Student Agency on Display
SECONDARY AGENCY & ENGAGEMENT
The Secondary Agency and Engagement Team would like to take a moment to highlight and celebrate some of the outstanding work that our student leaders have undertaken in the area of student voice and leadership. Their ongoing commitment, enthusiasm, and willingness to represent their peers have made a significant contribution to the continuous improvement of our school community. Earlier this year, all students across the Secondary Campus participated in the annual Attitudes to School Survey, a valuable opportunity to gather feedback about students’ experiences, perceptions, and engagement at our College. The results from this year’s survey were particularly pleasing in several areas, including Effort and High Expectations for Success. These positive outcomes reaffirm much of the work our College community has been doing to promote a culture of high standards, resilience, and academic growth. However, the survey also revealed that there were some areas where we could continue to improve — most notably in the domain of Sense of Connectedness. Rather than viewing these results
as setbacks, our staff and students approached them as opportunities for growth. With an open and reflective mindset, we invited our Student Leaders to delve deeper into the data to uncover the stories behind the numbers — to understand more clearly what students believe we are doing well and where we might strengthen our collective efforts. The Student Leaders quickly rose to the challenge. They designed and conducted a series of online discovery interviews, where students from various year levels were asked targeted questions relating to their experiences and survey responses. These conversations provided a wealth of insights into how students perceive school life, learning, relationships, and belonging. Following the data collection, the Student Leaders volunteered additional time to meet with the Secondary Agency and Engagement Team. Together, they analysed the responses, looked for recurring themes, and identified key findings and priorities for each year level. This process was both enlightening and inspiring, as it revealed the diversity of student experiences across the campus and demonstrated the thoughtful perspectives our students bring to discussions about school improvement.
In late August, the Student Leaders presented their findings to the entire Secondary staff during a staff meeting. Their presentation was professional, articulate, and deeply insightful. They are to be commended for both the quality of their analysis and the maturity of their delivery. The mix of positive feedback and constructive suggestions sparked a number of meaningful discussions among staff about our curriculum design, learning programs, policies, procedures, and even the physical environment of the school. It was evident that our students’ voices carry weight — and that their feedback is helping to shape real and lasting change. Several key themes emerged from these discussions. Among them were the importance of timely and meaningful feedback, the value of positive and supportive student–teacher relationships, and the need to consistently recognise and reward effort and improvement. Students also expressed a strong desire to continue building school pride and connection through shared events, celebrations, and extracurricular programs. We are proud to note that recent initiatives such as the Teacher vs. Student Basketball Competition and R U OK? Day activities have been extremely well received and have contributed positively to this sense of community and belonging.
Looking ahead, the Secondary Agency and Engagement Team is excited to continue this collaboration with our students. We plan to invite even more student representatives into discussions and planning meetings. Staff feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, noting that these student-led discussions are productive, insightful, and genuinely thought-provoking. Equally, our students have expressed how much they value having a genuine platform where their voices are heard, their ideas are respected, and their feedback leads to tangible outcomes. We are incredibly proud of our Student Leaders and of all the students who have contributed to this process. Their initiative and dedication embody the true spirit of student agency — a partnership where young people and adults work together to make our College an even more connected, inclusive, and inspiring place to learn and grow.
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