Policy
This page explains how schools can enable student voice, agency and leadership.
It includes consideration about how students:
- can share their ideas and perspectives
- build the skills for agency and independence
- contribute to their classrooms and school communities.
This policy outlines how the Framework for Improving Student Outcomes 2.0 (FISO 2.0) and the Victorian Teaching and Learning Model 2.0 (VTLM 2.0) support student voice, agency and leadership. It also provides information about other relevant guidance and programs.
Details
The principles of student voice, agency and leadership recognise the importance of students:
- sharing their experiences, ideas and concerns
- being able to ask questions, provide feedback and take part in discussions
- engaging in decision-making processes that affect them, their peers and their school community.
When schools seek student feedback, students see that their views matter. When schools involve them in decisions, students see they can contribute to improvements.
The FISO 2.0 includes student engagement as one of 5 core elements contributing to student learning and wellbeing.
The Victorian Curriculum 2.0 provides students with the knowledge and skills needed to engage in life-long learning and exercise agency. This includes the Critical and Creative Thinking, Ethical, Intercultural, and Personal and Social capabilities.
The VTLM 2.0 incorporates practices that support student voice, agency and leadership. It also helps to establish learning environments where students are more likely to feel able to exercise student voice, agency and leadership.
Refer to the Definitions section of this policy for definitions of student voice, agency and leadership.
Framework for Improving Student Outcomes (FISO 2.0)
The FISO 2.0 encourages schools to involve students in school improvement and decision making.
The FISO 2.0 Engagement core element includes the following dimension:
Activation of student voice, agency, leadership and learning, including a focus on the self-determination and agency of Koorie students, to strengthen students’ participation and engagement in school.
The FISO 2.0 illustrations of practice show examples of how students can contribute to school improvement. Refer to the Guidance tab for further information.
Contact: schoolplanning@education.vic.gov.au.
Victorian Teaching and Learning Model 2.0
The VTLM 2.0 helps schools create the conditions that support student voice, agency and leadership. It does this through:
- inclusive and culturally responsive practices
- respectful relationships
- positive classroom management.
The VTLM 2.0 encourages and builds the skills required for student voice, agency and leadership through practices that:
- invite student feedback and insights
- enhance student learning independence and self-regulation
- build learning success and mastery, and application and transfer of knowledge.
Refer to the Guidance tab for more information.
Contact: professional.practice@education.vic.gov.au.
Child Safe Standards
The Child Safe Standards (the Standards) are compulsory minimum standards for all Victorian schools to ensure they are well prepared to keep children and young people safe and protect them from abuse.
The Standards include requirements to keep children, young people and students safe, including involvement of students in child safety.
Child Safe Standard 3 requires schools to ensure children and young people are empowered about their rights, participate in decisions affecting them and are taken seriously. This standard supports schools to create a culture that values and promotes student participation. This includes:
- informing students about their rights and responsibilities in an age-appropriate way
- recognising the importance of friendships and peer support
- enabling students to actively participate in creating a culture that is safe for them and their peers.
Child Safe Standard 7 focuses on ensuring that schools have complaints processes that are child-focused, culturally safe and accessible to everyone. Schools must have policies, procedures and practices to:
- have a complaints handling process focused on students and their safety needs
- take complaints and concerns seriously
- respond promptly and thoroughly.
The PROTECT website(opens in a new window) has guidance and resources to support schools to implement the Child Safe Standards including example actions that schools can take.
- Child Safe Standard 3: Child and student empowerment(opens in a new window)
- Child Safe Standard 7: Complaints processes(opens in a new window).
Contact: child.safe.schools@education.vic.gov.au
Mature minor students
The law recognises that as children become older and more mature, they are more capable of making their own decisions about a wide range of issues including decisions about their education. The department’s policy on decision making by mature minor students supports schools with guidance on when and how to assess a student as being a mature minor for the purpose of making their own decision about a particular issue, without the involvement of their parents or carers.
Mature Minors and Decision Making
Contact: legal.services@eduction.vic.gov.au
Student members of school council
To support the inclusion of student voice in decision making, school councils at all Victorian government schools with a Year 7 cohort and above are required to include a mandated student member category (unless that school has a student category exemption). These members are elected by all students enrolled in Year 7 or above at the school.
Student members of school council have the same role and responsibilities as other council members including full voting rights.
School Council – Composition and Office Bearers.
Contact: school.council@education.vic.gov.au
Survey tools
Student Attitudes to School Survey
The department coordinates the Student Attitudes to School Survey which is conducted annually in term 2. All students in years 4 to 12 are invited to participate. The survey asks students about their thoughts and feelings in relation to their school, family, friends, health, and wellbeing (including bullying). Student answers are anonymous and are used by the department to help improve student outcomes, safety and wellbeing in schools.
Contact: school.performance.data@education.vic.gov.au
Bully Stoppers: survey tool
The Bully Stoppers: survey tool(opens in a new window) contains a range of survey templates that can be used by schools to gain an insight into the experience and opinions of students and other members of the school community about safety and wellbeing, including bullying.
Complaints and concerns
The department’s Parent Complaint Policy – Victorian government schools (DOCX)(opens in a new window) includes complaints raised by students who are mature minors:
The School Policy Templates Portal has a template Complaints Policy available for schools to download. The template policy includes sample content relating to both parent and student concerns and complaints:
Students may also Report racism or religious discrimination in schools(opens in a new window) through the report racism hotline or email.
Contact: Raise a complaint or concern about your school(opens in a new window).
Definitions
Student voice
Student voice refers to students:
- sharing ideas
- asking questions
- listening to others and being listened to
- giving and receiving feedback on issues within and outside of the classroom.
Voice enables students to:
- express themselves in their learning environment
- make meaningful contributions in their learning and school communities.
Student agency
Student agency refers to students:
- building self-regulation skills
- acting independently
- reflecting on learning progress
- using knowledge in complex and independent ways.
Agency enables students to:
- build the skills they need to take responsibility for their learning
- independently apply their learning in their classrooms, schools and beyond.
Student leadership
Student leadership includes formal and informal roles.
Leadership gives students the chance to:
- represent themselves and others
- influence positive change
- contribute to decisions
- support student wellbeing and inclusion in their schools and communities.
Related policies
- Bullying Prevention and Response
- Child Safe Standards
- Complaint Resolution
- Data Collection and Surveys
- Equal Opportunity and Human Rights – Students
- Framework for Improving Student Outcomes (FISO 2.0)
- Mature Minors and Decision Making
- Victorian Teaching and Learning Model.
Relevant legislation
Updated