Violence against principals almost doubles in 15 years

Physical Violence Against School Principals Nearly Doubles in 15 Years: Report

Around half of school leaders in Australia have considered a job change amid rising threats, physical violence and bullying, a new study has revealed. Data from an Australian Catholic University (ACU) survey covering 15 years of research showed that 47.8 percent of school principals and senior leaders experienced physical violence in 2025, up from 27.3 percent in 2011. In addition, threats of violence surged from 37.9 percent to 53.7 percent ove…

Violence against principals almost doubles in 15 years

Australian principals are facing a surge in violence, with some schools forced to restrict parent access to drop-off and pick-up zones.

We surveyed more than 8,000 principals – they face violence, threats and stress in their schools

Hill Street Studios/ Getty Images Almost half of surveyed Australia’s school principals face physical violence in their jobs. Almost 90% say they encounter offensive behaviour from students, parents and even colleagues, according to new survey results. The latest instalment in an annual survey of Australian principals shows how their exposure to aggression risks becoming normalised in schools. Principals also report they work an average of 54 ho…

Violence towards principals doubles in 15 years - Education Review

The number of parents and students that act violently toward principals has continued to increase year-on-year, the latest survey data has showed. The Principal Occupational Health, Safety, and Wellbeing survey has been run by the Australian Catholic University for the last 15 years. This year it surveyed 2000 school leaders from government, independent and Catholic schools, half of whom reported experiencing physical violence, and more than hal…