Cashmere Primary School
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At Cashmere Primary, our students are probably our largest untapped resource. We have 450 wonderful children with a huge amount of potential.
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In the last couple of years we have focused on our year 8 students, and we have invited them to apply for a leadership role within the school. This is like applying for a job. They have a job description. They have to do a written application, they are interviewed, and they need to have referees who support their application.
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We say to our children that if you are leaders, then you are positive role models, so there are certain things about your behaviours that we expect to see: enthusiasm, pride in your school, a love of learning, and positive behaviours.
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So I think there is a time in our history where we stop assuming that children have limited influence and limited skills.
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It's my hope that in the future we would have committees with children on them, contributing and telling us what they need for their school life to be positive for them.
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I am influenced by the Elizabeth Vale Primary School in Adelaide. It has committees of children of all ages and all levels, alongside the adults who work in the school. They help govern the school, running all aspects of school life. Those committees have real responsibility. Four year olds can sit on those committees, and it actually works.
