Workforce shortages and increasing staff workloads have driven talent risk to become the second-highest ranked risk among participating independent schools in Australia, new research shows.
Aon's 2026 Independent Schools Risk Report found that Australian lower secondary teachers are working an average of 46.5 hours per week during school terms, almost six hours more than the OECD average, as schools compete for a shrinking pool of qualified educators against a backdrop of evolving expectations from parents, students and communities.
The numbers behind the trend are stark. Data from the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership shows around 35,000 people commenced initial teacher education programs in 2015, compared with fewer than 25,000 in 2023, an approximate 30% decline over the past decade. And this steady decline in new blood is making an already tough job of retaining staff even tougher.
The report suggests these shortages are contributing to financial and operational pressures for schools, while also highlighting the importance of leadership succession planning as expectations from parents and communities continue to rise.
Fortunately, there are signs schools are getting ahead of the problem.
More schools are reported to be identifying potential successors before vacancies arise and implementing formal succession processes than in 2024, reflecting a growing recognition that leadership continuity is central to long-term workforce planning.
The findings point to opportunities for schools to strengthen their employee value proposition through career development, mentoring, leadership capability, flexible employment models and proactive workforce planning, rather than leaning solely on recruitment to fill gaps as they open up.
Chris Duncan, CEO of the Association of Heads of Independent Schools of Australia (AHISA), said that when it comes to addressing the issue of addressing massive workloads for lower secondary teachers, Duncan said the answer often lies less in reducing hours than in rethinking how teaching time itself is structured.
“Australian teachers in general teach more face-to-face hours than the OECD norm. That is offset to some degree by smaller class sizes, though not in all cases,” Duncan told The Educator.
“There is an interesting trade-off to be had by teachers having larger classes, but fewer classes, freeing time for preparation and collaboration with colleagues. That’s the Singapore model, but its efficacy, like most things in education, is contested.”
Lachlan Bowden, practice group leader of education for Australia at Aon, said the report’s findings highlight opportunities for schools to strengthen their employee value proposition through career development, mentoring, leadership capability, flexible employment models and proactive workforce planning, rather than relying solely on recruitment activity.
“Schools that invest in leadership development, employee support and long-term workforce planning will be better positioned to attract, retain and develop talented educators over the long term.”