Join your school council

By becoming a member of your school council, you can be directly involved in making decisions and providing advice to ensure the best outcomes for your government school.

Your life experiences, skills and cultural knowledge are valuable in contributing to decisions that help students' school journeys.

Watch the video

In the video below, you will:

• learn about why school councils are important
• hear from parents who help make decisions for their school by being part of their school council
• learn about setting or reactivating a school council.

Or you can read below for more information.

Why you should join

Your voice as a parent and community member will:

• help make the school the best it can be for students
• make sure your community’s wishes are considered in school decisions.

Read more about:

• the decisions you will make with your principal and the role of school councils
• roles of each member.

How to join

Your school will hold its annual general meeting (AGM) early in term one.

This is the time that most people join their school council.

Read more about AGMs and member elections.

You can also talk to your principal about joining or getting involved with your school council.

Who can join

School councils are made up of:

• parent members
  • must be a parent of a student enrolled at the school or preschool
  • a parent means a child’s mother, father or someone who has daily parental responsibility, including under Aboriginal tradition
  • at least half of the members must be parent members
• the principal
• teacher members
  • at least one teacher other than the principal must be a member
  • teacher members must be elected by other teachers at a meeting before the AGM
• student members
  • up to 2 secondary students can be members - if your school provides secondary education
  • students are elected by other students at a meeting before the AGM
• invited members
  • this might include people with particular qualifications, skills and experience - such as a local council member in your school’s electorate or a parliamentary member
  • an invited member can't be a teacher from any government school.

Talk to your principal if you want to become a member of your school council.

Each member must hold a current working with children clearance (Ochre card). You can talk to your principal about how to get an Ochre card if you don’t have one yet.