Why more than half of Queensland’s principals want to quit – and what it means for our kids

More than half of Queensland’s principals are seriously considering quitting – the worst result in the country, according to a survey.

The top two sources of stress? The sheer quantity of work, and a lack of time to focus on teaching and learning.

And as Queensland’s education department rolls out red-tape-reduction plans in schools, teachers and principals are struggling to keep up with non-teaching tasks, such as responding to emails from parents.

Principals are working more than 54 hours per week during the school term.Credit: Jessica Shapiro

More than 2100 school leaders were surveyed last year as part of an annual project by the Australian Catholic University’s Institute for Positive Psychology and Education.

Physical violence, threats of violence, bullying, and conflicts and quarrels were all at their highest levels since the survey began in 2011 – and well above those in the general community.

In Queensland, 57.6 per cent of principals who responded to the survey said they “often seriously consider leaving [their] current job”, while nationwide, the figure was 53.2 per cent.

If the trend continued, an estimated 500 school leaders could end up leaving the profession, exacerbating existing teacher shortages and leading to a “leadership vacuum” in schools nationwide within years, the survey report said.

One primary state school principal in Queensland said having to be “on” at all times was becoming increasingly challenging.

“Expectations are constantly changing, and the level of change by our department, with little consideration of the learning that needs to take place in schools, is becoming unrealistic,” he told the report’s authors.

He said there was a lack of support for schools, particularly in early intervention and regarding behaviour issues, which “drastically reduces” educators’ ability to teach effectively.

“[This] is a constant source of despair as it is an area that is very difficult to tackle, so it seems that it is largely avoided,” he said.

The report reveals principals are disenchanted with new right to disconnect laws, which mean employees can refuse to monitor, read or respond to contact from their employer, clients or other third parties.

Principals reported that the total volume of emails hadn’t changed, but that “disconnecting” meant they had a shorter timeframe in which to respond.

Angst about emails is widespread in Queensland schools, with parents regularly reminded that teachers cannot reply during school hours, and to expect a response within two days.

Paul Kidson, an ACU associate professor and former principal, said too many school leaders were battling unsustainable workloads and conditions that would not be tolerated in other workplaces.

In 2024, school leaders worked an average of 54.5 hours per week during the term and 20.6 hours per week during holidays.

Queensland Secondary Principals’ Association president Mark Breckenridge said the issues cited by principals who had a high intention to quit were the same as those who had a low intention.

“What does come through in the survey is that when people are satisfied in their work, they are much better placed to handle the stress that heads their way,” he said.

“There’s an old saying, but it’s a very true one – happy staff, happy students. That starts with the principal.

“And the word happy means satisfied in their job and challenged in their job – it doesn’t mean everything is rosy [but] that they feel like they’re capable in the job, they have the resources they need. That certainly flows through to students.”

On the issue of violence in schools, Breckenridge said it seemed to have become worse post-COVID, with schools reflecting issues in the broader society.

The Crisafulli government has pledged to reduce the administrative burden on teachers by 25 per cent over the next four years, with measures related to behaviour management plans, procurement and recruitment announced in January.

The education department has launched a “no excuse for school abuse” strategy, and the LNP campaigned on a zero-tolerance approach to violence and drug use in schools.

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