NAB research has revealed more than one in three private school students have either switched schools in the past year or are considering doing so, with the majority switching between private schools.

While it’s widely accepted that the choice of school is one of the big decisions parents will make in relation to their child’s education, it seems the decision is far from final.

The top reasons for switching schools included the child’s happiness and wellbeing (33%) and insufficient attention to individual student needs (30%).

Dr John Newton, Principal at Scotch College in Adelaide, says these themes are front and centre of his conversations with students and parents.

“Wellbeing is key to a successful and happy student, that’s why wellbeing is at the heart of everything we do,” Dr Newton said.

“It permeates our teaching programs, our pastoral structures, our policies, and the way we engage with students, parents and teachers.

“Part of wellbeing is recognising one size doesn’t fit all when it comes to learning and teaching. We offer our students a wide variety of subjects so they can express their creativity and individualism, as well as gaining strong formal academic qualifications.

“When students are engaged in subjects that fire their imagination, rather than focusing on a set of tactical choices to get the best ATAR, they have purpose and strong mental health.

“We’ve invested $27 million into a new state of the art Wellbeing and Sport Centre, Purruna, which will offer our students not only first-class sports facilities, but also the ground-breaking facilities to support a more holistic style of teaching. This will include providing consultation spaces for experts such as life coaches, speech therapists, dietary experts and physios for both our own community and those living in the locality.”

Michael Saadie, Executive, Business Banking Metro, said the research shows the value of investments into wellbeing and a more bespoke teaching proposition.

“The idea of investing in a school’s campus masterplan, IT systems and libraries is widely accepted but developing a strong wellbeing program that includes catering to students’ individual needs is now equally as critical,” he said.

“We know many of our private school customers see these investments as crucial to their growth and we’re pleased to work with them to support these strategies.

“It’s fantastic to see how these investments are brought to life and the positive impact it can have on the education sector, students and local communities.”

To read the report, click here.

Notes to editors:

• NAB banks one in three independent schools
• NAB has a specialised team of education bankers supporting our customers