Leadership roles are landing on teachers earlier than ever. But fast-tracking a career can bring additional pressure, and a higher risk of burnout.
In our latest TeachSpace article, Dr Fiona Longmuir, Senior Lecturer in Educational Leadership at Monash University, and James Desmond, a secondary school teacher discuss what sustainable career progression looks like - and how teachers can stay the course.
Listen to the full discussion
This article is based on a discussion from the Let’s Talk Teaching podcast.
Early leadership and career pressure
Leadership roles can be exciting and rewarding, but they also come with high expectations.
Early career teachers are often encouraged to take on middle leadership while still developing their classroom practice. This combination can accelerate development, but also intensify stress.
“Too much, too soon”: A teacher’s experience
Secondary teacher James Desmond knows this tension first-hand. Straight out of university, he stepped into leadership tasks while still finding his feet as a classroom teacher.
James took on debating coordination, then a domain leadership role, all within his first two years.
“I was still trying to work out how to teach whilst also trying to work out how to lead,” he reflects.
Although the experience offered growth, James admits he wasn’t ready for the full demands of leadership at that stage of his career. He spent much of his early years teaching himself leadership skills that he hadn’t yet developed.
Looking back, he says:
“I would’ve sought professional development in leadership, and mentorship before stepping into that role.”
“I was still trying to work out how to teach whilst also trying to work out how to lead,”
Why the first five years matter
Research suggests that 30–50% of teachers leave the profession during the first five years of teaching.
Dr Longmuir explains that early career stages are full of learning curves. This period demands developing teaching practice, time management, workload navigation, and emotional resilience, all before stepping into leadership roles that require strategic decision-making and people management.
Beyond early career: the mid-career drop-off
It’s not just early career teachers at risk. Dr Longmuir’s research highlights that mid-career teachers (5–15 years in) are most likely to consider leaving.
“The fact that it is the mid-career teachers leaving tells us that it’s not about preparation and it’s not about attraction – it’s the daily challenges.”
Mid-career teachers are a vital source of expertise, support and mentorship for newer teachers. When they leave, schools lose institutional knowledge and mentorship capacity, and middle leadership roles can fall onto early career teachers prematurely.
“The fact that it is the mid-career teachers leaving tells us that it’s not about preparation and it’s not about attraction – it’s the daily challenges.”
What actually helps teachers stay
Many teachers feel a strong sense of identity and connection to the profession, and that connection is a powerful reason they stay. The challenge is creating conditions where these connections can thrive.
Dr Longmuir emphasises the importance of valuing the relational side of teaching:
- Time to connect with colleagues – not to work through data, but to share practice, support one another and celebrate the work
- Space to maintain meaningful, enjoyable relationships with students
From James Desmond’s perspective, staying in teaching comes down to three practical conditions:
- Time. Long hours are common, and much of the work happens before and after the school day. Reducing teaching loads or creating more protected time would allow teachers to prepare, give quality feedback and support students, without burning out.
- Pay. Many teachers love their work, but when pay doesn’t reflect workload, people leave for roles where it does.
- Respect. Teaching is often treated as a stepping stone rather than a profession. Recognising teachers’ expertise, both socially and systemically, matters.
Together, these conditions create an environment where teachers can build lasting, fulfilling careers.
Sustainable career progression tips for teachers
Progressing into leadership doesn’t have to mean burnout. Both Fiona’s research and James’ lived experience point to a few guiding principles:
- Build a strong foundation in classroom practice first
- Seek out mentorship and leadership development early
- Be clear about capacity and wellbeing
- Learn to say “no” when necessary
- Reflect on where you want to be in 10-15 years.
Dr Longmuir encourages teachers to protect their longevity: “This isn’t about being difficult. It's about sustaining a long, fulfilling career.”
“This isn’t about being difficult. It's about sustaining a long, fulfilling career.”
What sustainable leadership looks like
Leadership can be energising and career-building when the timing is right and when conditions support wellbeing.
- For teachers, the challenge is to balance ambition with longevity – to build teaching craft, seek mentoring, develop leadership skills deliberately and set boundaries that protect health.
- For schools, the challenge is to treat retention as seriously as recruitment – investing in workload management, relational culture and meaningful support for those stepping into responsibility.
A fulfilling teaching career is not only about climbing a ladder. It is about choosing opportunities that fit personal values and capacity – and building a professional life that is sustainable enough to last.
Resources
Monash Education – Professional and Continuing Education (PACE)
Explore flexible short courses and programs to support your leadership journey at every stage of your teaching career.
Monash Education – Education Workforce Lab
A Monash-led research initiative focused on improving teacher retention, leadership and system-wide reform.
Burnt-out and demoralised: mid career attrition from the workforce
