Student Leadership

At Beaconsfield Upper Primary School we believe that school life provides many opportunities for students to build the understandings and skills of leadership through the total curriculum and the many varied activities offered to them. Formal student leadership and student representation programs provide important benefits for individual students as well as positively influencing the school environment and the behaviour of fellow students.

Some benefits of the BUPS student leadership programs are:

  • formal and informal learning opportunities to develop individuals as leaders
  • to build a culture of mutual respect and consideration
  • develop organisational skills
  • opportunity to build communication skills and work co-operatively with others
  • offer a forum to foster an awareness of the wider community
  • encourages greater connectedness and commitment to the school
  • strengthen the student / teacher relationship
  • to build a culture of mutual respect and consideration
  • opportunities to voice concerns, make suggestions and participate in decision making
  • greater self esteem
  • greater access to positive adult role models
  • leads to higher educational aspirations

The following leadership positions are available:

    • School Captains and Vice School Captains
    • House Captains and Vice House Captains
    • Environment Captains
    • Junior School Councillors

Implementation:

  • At the end of each year, fair and equitable opportunity will be offered to all students in the appropriate levels
  • Students will nominate or be nominated for each position
  • Year 5 students will be eligible to nominate to be a School & Vice School Captain
  • House & Vice House Captains are nominated from Years 4 & 5

School and Vice School Captains:

  • An expression of interest letter is written to the Principal
  • A formal speech will be prepared and presented to peers in Grades 3-6, the Principal and staff
  • Students in Grades 3-5 will formally vote
  • Votes will be tallied
  • Pre – selected students are interviewed by the Principal and the Vice Principal
  • Staff vote
  • Elected members will be announced by the Principal

– Junior School Council representatives and ‘Enviro Kids’ will be elected by the staff after a written application has been received.
–  Grade 6 students are paired with Preps each year in a Buddy System.
– Students in Years 4 & 5 can apply for the positions of Junior School Councillors’ and ‘Enviro’ kids.

There are many opportunities for our Grade 5 and 6 students to have the opportunity to take on a Leadership role at Beaconsfield Upper Primary School. Students are elected by their peers and the staff.

 

Junior School Council: The BUPS Junior School Council comprises of a group of students who are elected by the staff to represent all students in the school. They organise ways for all the students at BUPS to participate in school life. Junior School councillors’ work democratically to represent the student body in school decision-making. They work together, with help from a staff member, to improve school life and to contribute students’ ideas. Each Councillor is assigned to a grade who they represent for the year. They attend meetings once a fortnight with the teacher who coordinates student leadership at BUPS.

The students in Grades 5/6 also run the weekly ‘Student Led‘ assemblies.