School Council – Meetings

From the 2026 school year, school council members, except VIT registered teachers and students, are required to hold a Working with Children Clearance (WWCC) (either a volunteer WWCC, or employee WWCC if they already have this), when nominating for a role on school council. Current (as at commencement of Term 1 2026) school council members are not required to obtain a WWCC until they nominate for re-election/co-option. This policy, guidance and resources have been updated to reflect this change and other changes made to Ministerial Order 1280 (Constitution of Government School Councils) 2020.

Policy

This policy outlines requirements and good practice in relation to school council meetings.

Summary

• School council meetings must be conducted in accordance with the Education and Training Reform Act 2006 (Vic), the Education and Training Reform Regulations 2017 (Vic), Ministerial Order 1280 (Constitution of Government School Councils) 2020 (DOCX) (Ministerial Order 1280) and this policy including the guidance chapters.
• School council meetings must be held at least 8 times per year, at least once each term, and achieve a quorum for a meeting to proceed.
• School council members may be present at a meeting in person or by videoconference or teleconference.
• It is good practice to establish Standing Orders to assist in the effective and efficient operation of meetings.
• School councils must hold a public reporting meeting at least once a year.
• Further, more detailed information on the requirements and conduct of school council meetings is available in the Guidance tab.

Details

School council meetings must:

• be held at least 8 times per year (unless the Minister has approved less meetings) and at least once per school term (there is no maximum number of meetings)
• achieve a quorum for a meeting to proceed (a quorum is achieved at a school council meeting when not less than one half of the school council members currently holding office are present, and the majority are not department employees)
• be attended by members of the school council in person or if unable to attend personally, by videoconferencing or teleconferencing
• be conducted in accordance with the school council’s Standing Orders if the school council has established any. Further information is available in the Guidance tab.
• be resourced with support and relevant information by the principal, for the efficient conduct of meetings.

School council must keep records of decisions made at council meetings and resulting actions required and completed. This includes agendas, reports, minutes and correspondence tabled at school council meetings. For information on the specific items that must be kept, refer to the School records retention guide and the Records Management policy.

School council meetings must be chaired by the school council president except in the following situations:

• the special or first school council meeting when office bearers are elected and/or community members appointed – the principal, as executive offer, will chair this meeting
• if the president is absent from a meeting – the vice president will chair and if the school council does not have a vice president, the school council then votes on who will chair the meeting
• if the school council by resolution removes the president from their role – the principal will chair the meeting until a new president is elected.

School council must:

• call a public reporting meeting at least once a year to:
  • report council proceedings (key activities and achievements)
  • present the annual report
  • present a copy of the audited accounts, if the accounts have been audited.

School council office bearer positions

The positions of president and executive officer are mandated positions on council. The principal is automatically the executive officer of the school council.

The president is elected by all council members at the first meeting of the new school council. The president is a parent or community member and chairs meetings. The school council may also elect other non-mandatory officer bearers (such as a treasurer) at the first or any following meetings.

A department employee is ineligible to serve as president, or vice-president, if the school council choose to elect one. The school business manager is ineligible to serve as treasurer.

Further information on school council office bearers is available at School Council – Composition, Eligibility and Office Bearers.

Records management

School council minutes, agenda and correspondence are considered permanent records under the Public Records Act 1973 and are to be securely maintained in the school until such time as they can be transferred to the Public Record Office Victoria.

For further information, please refer to the schools Records Management policy.

Advice on records management is available from archives.records@education.vic.gov.au

Related policies

• Acknowledgement of Traditional Owners and Welcome to Country in Schools
• Freedom of Information for information on school council records
• Records Management
• School Council – Composition, Eligibility and Office Bearers
• School Council – Conduct and Conflict of Interest
• School Council – Overview
• School Council – Powers and Functions
• School Council – Sub-Committees
• School Council – Training and Good Governance

Relevant legislation

• Education and Training Reform Act 2006 (Vic)
• Education and Training Reform Regulations 2017 (Vic)
• Ministerial Order 1280 – Ministerial Order (Constitution of Government School Councils) 2020 (DOCX)

Guidance on school council meetings

This guidance contains the following chapters:

• Quorum at a school council meeting
• Standing Orders
• Meeting protocols
• Holding virtual or hybrid school council meetings
• Special and first school council meeting after the poll
• Public Reporting and Extraordinary meetings
• Interactive Online Training

Quorum at a school council meeting

A school council meeting must operate with a quorum:

• a quorum requires not less than one half of school council members currently holding office to be present at the meeting
• the majority of members present must not be department employees
• any parent members on school council who also work for the department are counted as department employees for the purpose of a quorum
• a member of the school council may be present in person or by videoconferencing or teleconferencing

The principal as executive officer is responsible for ensuring there are appropriate facilities if school council members wish to attend by videoconference or teleconference.

If at the end of 30 minutes after the appointed time for a school council meeting there is not a quorum, the meeting must stand adjourned to a time and place determined by the school council members present.

Examples of calculating quorum

Golden Secondary College has a total of 14 membership positions consistent with their constituting Order with no vacant positions:

• 3 community members
• 2 student members
• 4 school employee members
• 5 parent members (including one department employee parent).

If Golden Secondary College has 7 members present for a school council meeting including the following, school council has not achieved quorum because although there is one half of all members currently holding office, there are more department employees than non-department employees:

• the principal
• 2 school employee members
• 2 student members
• the department employee parent
• one other parent member.

However, at the next school council meeting 7 members are present including:

• the principal
• one school employee member
• 2 student members
• the department employee parent
• one other parent member
• one community member.

In this case, the school council has achieved quorum because there is one half of all members currently holding office in attendance and there are more non-department employees than department employees present.

Standing Orders

A school council may develop and approve Standing Orders to assist in the effective and efficient operation of meetings.

It is good practice to establish Standing Orders and review them each year following completion of the election process.

Standing Orders typically include a description of meeting procedures, such as the:

• length of meetings
• agenda
• minutes
• quorum requirements
• meetings arrangements
• open and closed meetings
• effective decision-making
• member absence from meetings
• arrangements for extensions of meeting
• meeting etiquette.

The Education and Training Reform Regulations 2017 (Vic) set out certain legal requirements in relation to conducting school council meetings. These requirements cannot be overridden by the Standing Orders determined by a school council.

The department provides a sample set of Standing Orders for councils at Sample Standing Orders for a school council meeting (DOCX).

Meeting protocols

School council meetings must be:

• conducted in accordance with the school council’s Standing Orders if the school council has established any
• chaired by:
  • the president of the school council or
  • the principal as executive office of council at the first school council meeting of the new council to appoint community members and elect office bearers chaired or
  • the vice-president
    • if the president of the school council is unable to preside, and
    • if a vice-president has been appointed by the school council, or
  • a member of the school council (other than a department employee member) decided by the school council
    • if the school council has not appointed a vice-president, or
    • the vice-president is unable to preside at the meeting
• provided with support and resources for the conduct of meetings by the principal as the executive officer of school council.

Visitors or observers can be present at a school council meeting with the agreement of the principal but they cannot vote and may only speak by invitation.

There may be times when, for the purpose of confidentiality or other reasons, a school council meeting needs to be closed. The principal in consultation with the president determines the need for a closed meeting.

Agenda

The agenda lists the business that school council will consider at the meeting. Some items are for information only, some for discussion and others for decision.

Meeting papers are recommended to be sent approximately 5 days (when possible) prior to the meeting date to allow school council members to:

• reflect on the issues
• gather more information if necessary
• canvass the opinions of school community members, where applicable.

Most information regarding agenda topics to be discussed in school council meetings will be provided by the principal or in reports from relevant individuals or sub-committees.

In order to avoid the agenda being crowded with too much business, a significant amount of work may be undertaken by sub-committees.

Reports from the sub-committees:

• provide information and recommendations to school council
• are considered at school council meetings when appropriate.

Further information on school council sub-committees is available at School Council – Sub-committees.

School councils may use the school council sample agenda and minute templates.

Minutes

School council minutes must be taken and must record:

• the type of meeting (regular, extraordinary or public)
• date, time and venue of meeting
• names of attendees (including visitors) and apologies received from members
• the name of the chair
• the business of the meeting including the decision on the minutes of the previous meeting, inward and outward correspondence and reports of any sub-committees tabled at the meeting
• decisions of the meeting including motions and any amendments, names of movers and seconders
• whether the motion was carried or rejected
• the number of votes for and against
• the resulting actions required and when the actions or activities are completed.

The minutes of the school council meeting must be:

• written up under the agenda item headings
• circulated by the principal prior to the next meeting of school council
• confirmed as accurate at the next school council meeting
• signed by the school council president or chair, if the president did not chair the meeting.

There is no right-of-access to the minutes of a school council meeting under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (Vic). However, it is recommended that the principal keep the school community informed of school council matters by way of:

• a report in the school newsletter
• a digital communication system
• the school website.

Sample agendas and minutes templates

School councils may use the following 8 school council agenda and minutes templates (one for each regular meeting required throughout the year). Meeting 1 covers the first meeting of the school council immediately following the election (which is usually the second meeting of the calendar year). Meeting 8 covers the final school council meeting before the election (which may be the first meeting of the calendar year). Schools are advised to use all 8 templates.

The template agendas include mandatory agenda items that apply to all schools. However, the requirements of schools will vary based on their activities and there may be additional mandatory requirements that school councils must include on meeting agendas for these activities. Schools must also consult the Guide to School Council Finance Motions (PDF) for agenda items that are specific to the operations of their school council.

The template agendas are designed to spread the work of school councils across the 8 meetings. However, schools may choose to change the order of some agenda items.

There are currently no templates for the extraordinary meeting or the public meeting. For more information about the content of these meetings refer to: School Council – Meetings: Public Reporting and Extraordinary meetings.

• Sample agenda and minutes template – Meeting 1 (DOCX) – The key agenda items in this meeting include the completion of the mandatory school council self-assessment tool, the election of office bearers, setting meeting dates for the year, delegation of school council powers, school council training as well as standard school council governance.
• Sample agenda and minutes template – Meeting 2 (DOCX) – The key agenda items in this meeting include the co-option of community members (if applicable), endorsement of the school’s annual report by 30 April and the mandatory child safe standards presentation as well as standard school council governance.
• Sample agenda and minutes template – Meeting 3 (DOCX) – The key agenda items in this meeting include the Gifts, Benefits and Hospitality register as well as standard school council governance.
• Sample agenda and minutes template – Meeting 4 (DOCX) –The key agenda items in this meeting include reviewing insurance arrangements as well as standard school council governance.
• Sample agenda and minutes template – Meeting 5 (DOCX) – The key agenda items in this meeting include standard school council governance.
• Sample agenda and minutes template – Meeting 6 (DOCX) – The key agenda items in this meeting include approval of the annual parent payment request and permission to write off charges as well as standard school council governance.
• Sample agenda and minutes template – Meeting 7 (DOCX) – The key agenda items in this meeting include endorsement of the indicative cash budget and written off charges, parent payment arrangements and preparation of the annual report as well as standard school council governance.
• Sample agenda and minutes template – Meeting 8 (DOCX) – The key agenda items in this meeting include standard school council governance.

Decision-making

School councils make decisions by a majority vote of eligible members who are present at a council meeting. The principal is entitled to vote and their vote is counted alongside those of other school council members.

Generally, the process for voting on a decision involves the following:

• A member of school council (typically the president but can be any member of school council) asks the school council members to approve or agree to a particular issue or decision.
• This request is called a ‘motion’. An example of a motion is: 'that the school council approves the expenditure of $ ... for the purchase of ... as detailed in the quote presented by ... to school council.'
• The chair will ask for another member of school council to 'second' the motion to be presented to school council.
• All school council members will be asked to vote on whether or not to approve (‘pass’) the motion.
• The voting will determine if the motion is accepted or not, based on the majority of votes indicated by members present at the meeting.

Voting can occur by a show of hands or verbally and can be done in person or via videoconference or teleconference. Where school council decides voting is to be anonymous, members may vote on paper or by text or email sent to a designated vote receiver, provided votes are sent and received during the meeting. Records should be kept to facilitate checking if necessary.

If votes are tied, the chair has a second or casting vote.

For a school council decision to be valid, the meeting must have a quorum. Proxies cannot be used, nor can decisions be ratified by email or any other electronic means, outside the meeting time.

A school council member's temporary absence due to a conflict of interest in a matter under discussion and decision-making does not affect the meeting quorum. Refer to School Council – Meetings: Quorum at a school council meeting.

The number of votes, both for and against the motion, will be recorded in the minutes.

Length of meetings

School council meetings usually require no longer than 2.5 hours, regardless of the setting.

If business has not been concluded by the scheduled closing time for the meeting, the chair must ask council members whether they wish to:

• defer the rest of the business until the next meeting
• extend the meeting by a specified period of time, for example: 15 minutes. A motion is necessary if school council wants to extend the meeting

Conflict of interest

A conflict of interest occurs when a school council member’s personal interests may influence, or may be seen to influence, their role and decision-making on school council.

Personal interests can be pecuniary (financial) or non-pecuniary. Potential conflicts of interest occur where an actual conflict of interest may arise in the future.

Perceived conflicts of interest occur where a reasonable person might suspect that a school council member is subject to a real conflict of interest, whether or not one actually exists.

School council members are obliged to identify these risks and take action in consultation with the principal and the president to mitigate them.

For further information, see School Council – Conduct and Conflict of Interest.

Code of Conduct

School councils in Victoria are public entities as defined by the Public Administration Act 2004 (Vic). School council members must abide by the 2024 Code of Conduct for Directors of Public Entities issued by the Victorian Public Sector Commission.

The Code of Conduct is based on the Victorian public sector values:

• responsiveness
• integrity
• impartiality
• accountability
• respect
• leadership
• human rights.

The Code of Conduct and values underpin the behaviours that the government and community expect of all directors of public entities, including school council members.

Further details on the Code of Conduct, including preventing and managing school council conduct issues, can be found in the School Council — Conduct and Conflict of Interest.

Holding virtual or hybrid school council meetings

School councils may use telephone or video conferencing to conduct school council meetings, including the first meeting after the poll to appoint community members and elect office bearers.

For a school council to make a valid decision, the meeting must have a quorum and members must attend either in person or by video or telephone.

Using Webex for school council meetings

Webex is the videoconferencing solution provided by the department. School councils may use this tool to conduct school council meetings virtually.

Using Webex requires:

• the principal, as executive officer, or their delegate, to set up school council meetings and send email invites to council members
• school council members to download and install the Webex App on the device of their choice (desktop computer, laptop or mobile device)
• if a school council member does not have access to a device, they can dial in to the Webex meeting using a mobile phone or a landline.

Tips for running online meetings

Virtual and hybrid meetings can be difficult to run, especially with people who are not used to participating online. There are a few tips which can help people adapt quickly, feel included and comfortable contributing and feel they have effectively contributed to decision making.

Preparation for the meeting

• Ask attendees in advance what they need to be able to contribute to the meeting effectively and following through with any requests (for example, ask if any attendees have accessibility requirements).
• It is important to be clear on the role of the executive officer, the chair and other school council members.
• Be clear on what you have to do to prepare — make sure everyone has the equipment they require, that it is working and that they know how to use it.
• Formulate an appropriate agenda. Touch base with the participants individually to receive and check agenda items.
• Where possible, distribute pre-meeting reading at least 5 working days before meetings.

At the meeting

The chair needs to be clear on what is to be achieved at the meeting and make sure all voices are heard. Going ‘around the table’, to provide everyone with the opportunity to speak, gives everyone a chance to contribute and can overcome any discomfort with the new format.

Use meeting protocols to facilitate the smooth running of the meeting. They include:

• where possible, use a headset
• use mute when you are not speaking
• allow the chair to manage the meeting
• the chair or meeting host should establish the way in which everyone can participate, some examples are:
  • use visual clues when you want to speak, for example, raise your hand
  • if only using audio, use the chat feature to ask to speak
• for each agenda item, the host asks participants in sequence to speak and follows up at the end for any further questions
• if the quality of the video conference is poor, turn off video and continue with just audio
• if the host is recording the meeting, notify all attendees and seek agreement prior to commencing the recording.

Follow up

• Ensure minutes are circulated.
• Follow up any questions.
• De-brief with people you feel may not have contributed because they were uncomfortable with the format.

Special and first school council meeting after the poll

There are several items of business required to conclude the election process that may occur at a special meeting of school council called by the principal. Generally, schools hold this special meeting on the same evening as the first school council meeting.

At the special meeting, the principal must:

1. formally declare the candidates elected to the council
2. report on the number of votes cast by each electorate of the school (if a ballot was held).

The results must be recorded in the minutes.

At the special meeting school council can also vote to co-opt community members to any vacant community member positions.

If a co-option vote is taking place at the special meeting, the quorum is constituted if not less than half of the members of school council currently holding office are present.

If co-option of community members cannot be completed at this meeting, the item can be adjourned to a subsequent meeting and the school council can proceed to the first meeting to elect office bearers.

The process that must be followed when co-opting members to a school council is covered in the School council composition, eligibility and office bearers policy.

Election of office bearers

Office bearers are elected by school council members at the first ordinary school council meeting following the election. They hold office until they resign as an office bearer or until they cease to hold office as a school council member or until the next election of office bearers, whichever occurs first.

Office bearers serve a one-year term of office, meaning office bearer elections are required at the first school council meeting, every year. Student members are ineligible to hold an office bearer position.

School councils must elect a president at the first meeting. The president cannot be a department employee in any category or a student member.

Other positions may include:

1. Vice president: parent member (non-department employee) or community member.
2. Treasurer: elected from school council members, preferably a parent member or community member. The business manager/bursar cannot hold this position. The treasurer may also be appointed as the convenor of the finance sub-committee.
3. Minute taker/Secretary: the school council member undertaking this role records the actions and discussion in school council meetings. This role can be filled by any member of school council (other than a student member) or a non-council member. If this role is filled by a non-council member, the person is required to be a silent observer and has no voting rights.

The principal is automatically the executive officer of school council and presides at (chairs) the first meeting until a president is elected.

The school council decides the election voting process, for example by a show of hands or a paper voting ballot.

In the election of an office bearer, if the votes are tied, the school council may:

• decide to hold a new election for the office bearer position
• decide the election by drawing lots.

If a new election for the office bearer position is held and is tied again, the school council may:

• decide to conduct further elections until the election of the office bearers is decided
• decide the election by drawing lots.

Public reporting and extraordinary meetings

Public reporting meeting

A school council must call a public reporting meeting at least once each year, and:

• report the proceedings of the council since the date of the previous public meeting
• present the endorsed Annual Report to the meeting, and
• if the school council accounts have been audited, present a copy of the audited accounts.

The public reporting meeting can be held during the year at a time that suits the school community and school council activities and commitments.

Extraordinary meetings

An extraordinary meeting of a school council may be held at a time decided by the council if all members are given reasonable notice of the:

• time
• date
• place, and
• object of the meeting.

The school council president, or in the president’s absence, the principal must call an extraordinary meeting if either of them receives a written request to do so from at least 3 council members by sending a notice to all school council members giving the members reasonable notice of the:

• time
• date
• place, and
• object of the meeting.

The business of the extraordinary meeting must only cover the specific matter for which it is called.

Interactive online training

To support the conduct of school council meetings, principals and school council members can access 2 interactive online training modules called ‘Running Effective Meetings’ and ‘Reaching Agreement and Resolving Conflict’.

School council members can self-register to access the interactive online training through the school council learning management system and complete these modules in their own time and pace.

It is recommended that the online ‘Running Effective Meetings’ and ‘Reaching Agreement and Resolving Conflict’ modules are viewed in conjunction with the information presented in this policy and the Improving School Governance (ISG) reference guides.

Resources

For information about school council meeting protocols and sample documentation, see:

• Sample standing orders for a school council meeting (DOCX)
• Sample sub-committee report (DOCX)
• Sample agenda and minutes template – Meeting 1 (DOCX) – The key agenda items in this meeting include the completion of the mandatory school council self-assessment tool, the election of office bearers, setting meeting dates for the year, delegation of school council powers, school council training as well as standard school council governance.
• Sample agenda and minutes template – Meeting 2 (DOCX) – The key agenda items in this meeting include the co-option of community members (if applicable), endorsement of the school’s annual report by 30 April and the mandatory child safe standards training as well as standard school council governance.
• Sample agenda and minutes template – Meeting 3 (DOCX) – The key agenda items in this meeting include the Gifts, Benefits and Hospitality register as well as standard school council governance.
• Sample agenda and minutes template – Meeting 4 (DOCX) –The key agenda items in this meeting include reviewing insurance arrangements as well as standard school council governance.
• Sample agenda and minutes template – Meeting 5 (DOCX) – The key agenda items in this meeting include standard school council governance.
• Sample agenda and minutes template – Meeting 6 (DOCX) – The key agenda items in this meeting include approval of the annual parent payment request and permission to write off charges as well as standard school council governance.
• Sample agenda and minutes template – Meeting 7 (DOCX) – The key agenda items in this meeting include endorsement of the indicative cash budget and written off charges, parent payment arrangements and preparation of the annual report as well as standard school council governance.
• Sample agenda and minutes template – Meeting 8 (DOCX) – The key agenda items in this meeting include standard school council governance.