SCHOOLS – AUSTRALIA

Australians evenly split on teaching religion in government schools

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 3-Sep-25

New Roy Morgan research reveals a profound shift in Australian attitudes towards religious education in government schools in the year to June 2025. Support was even at 50% in favour and 50% opposed to teaching religion at least once a week. This represents a complete reversal of sentiment over a generation. In 1997-98, support for weekly religious instruction was overwhelming, with 72% of Australians in favour and just 28% opposed. Over the following two decades, support gradually eroded, slipping below 70% in the early 2000s and into the low-60s by the mid-2010s. For the first time, support and opposition reached parity in 2021-22, marking a critical convergence. The trajectory then continued, with the "No" vote overtaking the "Yes" vote for the first time in the 2022-23 period, establishing a narrow majority of 51% to 49%. This shift from majority to minority support signalled the end of long-standing consensus. Support and opposition then held steady in 2023-24 at 51% to 49%. The data highlight a significant cultural shift in Australia, reflecting growing secularisation, greater diversity of beliefs, and evolving expectations about the role of religion in public education.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN LIMITED

Aussies to spend $2.7 billion as students head Back to School

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 14-Jan-25

Research by the Australian Retailers Association, in partnership with Roy Morgan, reveals that 5.1 million Australians aged 18+ (24%) will spend an average of $525 each on Back to School-related merchandise in 2025. This is up from an average of $512 in 2024. BTS purchases are projected to generate around $2.7 billion in sales – this is $150 million (5.9%) higher than last year’s BTS spending, driven by population growth and inflation. Of those surveyed, 44% of Australians making BTS purchases said they would be spending more than last year, while 23% said they would spend the same and 33% said they would be spending less. The most popular purchases will be stationary (mentioned by 55% of respondents), school uniforms (53%), footwear (50%), books (40%) and lunchboxes or water bottles (27%). Women remain the main household decision maker on BTS purchases with 74% of purchases, followed by men at 14%, guardians at 6% and students themselves at 2%.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN LIMITED, AUSTRALIAN RETAILERS ASSOCIATION

Aussies to spend $2.7 billion as students head Back to School

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 14-Jan-25

Research by the Australian Retailers Association, in partnership with Roy Morgan, reveals that 5.1 million Australians aged 18+ (24%) will spend an average of $525 each on Back to School-related merchandise in 2025. This is up from an average of $512 in 2024. BTS purchases are projected to generate around $2.7 billion in sales – this is $150 million (5.9%) higher than last year’s BTS spending, driven by population growth and inflation. Of those surveyed, 44% of Australians making BTS purchases said they would be spending more than last year, while 23% said they would spend the same and 33% said they would be spending less. The most popular purchases will be stationary (mentioned by 55% of respondents), school uniforms (53%), footwear (50%), books (40%) and lunchboxes or water bottles (27%). Women remain the main household decision maker on BTS purchases with 74% of purchases, followed by men at 14%, guardians at 6% and students themselves at 2%.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN LIMITED, AUSTRALIAN RETAILERS ASSOCIATION

Back to school, except Victoria and Tasmania

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Original article by Robert Bolton
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 7 : 5-May-20

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has announced students will start returning to school on 11 May, with all years to be back by 25 May. The New South Wales government is adopting a staggered return of its students, with NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian hoping this will mean that most students will be back at school by the end of May. This leaves Tasmania and Victoria as the only states resisting federal government advice to return to face-to-face teaching, although Independent Schools of Victoria CEO Michelle Green notes Victoria’s chief health officer will review his current advice on May 11.

CORPORATES
QUEENSLAND. DEPT OF THE PREMIER AND CABINET, NEW SOUTH WALES. DEPT OF PREMIER AND CABINET, INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS VICTORIA INCORPORATED

Tide turns away from private schooling

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Original article by Tim Dodd
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 3 : 5-Feb-16

New data suggests a shift towards public schools among Australian parents. Figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics indicate that 65.09 per cent of children were in public schools in 2015, compared with 65.05 per cent in 2014. Trevor Cobbold, of Save Our Schools, says parents are becoming increasingly aware that private schools are not necessarily better than state schools.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN BUREAU OF STATISTICS, SAVE OUR SCHOOLS INCORPORATED

NAPLAN – high schools not improving

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Original article by Tim Dodd
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 7 : 5-Aug-15

New data shows that at a national level, the introduction of the NAPLAN test in 2008 has not resulted in any improvement in the literacy and numeracy skills of high school students. However, both Queensland and Western Australia have recorded a "statistically significant" improvement in the skills of high school students, who undertake the test in years 7 and 9. Meanwhile, there has been a nationwide improvement in the literacy and numeracy skills of primary school students.

CORPORATES
THE CENTRE FOR INDEPENDENT STUDIES LIMITED, ORGANISATION FOR ECONOMIC CO-OPERATION AND DEVELOPMENT, PROGRAMME FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENT ASSESSMENT, LEARNING FIRST, WESTERN AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING

NAPLAN – high schools not improving

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Tim Dodd
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 7 : 5-Aug-15

New data shows that at a national level, the introduction of the NAPLAN test in 2008 has not resulted in any improvement in the literacy and numeracy skills of high school students. However, both Queensland and Western Australia have recorded a "statistically significant" improvement in the skills of high school students, who undertake the test in years 7 and 9. Meanwhile, there has been a nationwide improvement in the literacy and numeracy skills of primary school students.

CORPORATES
THE CENTRE FOR INDEPENDENT STUDIES LIMITED, ORGANISATION FOR ECONOMIC CO-OPERATION AND DEVELOPMENT, PROGRAMME FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENT ASSESSMENT, LEARNING FIRST, WESTERN AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING

New teachers struggle with bad students

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Original article by Bethany Hiatt
The West Australian – Page: 11 : 20-Oct-14

The Australian Council for Educational Research has released the findings of the "Staff in Australia’s Schools 2013" survey. It shows that 45 per cent of primary school teachers would like more training in handling problem students, while 40.6 per cent of secondary school teacher feel there is a need for such training. New teachers in particular would like more training in dealing with difficult students

CORPORATES
THE AUSTRALIAN COUNCIL FOR EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH LIMITED, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF EDUCATION