Hello legend,

Before we dive in, I want to explain what’s happening over the next two weeks on The Mind School Podcast.

I recorded a huge episode on the Australian education system. I listened back… and it was long. Like, really long. So, I decided to split it in two because the conversation deserves time and space.

This week is Part One: Why I Believe the Australian Education System Is Broken  and next week I’ll share Part Two, where I’ll answer listener questions and explore different school models, homeschooling, Montessori, Waldorf, Steiner, public versus private, and how to choose the right approach for your child.

But today, we’re laying the groundwork. The research. The reality. The reasons why I (a former teacher who still loves education deeply) believe the system is failing both teachers and kids.

And honestly, this conversation matters more than ever.

The Rant That Started It All

A few weeks ago, I had what I’ll kindly call a “passionate outburst” on Instagram.

I’d discovered that Western Australia is rolling out a pilot program to introduce full-time schooling for four-year-olds.

Four. Years. Old.

My immediate reaction was rage. Why are we putting kids into a system that’s already buckling under pressure even earlier? Why are we trying to make toddlers “school-ready” when the system they’re entering is barely functioning?

Since then, I’ve done more research. And what I found only deepened my concern.

Parents flooded my DMs with heartbreaking stories.

Teachers wrote to me saying they’re exhausted and leaving the profession. And the data? It paints a pretty grim picture.

The Reality: A System at Breaking Point

Australia’s teacher shortage is worse than ever. According to the latest data, 42% of lower secondary schools reported teacher shortages in 2024, almost double the OECD average.

In public schools, it’s even higher at 58%.

Teachers are leaving the profession in droves, many within their first five years. And when you combine that with rising workloads, low pay, endless admin, and burnout levels that are through the roof, it’s no wonder the joy of teaching is slipping away.

But let’s flip the perspective.

As a parent, that means your child’s teacher is likely exhausted, under-supported, and spread thin. That’s not the environment any of us want for our kids.

And if the system isn’t working for teachers, it’s not working for students either.

The Data No One Wants to Talk About

Here’s the truth:

Only half of Australian students meet the national proficiency standards in literacy and numeracy. Half.

And when we look at wellbeing, the results are even more concerning. The international PISA study (Program for International Student Assessment) found that Australian students report higher rates of bullying, anxiety, and feeling unsafe at school than many of their peers overseas.

Many classrooms are described as noisy, distracted, and disorderly. Teachers struggle to maintain attention while juggling technology, behaviour, and learning diversity.

And yet, our solution seems to be… “Let’s start them younger.”

The Finnish and Danish Approach (And Why It Works)

When I looked into countries performing well both academically and emotionally — countries like Finland and Denmark — I noticed something interesting.

They start school later.

In Finland, children don’t begin formal education until age seven, and studies show that delaying school entry can lead to better outcomes long-term. One Danish study, The Gift of Time, found that delaying school start by even one year significantly reduced inattention and hyperactivity while improving self-regulation.

In other words, play-based learning, emotional development, and unstructured time actually enhance academic success later.

So why are we racing the clock here in Australia? Why are we pushing children to “sit still” and “perform” before they’re developmentally ready?

The Heart of the Problem

This conversation is not about shaming teachers or schools. In fact, I’ll say this forever — teaching is the best job in the world.

It’s the system that’s broken.

The teachers are passionate. The kids are bright. The families care. But the structure? The policies? The priorities? They’re outdated and unsustainable.

Education has become an administrative nightmare where teachers spend more time on data entry than meaningful learning. And that breaks my heart — because at its core, teaching is about connection.

Why Starting Earlier Isn’t the Answer

I understand the nuance here. For many families, sending children to school earlier is an economic necessity. Returning to work isn’t always a choice, and free or subsidized schooling can feel like relief.

But that’s exactly the issue — it’s become an economic decision, not an educational one.

We shouldn’t be fixing the childcare crisis by extending an already broken system. We should be fixing the system.

Because the truth is, a child’s emotional regulation, connection, and sense of safety in those first seven years form the foundation of every future skill.

If we rush that… we’re setting them up to struggle.

The Power of Parental Influence

If you’re a parent reading this and feeling guilty because you have to send your child to school or daycare early — please, take a breath.

You are still their greatest influence.

The research is crystal clear: parental engagement and emotional modelling have a far greater impact on a child’s development than school structure ever will.

What matters most is connection. The conversations you have, the way you model regulation, the stories you tell, the love you show — that’s what builds resilience, curiosity, and confidence.

Where We Go From Here

Next week, in Part Two, I’ll be breaking down alternative education models — Montessori, Waldorf, Steiner, homeschooling — plus how to choose the right school for your child.

I’ll also be sharing stories from parents navigating this exact dilemma and a framework to help you make informed, values-aligned decisions for your family.

But for now, I’ll leave you with this:

We can love our teachers, adore our schools, and still demand better for our children.

It’s not about tearing the system down. It’s about rebuilding it from the heart up.

 Listen to the full episode:

🎧 The Mind School Podcast – Part One: Why I Believe the Australian Education System Is Broken

Because if we want to raise emotionally intelligent, creative, resilient humans…

we need to rethink what we call “education.”