The staffing crisis in Australian independent schools

Talent attraction and retention have been identified as the second biggest challenge that independent schools face, as workloads grow and the profession shrinks.

Schools are being urged to address employee wellbeing as increasing pressures and greater responsibilities continue to drive teachers away in increasing numbers.

According to the 2026 Independent Schools Risk Report from professional services firm Aon, schools are competing for a shrinking pool of qualified teachers, with shortages contributing to financial and operational pressures.

At the same time, demand is ongoing and growing in the sector, with independent school enrolments increasing by 15.3 per cent from 2021 to 2025.

Similarly, data from the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership found a greater than 10,000-person decrease in education program enrolments between 2015 and 2023.

As said by Aon education practice leader Lachlan Bowden, “independent schools are navigating an increasingly complex risk environment, shaped by regulatory change, technology, and heightened community expectations.”

In practice, this also means teachers are increasingly needing to deal with a wider variety of student concerns, with the report also finding that 94 per cent of participating schools are concerned about student mental health, and a quarter experienced cyber attacks in 2026, up from 20 per cent in 2024.

Bowden said: “The independent school sector is operating in an increasingly competitive labour market where attracting and retaining talented educators has become a strategic priority.”

“Schools are responding to growing expectations around academic performance, student wellbeing and community engagement while managing workforce shortages that continued to place additional pressure on existing staff.”

A greater emphasis on succession planning has been identified in response, with more schools seeking potential successors before vacancies arise and strengthening formal processes.

However, schools are being urged to reinforce Employee Value Proposition (EVP) with stronger career development, mentoring, leadership, flexible employment models and proactive, sustainable workforce planning.

Bowden said: “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.”

In the same vein, NSW/ACT branch secretary for the Independent Education Union (IEU) Carol Matthews agreed that better pay, working conditions, and clearer career paths will address challenges in recruitment and retaining staff, but "tackling staff shortages also requires listening to teachers and respecting the profession."

She said: “Schools and employers must invest in their staff by improving job satisfaction for teachers and school leaders, ensuring sustainable workloads, providing financial stability through fair pay, supporting mental and physical health, and preserving professional autonomy and teacher discretion.”

Matthews acknowledged the Right To Disconnect Bill as an important first step, adding that “employers must remove the requirements for teachers to enter data in multiple locations and streamline administrative processes. Teachers should not have to constantly prove they are doing the right thing”.

“Our community must strive to fully value and respect the teaching profession.”

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