Philip Riley provides an overview of the 2013 report Australia’s School Principals:
‘The report recommends several solutions designed to improve both working conditions for educators and learning conditions for students – the two should be seen as inseparable. ‘The first is the most urgent: the need to reduce the level of adult-to-adult bullying, threats and actual violence through the establishment of an independent task force with powers to interview all stakeholder groups, examine governance structures, information flow, and external influences on school functioning. ‘The task force should investigate each sector separately (i.e Government, Catholic, Independent) to determine differences in the occupational risk of the principal, and whether/how the risk also extends to teachers and students. ‘The report also highlights the benefits of professional support for all principals. Those who receive the least have the greatest challenges to maintain their mental health while those who cope best report the highest.’
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