Student Voice at TSS

Mr Andrew Hawkins

Deputy Headmaster Head of Senior School

Irecently heard respected educator, Dr Kate Hadwen, speak at a conference on how her students are allowed to have a voice in her school. Dr Hadwen is the current Principal of PLC in Perth, but was recently announced as Principal of Pymble Ladies College in Sydney from 2020.

I left the conference reassured that we give our boys ample opportunity to have a ‘voice’ at TSS. For a start, the students from Years 7 to 12, choose their School Captain, Prefects and Wardens. Via the student elected Year Group Leadership Teams, the TSS student voice has voted in and helped write the drug testing policy, the academic integrity policy, and also wrote the TSS diligence scale that forms a major component of our TSS academic reporting.

One idea that Dr Hadwen discussed that happens at PLC, was students sitting in on prospective staff job interviews. Key stakeholders I spoke to at TSS, with some trepidation, agreed to have two students sit in on the first part of the interview process. The Walker House Captain and Vice House Captain were then asked to join the panel and ask some questions to the internal candidates that applied for the Walker Housemaster 12 month contract. As fate would have it, the 2019 leaders of Walker House were Nash Wright and Taisei Fujii. Two outstanding young men with maturity well beyond their years. Our ‘trial’ of students sitting in on the panel was destined for success. The boys’ questions were organic and their insights were incredible. The Human Resource Manager, Mrs Robyn Baker-Wright, could barely wipe the smile from her face after the entire process. It added a fresh approach to student voice in our School context.

Nash and Taisei personally came and found me to thank the School for allowing the opportunity for them to be part of the process of selecting the Acting Walker Housemaster. A good indication of an idea stolen from Dr Kate Hadwen at PLC, which has worked well for us here at TSS.