Discipline and behaviour management are the top priorities for families in choosing the right school, new research shows.
The survey of Catholic school parents in NSW found nearly half (45%) of parents rated discipline and behaviour it as the most important factor in the school experience, followed by facilities and environment (41%), and school communication and transparency (37%).
When it came to the three most important factors for parents considering education quality, 46% said teaching quality and methods, 38% said wellbeing and student support, and 34% said student outcomes and academic performance. Parents rated the importance of class size and teacher-student ratio as less important (28%) than non-parents (33%).
The survey also found nine in ten parents considering where to send their child of preschool age or younger would choose a non-government school, if cost were not a concern.
“Behaviour has emerged as a major issue for parents. They value a respectful classroom environment where their children are safe and can learn,” CEO of Catholic Schools NSW, Dallas McInerney said.
“Parents understand that a structured environment promotes both wellbeing and academic success.”
McInerney said discipline and behaviour management create an environment conducive to learning, while high-quality teaching and teaching methods ensure the most effective delivery of core curriculum knowledge.
“Catholic schools emphasise structure and evidence-based teaching methods, using them to get results for all our students; we know it is disadvantaged students who benefit the most,” he said.
“This is demonstrated in our success in engaging Indigenous students, who have 9% higher attendance rates at our schools and perform better in years 5 and 9 NAPLAN.”
McInerney added that Catholic Schools NSW “wants all children to get the best start in life.”
“That’s why we focus on raising the bar on education standards in Australia and why we have been increasing our intake of students from disadvantaged backgrounds.”
With behaviour issues continuing to challenge schools and Australia, Catholic Schools NSW is bringing a focus to the issue with its 2025 Behaviour Symposium from 22-23 May, a premier event featuring Tom Bennett OBE, a leading expert in behaviour management, along with Dr Jacqueline Amos and other expert speakers.