19 Jun 2025
School leaders: key professional learning needs
Victoria’s school leaders navigate an increasingly complex and constantly evolving world. To meet these challenges, the Academy provides professional learning specifically designed to enhance leader effectiveness.
Government school principals were asked about their professional learning needs in the 2024 Principal Survey distributed by the Department of Education, with responses from over 860 principals summarised below.
This summary is designed to support school leaders in considering their selection of professional learning based on focus areas identified by leaders in similar school types, and offering clear connections to relevant Academy programs.
Government school principal 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.
Professional learning priorities by school type – a snapshot of 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 this Academy 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 available here. The Academy also provides coaching and mentoring opportunities.
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 this 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 available here. The Academy also provides coaching and mentoring opportunities.
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.
Related learning programs and resources
The Academy provides high quality, evidence informed professional leaning for school leaders and their teams. Many programs are available in metropolitan Melbourne, across our 7 regional centres or in an online or hybrid mode.
