Many of the decisions made by a governing council will directly impact the students at your school. To make sure student voices are considered, it’s a good idea to hear from the students themselves.

Benefits for the school

Setting up a way for students to have a voice on your council can:

• allow students to have a say about what happens at their school
• bring in students’ perspectives on learning, and schooling
• give student-specific relevance and authenticity to what your council does
• benefit from the enthusiasm, energy and creative thinking of students
• have students represent their own ideas, opinions, knowledge and experiences to help improve the school
• share in decisions about the school, for example:
  • school structure and administration
  • school rules including uniforms
  • school facilities, buildings and grounds.

Benefits for the student

As a student working with the governing council, you can:

• have a say about what happens at your school
• influence change, including shaping your own education
• be involved in decision-making, for example how your uniform or school dress code looks
• give back to your school community
• learn leadership skills and get experience guiding and negotiating with others
• help recruit other students and get a wider range of experiences and skills
• help organise events.

Schools with secondary enrolments

To ensure student voice is considered in decision making, it is mandated that schools with secondary enrolments have 2 student members on the governing council. This is unless the school has sought, and received, an exemption from this requirement.

Student members are generally nominated and elected by the Student Representative Council (SRC) or similar, following a formal election process. This ensures that the selected students are representative of the wider student body and can effectively advocate for their peers.

This does not apply for schools that have mostly adult students, as the council will already be comprised of a majority of adult and non-adult students to ensure a diverse representation.

Student members

To be able to fill a student position on the school’s governing council, the student must be enrolled at your school in year 7 or above. There is no minimum age requirement.

Student members of governing council have the same role and responsibilities as other council members including full voting rights. However, student members are not eligible to hold any office holder positions.

Secondary student members governing council exemption

Small, rural, or special purpose schools or schools with exceptional circumstances may request an exemption if the governing council feels it may not be able to meet this requirement.

Secondary student members governing council process and exemption form (DOCX 1 MB) .

An exemption is only valid for 1 school year. It is not intended to remove student input, but rather to give your school and governing council the opportunity to explore other ways of involving students.

Primary schools

While it is mandatory for students to be represented on the governing council of a school with secondary enrolments, for primary schools there is some flexibility in how they hear from students. Some of these ways are:

• inviting students to present at meetings
• surveys
• brainstorming and research
• consulting with students to find out what they need and want
• interviews and group forums
• discussions and informal conversations
• suggestion boxes.