Student Voice

Students are at the heart of any school. The very reason we exist as an organisation is to foster them by nurturing and developing empowered learners with strength of character who know and follow Christ and serve others. A key driver for my personal involvement in secondary education for the past 25 years has been because students bring with them ideas, hopes, aspirations and contributions to the educational community they are part of. Some express their thinking quietly, while others are very vocal about what they want from their community and the world around them. These varied ideas and contributions make Penrith Anglican College a rich and vibrant place to work and learn.

Capturing student thinking has led to two passion projects for me over the past nine months. The "Hot Seat" has become a regular segment in the fortnightly secondary assemblies. The aim is to showcase some of the wonderful things happening across the College and to give a voice to students who are passionate about an element of their learning. Students and staff nominate individuals or groups who are actively engaged in any aspect of school life. I have the privilege of interviewing them in front of the secondary school, exploring what they are involved in and how it connects to their learning. Initially, students were hesitant to participate, but over the past six months it has grown to the point where students now actively seek out opportunities to share their stories and speak about how their involvement in the College is having a positive impact on them and their education.

Building on this idea and providing a platform for students who may not enjoy being in the spotlight has led to the creation of the PAC Productions Team—a small group of students working to capture PAC stories through video. So far, the team has produced three videos highlighting Harmony Day, the Athletics Carnival, and Ryle House Charity Day. Mr Jake Nauta will be supporting this group, offering guidance on how to craft compelling narratives about life at the College, further amplifying student voice.

More formal avenues for student voice are found through student leadership. In the last Vine publication, the new Student Leadership Team was announced. This team not only represents the student body but also serves as a valuable source of insight and feedback. Student leaders work closely with staff and are regularly consulted to contribute to decision-making processes.

Perhaps less well known within the wider community is our Mentor Rep System. Each mentor group selects a representative to speak on behalf of their peers. Mr Mark Gee, Director of Students (Years 7–12), oversees this group and meets with them regularly to gather their ideas and perspectives. This year, mentor group representatives are being selected mid-year to align with the selection of school leaders. This will allow a group of school prefects to guide the mentor reps, offering both students leaders and mentor reps a meaningful and authentic opportunity to develop their leadership skills.

As a College community, we value the hopes, dreams and aspirations of our students, and we remain committed to nurturing and developing them into empowered learners with strength of character who know and follow Christ and serve others. What a wonderful reason to come to Penrith Anglican College each day and work with and amongst this fantastic student and staff body.