Western Australian Education Minister Sabine Winton has appointed Emeritus Professor Colleen Hayward AM as independent Chair of the Workload Intensification Taskforce, progressing efforts to ease workload pressures for teachers and school leaders as a key priority.
The Taskforce’s newly appointed independent Chair will help to drive progress on new and expanded initiatives to tackle classroom pressures and reduce workloads for school leaders and educators.
The Workload Intensification Taskforce was convened as part of the recent Teachers and Administrators General Agreement to examine ways to provide more support for teachers, while allowing them to focus on bolstering student learning.
Professor Hayward brings decades of experience to the role across education, training, employment, health, housing, child protection, law and justice and policy and management, including as a teacher.
Her appointment will provide an independent voice in steering the Taskforce, which comprises representatives from the Department of Education, the State School Teachers’ Union of Western Australia, and the Principals’ Federation of Western Australia.
The Taskforce will consider ways to reduce administrative pressures on teachers and school leaders while maintaining a high-quality delivery of education programs in public schools.
Its initiatives will focus on supporting the best educational outcomes for students, particularly those with complex needs.
Among the key initiatives being overseen by the Taskforce are:
- $16.5 million in funding over two years for an increase to 64 full-time equivalent complex behaviour support coordinators in 192 Western Australian public schools, to provide more support for students with complex needs; and
- $21.8 million over two years for the Small Group Tuition Initiative, providing targeted literacy and numeracy support to students in 350 WA public schools. This will help to address the specific learning gaps of up to 13,000 students, reducing complexity and workload for their regular classroom teachers.
More work is planned to ensure that documented learning plans for individual students are streamlined, practical, and easily understood by school staff and parents and carers.
The Taskforce is also working on a renewed approach to professional learning for teaching staff, built on evidence-based practices that promote student achievement and lifelong learning.
Education Minister Sabine Winton, a former teacher of 27 years, said she knows how important it is for educators to be able to focus on what they do best – teaching and connecting with their students.
“This Taskforce will play a key role in progressing initiatives to address workload pressures being experienced by our teachers and school leaders, reporting directly to me and providing regular updates to the workforce,” she said.
“Professor Hayward has a very strong background in education, bringing extensive experience as a teacher, policy maker and leader – and her record of bringing parties together to get things done will be incredibly valuable as we progress this work as a key priority.
“I look forward to working closely with Professor Hayward and the Taskforce membership to create more support for school leaders and teachers, which will ultimately lead to a greater focus on classroom teaching and better learning outcomes for students.”
Emeritus Professor Colleen Hayward said public education is in her blood, with both her mum and dad having been teachers.
“My dad was WA’s first Aboriginal teacher and principal, which inspired me to choose it as my first career and view education as a life-long endeavour,” she said.
“Quality student learning is a direct result of quality teaching, so it’s incumbent on us all to ensure the salaries and conditions of teachers and school leaders attracts and retains the best.
“I am yet to meet anyone, no matter their background or employment, who cannot name a teacher who had a positive impact on their life.
“That’s why I’m looking forward to working with the Department of Education, the State School Teachers’ Union of WA, and the Principals’ Federation of WA to ensure timely and practical implementations of the Teachers and Administrators General Agreement through this important Taskforce.”
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