Student Voice, Agency and Leadership

Student Leaders @ Mano

At Manifold Heights Primary School we are committed to empowering students through Voice, Agency and Leadership. It is through regular and ongoing opportunities in these practices, that student health, wellbeing and learning outcomes can be greatly enhanced. 

“Young people who find their own voice in supportive school environments are more likely to develop a confident voice, a capacity to act in the world, and a willingness to lead others. By empowering students we enhance student engagement and enrich their participation in the classroom, school and community. We help students to ‘own’ their learning and development, and create a positive climate for learning.”

(Amplify – Victorian Department of Education, 2019)

Student Voice is not simply about giving students the opportunity to communicate ideas and opinions; it is about students having the power to influence change. Authentic student voice provides opportunities for students to collaborate and make decisions with adults around what and how they learn and how their learning is assessed.

Student Agency refers to the level of autonomy and power that a student experiences in the learning environment. Student voice and agency are intrinsically linked. Agency gives students the power to direct and take responsibility for their learning, creating independent and self-regulating learners.

Student Leaders provide an important link between the greater student body, teachers and school leadership team. Biweekly forums allow opportunity for select students to share the ideas/opinions of their peers and work together in enhancing both their learning environment and vision for the school community as a whole.

Other students engage in regular sessions of reflection and feedback with classroom teachers and may also work with school leadership in focus groups made up of students from a particular year level or sub-group.  

Recognised Leadership roles at Manifold Heights Primary School include:

• Class Ambassadors (representatives from each Grade 2 – 6 classroom)
• Positive Behaviour and Wellbeing Ambassadors (representatives from each year level, Grade 3 – 6)
• School Captains (2 representatives from Grade 6)
• School Vice Captains (2 representatives from Grade 6)
• House Captains (2 representatives from each house)