At Brandon Park Primary School, we believe that student voice and agency are critical in providing our students with the fundamental goals to achieve and grow as learners. This means that students will be empowered to take ownership of their learning, make purposeful contributions to their learning environments, and tackle issues arising in the world around them.

Well understood student agency is about an increased student commitment and focuses on their learning which has been shown to demonstrate higher goal setting, improved concentration when facing difficult tasks,  an increased ability to plan ahead and less likelihood of giving up when situations become challenging.  To build and attain the outlined benefits of student agency, the school provides Explicit Direct Instruction so that all students are continually challenged and supported through our rigorous and stimulating learning sequence. Our wellbeing focus is strongly aligned with this academic approach and explicitly instructs students in the regulation of their emotions, the development of behaviours consistent with resilient people and respect for others in our diverse school and the wider community. We believe that when students are empowered with the necessary skills and content for both academic life and happy and healthy relationships, they will begin to broaden their questioning and further their sense of agency and independence throughout life.

Our student voice and leadership program are influenced by the idea that students not only have a voice at our school but have the power to influence change. We provide various opportunities for our students to collaborate and make decisions with adults to ensure that students and staff work in a safe and secure environment where all can thrive. In our early years, students are encouraged to impart their voice through our class norms and routines. This is built upon by all teachers ensuring students perform various roles within the classroom and school, demonstrating responsibility and respect. As the students move into the middle and senior school, we provide further leadership opportunities, such as the Green team, Student Representative Council and Student Leaders Program in Year Six. These opportunities allow students to demonstrate influence in some of the following ways:

• Coordinate sustainability days such as Clean Up Australia Day

• Run the school-wide recycling and composting programs, including education for classes

• Maintain vegetable gardens and beautification of the school

• Coordinate social justice programs such as our Book Drive for the Australian Literacy and Numeracy Foundation

• Assist in the running of whole school events, such as Sorry Day, Cross Country, Footy Day and many more

• Liaise with principals and teachers for weekly assemblies

• Survey students and staff to gain data or feedback about school processes

• Run commemoration services such as ANZAC Day and Remembrance Day

• Help review school documents that relate to the school culture, for example, the School Oath or House System.

We firmly acknowledge that all students at Brandon Park Primary School possess student voice and agency and this is actively encouraged from the first day of Foundation until the last day of Year Six. We know that all students can lead by example through their everyday talents and behaviour, which begins with a simple ‘hello’, ‘please’ and ‘thank you.’