Burnout is no longer a fringe issue in Australian education. Whether in public or private schools, primary or secondary, more teachers are reporting exhaustion, stress and a desire to leave the profession. But what’s driving it – and is it the same across all school settings?
Based on classroom experience and current research, this article explores how teacher burnout manifests differently across sectors and school cultures. It examines the impact of heavy administrative loads, leadership styles, parental expectations and professional isolation. While public school teachers often face larger class sizes and resource shortages, their independent sector colleagues encounter increased performance pressure and customer-like scrutiny from families.
One consistent finding across the board? Leadership visibility matters. When principals and deputies are regularly present in classrooms and genuinely engaged in the daily life of the school, staff morale improves. Research suggests this kind of relational leadership can buffer burnout and keep experienced educators in the profession.
Ultimately, the issue of burnout is not about individual resilience. It’s about whether schools are structured to support the people at their core. Until leadership, policy and school culture align to prioritise wellbeing, teacher burnout will remain a growing threat to educational quality in Australia.
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