14. School council president – roles and responsibilities
Your school review role and responsibilities
The school council president is the elected representative of the school community. They act as a critical change agent in engaging the school and community in a common purpose and validating the change required to improve school performance. The school council president guides policy development and ensures the school meets compliance obligations.
During the review, the school council president contributes the voice of the community, offering insights into the school’s unique interests and needs. As a member of the core School Review Panel, the school council president has collaborative decision-making responsibilities.
The key tasks of the school council president are on the following pages of this section. For more detail about how these tasks relate to the wider review process, and the roles and responsibilities of all participants in the review, refer to section 4 of these guidelines and to other tools and resources listed throughout.
You can also download an A3 printable checklist for the review process (staff login required).
School review participants
School review is characterised by collaboration. Every participant has a distinctive role and important responsibilities to fulfil.
A constructive and transparent school review welcomes ideas from all school community members, listens to and reflects on varying opinions, and relies on inclusive engagement and accountability.
Section 4 of the guidelines provides an overview of the roles and responsibilities for all School Review Panel members.
As the model below indicates, the school council president is a core Panel member.
Core School Review Panel members
The following Panel members have decision making powers:
- principal
- senior education improvement leader (SEIL)
- reviewers
- school council president.
These guideline sections detail the roles and responsibilities of the Panel.
- Principal – section 11
- SEIL – section 12
- Reviewer – section 13
- Challenge partners – section 15
- Students – section 16
- School Improvement Team (SIT) – section 17
- School staff and other community members – section 18
Tasks
Pre-review tasks
- Determine which days you can attend the review – organise and brief an alternate school council representative when it is not possible for you to attend
- Take part in the school’s pre-review self-evaluation (PRSE) activities
- Familiarise yourself with the PRSE Report and any other school data and evidence provided, identifying any questions, wonderings and highlights
- Ensure no conflict of interest exists with the allocated reviewer
- Endorse the PRSE Report in the Strategic Planning Online Tool (SPOT)
Tools and resources:
- Probity and conflict of interest guidelines (staff login required)
Validation Day tasks
- Actively take part as part of the core Panel
- Take part in classroom observations focusing on student voice, agency and leadership, curriculum content and teaching practice. Report these observations to the core Panel
- Engage in a collaborative evaluation of performance against the School Strategic Plan goals and targets
- Take part in a collaborative validation of the school’s self-assessment against the FISO Continua
- Co-determine any additional days for review
- Contribute to developing terms of reference (ToR) focus questions and methodology for the review
Fieldwork and final panel meeting tasks
- Take part in fieldwork as determined in the school review methodology
- Contribute to the final collective assessment of the school’s proficiency level against the FISO Continua
- Contribute to collaboratively developing goals, targets and key improvement strategies (KIS) for the next School Strategic Plan
Tools and resources:
- Template – Validation Day agenda resource – Validation Day questions (staff login required)
- Template – School Review Report (includes terms of reference and methodology) (staff login required)
- Template – Classroom observation and focus group schedule (staff login required)
Post review tasks
- Complete the post-review survey via Survey Monkey
- Attend the presentation of the Review Report to school council, and support school council members to understand the review outcomes
- Take part in developing the School Strategic Plan, including engaging with the school community
Tools and resources:
Good review practice
Good review practice is demonstrated when the school council president understands the importance of their role in the school review and that it comprises:
- an assessment against legislative requirements
- an assessment of the school’s performance against the School Strategic Plan goals and targets
- development of new school improvement directions.
Good review practice is also demonstrated when the school council president:
- is familiar with tools and resources that build knowledge and capacity for a productive school review
- contributes and engages collaboratively in Panel discussions and related activities
- ensures a school council representative is identified to support the school review if the school council president is unable to attend
- understands the need to respect confidentiality about some issues that arise within the school review process
- offers objective insights into the school from a school council and community perspective
- encourages school community members to actively engage with and participate in school review opportunities open to them
- works collaboratively through the Panel to promote a shared vision for school’s continuing improvement journey.
Reviewed 20 February 2023