School Council – Training and Good Governance

Overview

School councils play a key role in Victorian government schools, and being a member of the school council is a rewarding and challenging experience. Working as a team, school councils support schools to provide the best possible educational outcomes for students.

Although each school council member brings their own valuable life skills and knowledge to the role, school council members may need to develop skills and acquire knowledge in areas that may be unfamiliar to them. These might include developing the broad direction and vision for the school, building community partnerships, interpreting data or financial statements, maintaining and building the school’s facilities and understanding legislative and policy requirements.

The effectiveness of a school council relies on both the skills and expertise of its individual members and on council working as a team.

School council members will have a diversity of experiences, perspectives, information, connections and skills to carry out their governance functions. While all individuals bring value, some may be better prepared to serve on school council than others.

As individuals, school councillors should consider what understandings and capabilities they have, and what they can do to build their skills and expertise. As a team, it is recommended school councils identify the skills and expertise they need in order to be effective and take steps to build their capabilities where possible.