19 Jun 2025
School leaders: key professional learning needs
A recent survey of over 860 Government school principals in Victoria revealed key professional learning needs across different school types.
While some needs are consistent across the board, the top priorities vary depending on whether a principal works in a primary, secondary, P-12, or specialist school.
Professional learning needs
The most commonly identified professional learning needs of all respondents (primary, secondary, P-12 and specialist) were:
- Developing self, others and leading teams (29% selected this preference)
- Leading improvement, innovation, and change (28%)
- Leading teaching, learning and wellbeing (28%)
The survey allowed the Academy to understand how key professional learning needs of principals differ based on the context in which they operate.
What matters most to school leaders
Primary school principals
The top 3 areas of importance for Primary school principals were:
- leading teaching, learning and wellbeing (30% selected this preference)
- developing self, others and leading teams (29% selected this preference)
- leading improvement, innovation and change (27% selected this preference)
Primary school principals may want to consider some of the professional learning available within our Leadership Capability suite.
Secondary school principals
Secondary school principals reported their greatest priority for professional learning aligned to:
- self-reflection / debriefing / coaching / mentoring (33% selected this preference)
- developing self, others and leading teams (30% selected this preference)
- leading improvement, innovation and change (29% selected this preference)
Secondary school principals will find a range of relevant programs within our Leadership Capability suite as well as our Leadership Coaching program and Principal Mentoring program.
P-12 and P-9 Primary/Secondary school principals
School leaders in combined Primary/Secondary school settings shared that their interests lie in professional learning on:
- leading improvement, innovation and change (33% selected this preference)
- developing self, others and leading teams (28% selected this preference)
- engaging and working with the community (28% selected this preference)
Combined primary and secondary school principals may want to consider some of the professional learning available within our Leadership Capability suite.
Specialist school principals
Specialist school principals are most interested in programs related to:
- self-reflection / de-briefing / coaching / mentoring (37% selected this preference)
- leading improvement, innovation and change (31% selected this preference)
- developing self, others and leading teams (29% selected this preference)
Specialist school principals will find a range of relevant programs within our Leadership Capability suite as well as our Leadership Coaching program and Principal Mentoring program.
Regional, rural and metropolitan schools
Metropolitan-based principals more frequently identified professional learning focusing on leading improvement, innovation and change as the top priority, whereas those in regional and rural areas felt that programs centred on leading teaching, learning and wellbeing was of most importance.
School type
When asked about beneficial professional learning for their leadership teams, principals shared clear preferences. Primary school principals and those in combined primary/secondary highly prioritised coaching-focused professional learning, followed by the development of specialist expertise (e.g., in literacy or instructional leadership). Conversely, secondary school principals and their colleagues in specialist schools preferred specialist expertise first, with coaching as their second priority.
