Matthew Flinders Anglican College (Flinders) on the Sunshine Coast has been named one of the nation’s top school workplaces, securing a spot in The Educator’s 5-Star Employers of Choice 2026 report.
Flinders is one of just 13 schools in Queensland – and one of only 37 nationwide – to be recognised as a 5-Star Employer in 2026.
The annual 5-Star Employers of Choice report identifies leading schools across Australia that achieve a 75% or higher employee satisfaction rating. Based on anonymous staff feedback, the accolade highlights Flinders’ commitment to a workplace where educators feel valued, supported and empowered to excel.
Flinders stood out in a competitive national field for its strong investment in professional growth, collaborative culture and staff wellbeing initiatives.
In 2026, the College is also a three-time Excellence Awardee finalist in the 2026 Australian Education Awards in the categories of:
- Primary School of the Year (Non-Governement)
- Secondary School of the Year (Non-Government) and
- Best Professional Learning Program.
Principal Michelle Carroll said, "Our students thrive when our staff are thriving. Being named a 5-Star Employer of Choice is a wonderful reflection of the warm, supportive community we work hard to build here every day.
“We want Flinders to be a place where teachers genuinely love coming to work, where they feel backed to grow professionally and where their personal wellbeing is always a priority.”
Commitment to Continuous Professional Learning
A key driver behind the College’s high staff satisfaction is its seamless integration of professional development into daily school life. Flinders provides all teaching staff access to high-level development opportunities and structured coaching support.
The most transformative strategy in recent years has been the 2025 launch of the College's bespoke Teaching and Learning (T&L) and Wellbeing Frameworks, collectively known as The Flinders Way. Rather than a top-down mandate, the frameworks were embedded through a year-long collaborative journey that prioritised staff agency, collective efficacy and professional growth.
Every educator is backed by a tailored instructional framework and supported with continuous targeted professional learning. There is also a physical playbook, which acts as a guide and establishes low-variance instructional routines, ensuring classroom consistency while giving teachers the structured coaching and ongoing guidance they need to teach with maximum confidence.
Supporting Healthy Lifestyles and Connections
The report also underscores Flinders' commitment to employee wellbeing, highlighting initiatives like flexible work arrangements and on-site health screenings that actively encourage healthy lifestyles.
Two community initiatives – the Flinders CARE Club, which supports staff experiencing illness or grief with care packages, and the Flinders Foodbank, which organises home-cooked meals for staff and community members in need – reflect a culture that extends its care well beyond the professional.
The annual report celebrates institutions setting the benchmark for workplace excellence, demonstrating that investing in educators is essential to delivering outstanding student outcomes.
