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Student Voice & Agency
At Beaumaris Secondary College, we believe in the power of student voice. We recognise that our students are not just learners but also valuable contributors to our community. Through various platforms and initiatives, we empower our students to express themselves, share their perspectives, and shape their educational experiences. Whether it's through School Council, clubs, working parties, forums, or other channels, we provide opportunities for students to be heard and to actively participate in decision-making processes. By fostering a culture where student voice is valued and respected, we create an inclusive environment where every student feels empowered to make a difference.
Amplify Program
The Amplify program aims to enhance student voice in the college and continue to develop the innate leadership that we believe lies in each and every student. We help students to 'own' their learning and development, and create a positive climate for learning by empowering students to share their feedback and collaborate with teachers on our curriculum.
In 2023, the Amplify leaders designed our survey and tested it on a small number of Year 7 classes. After some refinement, the leaders delivered it to the entire Year 8 cohort. This data was then presented to teachers in their Professional Learning Teams (PLTs) and the students provided ideas to help refine the survey based on the feedback. Our leaders then further refined the survey, based on their reflections as leaders and the feedback received, and rolled it out across Years 7-10. Moving forward, the Amplify leaders will present a semester overview of student feedback to PLTs and offer their insights to assist in refining our curriculum.
Shared Decision Making
Students are part of the shared decision making including;
- Uniform Policy Working Party
- Canteen Working Group
- Planning year level events such as the Year 11 & 12 Formals
- Changes to the structure of the BSC day
- Sharing their interpretation of our Attitudes to School Data
- School Council Council Representatives
Beauy Voices
The Attitudes to School Survey is completed every year by staff, parents and students. This data is used to help set the school’s priorities every year. Beauy Voices was introduced in 2024. Developed in collaboration with the student Year Level Leaders, each year level viewed and reflected on the data for their cohort. Their responses were compiled to create a snapshot for each year level. Representatives from each year level met with me and shared their insights on the data and cohort feedback. As a school, we were then able to identify patterns that assisted in prioritising our school goals.
Teach the Teacher
The most successful part of Beauy Voices was the Teach the Teacher presentation. I was fortunate enough to work with a fantastic group of Year 10 students. In collaboration with VicSRC, the students reviewed the Attitudes to School data, identified areas of concern they felt were significant for their year level and then developed a professional development session for teachers. The area that students selected to work on was rubrics and feedback. Honestly, it was one of the easiest programs to run. The students designed the inquiry question, decided the formatting and style of presentation, created an icebreaker to run at the start of the session, invited staff to share their thoughts and collected feedback for reflection. Each PLT has stated that this was hands down the best professional development they have had all year. Additionally, it has sparked such a conversation that the rubrics and feedback will be part of the school’s annual plan for next year. The students are very excited to continue collaborating with teachers in 2025, and I similarly, cannot wait to continue working with such a brilliant group of young leaders.
Mr Ardi
December 2024
Empowering Students Across Victoria
Oskar E from Year 8 is supported by Beaumaris Secondary College with his work as an Ambassador Intern at VicSRC.
Over the past few months, I’ve had the privilege of working closely with the Victorian Student Representative Council (VicSRC) as an Ambassador Intern. In April, I participated in an intensive workshop organised by VicSRC, where we focused on enhancing students’ advocacy and leadership skills. As part of this transformative experience, I developed a project proposal aimed at amplifying student voices within our local community. To my delight, my proposal was selected for implementation.
My proposal is called Local Schools Council (LSC) program.
The purpose of the LSC program is to address the need for consistent and meaningful communication between students from different schools in the area, creating a clear pathway for collaboration in future events and projects. Possible ways that this program could achieve this are organising student voice events and forums and working with stakeholders to provide student voice on matters that affect high school students in the area. Basically, it is a multi-school student council.
I’ve learned valuable lessons about leadership, teamwork, and the power of student advocacy. As I continue this journey, I look forward to further growth and making a lasting impact within our educational community.
