March 2025 | Compass Review
School leader wellbeing
The annual Australian Principal Occupational Health, Safety and Wellbeing Survey 2022 data showed 1 in 2 school leaders were at risk of serious mental health concerns including burnout and stress1.
The 2023 data published in the March 2024 survey also showed that offensive behaviour towards principals had escalated significantly, with 73.7 percent reporting experiencing a critical incident. This was the worst recorded levels of physical violence, threats of violence and bullying in the 13-year history of ACU’s annual survey.
In response to the statistics around critical incidents a report, Understanding Critical Incidents – Empowering Australian School Leaders was published in November last year providing insights into how to improve school leaders’ wellbeing and work environments by identifying resources and potential outcomes of experiencing critical incidents to better support principals with managing critical incidents2.
The report identifies areas where school leaders’ work environments and educational settings can be improved to tackle these incidences. The report also provided recommendations which aim to improve school leaders’ ability to manage critical incidents and their impact on themselves and others. Recommendations include:
- Development of a standardised critical incident roadmap to navigate incident – to guide school leaders through each step of the response offering structure and clarity.
- Introduction of proactive psychology support for staff – for proactive mental health support.
- Improved communication with emergency services – to ensure smooth collaboration, particularly in the early stages.
- Allow time off for school leaders after critical incidents – formalise this to allow principals and staff time off after critical incidents to recover both emotionally and physically.
- Implement regular professional supervision sessions – to provide a structured and safe environment for reflection and for discussing challenges.
- Designate a critical incident support role – who has formal training in trauma-informed practices.
Social media legislation update
The e-safety commissioner released a report last month – Behind the screen: The reality of age assurance and social media access for young Australians3.
The report combines regulatory insights from social media providers and alongside the lived experiences from children and young Australians aged 8-15. The report found that 80% of 8-12 year olds surveyed used social media in 2024 despite a 13 year-old or older restriction on all surveyed services.
The report highlights areas where progress has been made regarding the technical processes currently used by social media platforms, opportunities for improvement and critical gaps that remain which will inform the shaping of the new legislation (Online Safety Amendment Social Media Minimum Age Act) that was approved in December last year. Critical gaps highlighted a reliance on self-declared ages, which can be easily falsified, when under age children sign up to accounts. Although most social media services have developed and/or implemented proactive technology and tools to assess the age of users these need further refinement.
The findings of the report will help to guide the eSafety Commissioner as they create industry guidance about what reasonable steps social media platforms should take within the scope of the new legislation to prevent under 16s having social media accounts.
NAPLAN
Students in years 3, 5, 7 and 9 started NAPLAN tests earlier this month. With this year’s test window between 12 – 24 March.
In 2023 NAPLAN moved to March in term one from an original term two testing window. This was to make results available earlier to allow teachers to assess what support students need for the coming year earlier and to help inform school and system teaching and learning programs.
Results to this year’s tests are anticipated to be received in record time. Typically results from a March test would be received by parents in July. Last year results, other than writing test results, which take longer to mark, were delivered to schools within four weeks. This is in part attributed to the tests now being nearly fully digitised.
Early March, Stephen Gniel, Chief Executive, ACARA told the Sydney Morning Herald at their School’s Summit event that results will be delivered earlier than ever before to both schools and parents4. He attributed the fast-tracking of results to be driven by “innovations in assessment delivery”, such as the move to online testing as well as ‘’AI-driven approaches.”
The Honourable John-Paul Langbroek, Minister for Education and the Arts, announced that Queensland Schools impacted by tropical cyclone Alfred will have the option to delay their NAPLAN testing, given school closures5.
Janet Stone is the former editor of Education Matters and WhichSchool? Magazines. She has written education content for national publications, including The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, The Australian Financial Review, and The Guardian, as well as several Australian universities and organisations.
Resources
- Principals’ health suffers amid threats, violence, and chronic staff shortages
- Understanding Critical Incidents – Empowering Australian School Leaders Report
- Behind the screen: The reality of age assurance and social media access for young Australians
- The Major NAPLAN Change Coming To Schools
- Statement from the Minister for Education regarding NAPLAN
