Bucking the trend – why teachers are thriving at OneSchool Global

A concerning trend in the Australian education landscape is increasing levels of teacher dissatisfaction. According to recent research by the University of New South Wales (UNSW), nine out of 10 teachers are experiencing severe stress, and nearly 70% say their workload is unmanageable and leading to burnout.

Having worked in education for more than two decades, I’m saddened but not surprised by this data. Nearly every teacher I’ve met enters the profession with the best of intentions – they’re passionate about education and want to help students develop skills that set them up for life.

Unfortunately, that optimism often erodes because of factors outside their core teaching role, and we end up losing quality educators to other sectors. Alarmingly, the data suggests that up to 35% of teachers will consider leaving the profession before reaching retirement age.

According to the research and my own observations, there are three main factors contributing to teacher dissatisfaction:

• Excessive workload and increased time spent on ‘non-core’ administrative tasks.
• Student behaviour issues.
• Lack of career progression and professional development opportunities.

At OneSchool Global, we’re not immune from these challenges, but we have intentionally created a working environment that in many ways counteracts the common causes of dissatisfaction.

Firstly, we have smaller class sizes than the average Australian school. This enables more personalised engagement, better connections and less time spent on behaviour management. In a recent case study, Sherryn Rowe from our Perth campus said that in 11 years of working at OneSchool Global, the consistently high standard of student behaviour meant she rarely needed to apply behaviour management strategies – a contrast she found remarkable compared to other schools.

Our innovative approach to education is centred around self-directed learning, where students take the initiative and responsibility for their learning journey, and increasingly so in their secondary years. We encourage critical thinking and embed problem-solving skills to prepare students to adapt and succeed in the real world. There’s also no weekend school sport or out-of-hours activities at our campuses, so while some after-hours work still occurs, many of our teachers report improved work-life balance compared to what they experienced at other schools. They focus on their passion for teaching without sacrificing personal time.

Being a truly global school, our educators also experience unrivalled professional development opportunities through our Global Teacher Academy (GTA). The GTA provides face-to-face and online professional development courses to ensure our teachers stay at the forefront of modern pedagogy approaches and up-to-date with our learning to learn framework.

Our school provides unique opportunities to collaborate with peers across continents, share best practices, and engage in an interconnected teaching experience. Whether they’re teaching in a rural campus in Victoria or an urban hub like New York or Paris, our teachers are part of a vibrant, global community that values innovation and excellence. We support career growth through internal mobility and leadership pathways. Many educators step into leadership roles earlier in their careers, supported by mentoring and structured development.

Whether you’re a seasoned educator or just starting your career, OneSchool Global invests in your potential.

Finally, we’ve developed a positive school culture, which is vital to enhancing employee satisfaction. Our teachers tell us they’ve found renewed energy and purpose in their teaching thanks to supportive leadership, high-performing peers and engaged parents who all work together to drive student success. This creates a motivating atmosphere on campus where teachers believe in themselves and have the confidence to shape futures.

I truly believe we’re the natural home for quality teachers who want to make a positive difference in their students’ lives. We’re a little different from traditional schools, but I’m proud of the environment we’re building which is helping our teachers thrive.

This article was first published in the Education Review.