National Associations
The ASPA Board convened in Darwin on May 7-8, 2025, to address key issues in secondary education across Australia, focusing on support for principals and school leaders.
2025 Summit Feedback and Future Directions:
- National Policy Framework: Developing a framework to enhance the influence of school leaders.
- Blueprint for Principalship: Creating a comprehensive blueprint to guide future principals.
- Common Regulatory Framework: Establishing a unified regulatory framework for all schools to promote equity.
The Board emphasised influencing national education priorities and strengthening ties with primary school leaders through a joint meeting with AGPPA in July 2025, focusing on principal wellbeing
Shared Advocacy Platform:
To ensure unified messaging, the Board established a shared advocacy platform aligning ASPA’s efforts with the National Principals’ Reference Group (NPRG), especially following recent leadership changes.
Next-Generation Learning Initiative:
ASPA is committed to initiatives recognising diverse student success beyond traditional metrics, with collaborations and discovery sessions planned for schools.
State of the States (SOS):
Board members discussed challenges such as staff shortages, funding equity, and principal wellbeing, highlighting reflective supervision as key to effective leadership.
Partnerships and Research:
The Board is exploring partnerships to foster innovative educational models, including the "Ourschool" alumni program and research on teacher autonomy and status.
For updates on ASPA’s initiatives, visit https://www.aspa.asn.au/.
Stay connected as we advance secondary education across Australia!
Meeting Highlights: May 19-20, 2025
AGPPA is enhancing its operations and visibility. All states, except Victoria, have signed the Better Funding for Schools Agreement (BFSA), but the Northern Territory and New South Wales face funding challenges. A national conversation on primary education is urgently needed.
AGPPA has reviewed its strategic plans, focusing on strengthening connections and advocacy. Key actions include developing a communications plan to improve visibility.
The State of the Nation SON report highlighted state achievements and shared challenges in literacy, curriculum reform, compliance, and restructuring:
- Principal and School Leader Wellbeing: There is growing concern for the mental health of school leaders due to rising workloads. States/territories are implementing initiatives to address these challenges, with professional associations advocating for mental health resources.
- Educational Reform and Initiatives: Significant reforms are aimed at improving student outcomes. Key initiatives include new literacy and numeracy programs and strategies to support disadvantaged students.
- Advocacy and Engagement: Principal associations are vital in influencing education policy and reform, focusing on collaboration to elevate the status of school leaders.
Protections for School Leaders
The IOSDR (Independent Office for School Dispute Resolution) in Victoria emphasised confidential resolution of school complaints, particularly for separated families, focusing on rebuilding relationships.
South Australia has a bill to expand protections for school leaders, while Western Australia updates its Family Law Protocols for clarity.
AGPPA Presidents will meet with the ASPA board in Adelaide to strengthen advocacy for schools.
AGPPA remains committed to prioritising wellbeing, driving reform and enhancing advocacy in Australian education. Together, we work towards a brighter future.
APPA May 2025 Meeting Update
The recent APPA meeting on May 20-21, 2025, focused on critical advancements in the education sector, emphasising necessary systemic reforms for a supportive educational environment.
APPA introduced several Position Papers which are available on the APPA website, including:
- NAPLAN Reform
- Out-of-School Hours Care (OSHC)
- NDIS Challenges
- Digital Literacy and Device Use
Newly developed Position Papers cover:
- Valuing Principals through essential skills
- Red Tape: Findings from the Barriers and Solutions Survey by NTPA have contributed to this paper
- Better Fairer Funding: Effective use of funding increases.
- Beyond the School Gates: Enhancing the profile of principals.
Tim Bullard, CEO of AITSL, discussed workforce challenges, including teacher retention and training. He stressed the need for a data warehouse for managing workforce data, a potential National Single Teacher Registration system, and a national progression standard/framework.
The meeting highlighted the contemporary role of primary schools, emphasising co-designing responsibilities for school leaders and teachers, and the importance of national conversations about the purpose of schools.
Additionally, principal wellbeing and leadership development were key topics, focusing on building supportive networks for sharing experiences. The role of principals in educational reforms.
Dr. Danielle Einstein presented on Anxiety and School Refusal, offering strategies for educators to support affected students.
