities, pushing them to the brink,” she said.

A Victorian government spokesman said: “Our principals work incredibly hard, and their safety and wellbeing is our first priority so that they can get on with doing what matters most – giving our students a great education.”

Originally published as School principals across Australia suffering a Monash University study reveals