This reform is in line with a finding from the 2024 Independent Education Review (the Review). The Review found that we should trial new ways of organising schools so they can share resources and services. It also found that there is merit in trailing Multi-School Organisations.
What is a Multi-School Organisation (MSO)?
MSOs are ‘families’ of schools that are bound together through a united leadership team.
This leadership team is responsible for establishing a shared governance approach and is accountable for student results.
Schools in an MSO have tight alignment across curriculum, teaching and operations.
An MSO’s size and ability to pool resources allows it to provide targeted and effective assistance to each school in its family. It increases support for teachers and leaders to deliver consistent improvements in student outcomes.
MSOs are designed to support close, formal relationships between schools to enable purposeful collaboration.
Schools in the MSO act collectively while maintaining their individual identities and community ties.
MSOs are inspired by the successful Multi-Academy Trust model in England and evidence from the Grattan Institute on adapting the model for Australia.
Tasmanian MSO approach
Three Tasmanian schools will take part in the first MSO from Term 1, 2026:
- New Town Primary School
- Moonah Primary School and
- Risdon Vale Primary School.
The first MSO will expand steadily throughout the trial, with more schools being added. Additional MSOs will be established across the State over the course of the five-year trial.
It is intended that two MSOs – MSO 2 and MSO 3 – will be onboarded during the second half of 2026 for commencement in 2027.
Schools and Child and Family Learning Centres not yet in an MSO will be placed in groupings from Term 1 2026.
These groupings will deliver clearer reporting structures, create peer learning groups for educators, and provide greater accountability while preparing the foundations for the expansion of MSOs.
This model and implementation approach is being carefully designed and will be built slowly through consultation and evaluation over the length of the trial.
The department is working closely with McKinnon, an independent not-for-profit organisation with deep expertise in the MSO model.
Once fully established, MSOs will comprise about 20 schools each. This will ensure they are big enough to address persistent problems, yet small enough to know each school’s needs.
Implementation of this reform will be independently evaluated and continuous improvements made. Everything that we learn will be used to inform the statewide rollout to refine and embed best practice across the system.
The Department will continue to play a key role in:
- setting public expectations for schools
- holding schools accountable and
- providing support to schools on priorities, such as literacy and wellbeing.
Benefits from being part of an MSO
- Students: MSOs have emerged internationally as a powerful mechanism to improve student engagement and learning. Students will get the best possible start in life through learning supported by strong school communities and the collective expertise of staff from across the MSO. The MSO will complement the results achieved through the lifting literacy initiative as well as the focus on numeracy by supporting high quality teaching and a common curriculum.
- Teachers: Reduced lesson planning and administrative duties, freeing up more time for teaching, supporting students with additional needs and professional development
- School leaders: Reduced administrative burdens, enabling a greater focus on leadership and community engagement. School leaders will have increased professional development, a broader peer network to collaborate with and increased access to mentoring.
- Parents: Schools will be better supported to provide high-quality education and address barriers to learning.