It’s an understatement to say the year 2024 has been a seismic one for Australian schools, which have seen significant changes, marked by policy reforms, historic curriculum overhauls, and major challenges in student performance and behaviour.
However, many the leaders heading up Australia’s 10,000 schools have reported that they need help navigate these changes – specifically, quality professional development.
For nearly 25 years, the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL) has been guiding Australian schools through periods of change by providing evidence-based resources, frameworks, and professional development opportunities.
Tim Bullard, CEO of AITSL, said that as he reflects on 2024, he has “continued to be in awe” of the passion of the teaching profession, their active engagement with their own professional growth, and the positive impact that high quality teaching has on children and young people.
“This has again been a year of rapid change, and we need to recognise that as the role of teachers continues to evolve to meet the changing needs of learners, so too must the ways in which teachers are supported,” Bullard told The Educator.
“What stands out to me is the ongoing spirit of collaboration across the profession, education sectors and partners.”
Bullard noted that collective dedication is vital for addressing the challenges and opportunities facing schools heading in 2025.
“At AITSL, we are fortunate to traverse all facets of education and can clearly see that it is a shared commitment to improving education outcomes through high quality teaching that unites us all. One thing I value about the teaching profession is teachers’ enthusiasm for their own learning,” he said.
“That one of AITSL’s most accessed resources is the Teacher Self-Assessment Tool [TSAT] demonstrates this appetite for reflection and continuous improvement.”
Bullard said sustained interest in Highly Accomplished or Lead (HALT) certification, and the positive response to initiatives such as the new Professional Experience Guidelines and the embedding of the Induction Guidelines for early-career teachers and new school leaders, is further evidence of the strong growth mindset of the profession.
“We also see the importance of reflection in the consistent uptake of AITSL’s Indigenous Cultural Response Initiative resources, reaffirming the profession’s commitment to creating cultural safety in all education settings for our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander learners,” he said.
“Widespread interest in our Spotlight on Evaluating the evidence for educational technology signals that this is a profession open to innovation, recognising the opportunities technology provides to engage learners and support teachers.”
Equally, said Bullard, the response to AITSL’s Spotlight Strengthening parent engagement to improve student outcomes recognises the importance of fostering strong partnerships between home and school, to best support children and young people.
“This year, the appetite of systems and sectors for high quality data to inform decision making has continued to grow,” he said. “The Australian Teacher Workforce Data [ATWD] initiative is committed to gathering and analysing the experiences of teachers.”
Bullard said this growing body of data provides vital knowledge for workforce planning and understanding how and where to best support teachers to not only remain in the profession but to thrive.
“In 2024 we have published the data in new ways, with ongoing analysis and summaries of national trends.”
Bullard said his hope for 2025 is that improved outcomes for children and young people are held at the centre of decision making in education.
“I also hope that teachers see the esteem in which they are held by our society [the wonderful World Teachers’ Day celebration being one example], that they are aware of the vital role they play in the lives of our learners and have confidence that they are supported in their work.”