Guardian Angels Catholic Primary School is situated in Ashmore on the Gold Coast in Queensland. The school has a population of over 780 students.

With a change in leadership, 2021 was the first year that student voice was investigated by staff, students, and the community. We entered our second year with the Student Voice Project in 2022, building on the strong foundations of clarity of definition. There were two staff members initially involved in the student voice project, which was conducted with Brisbane Catholic Education partnering with the Quaglia Institute, and the team expanded to involve a core collaborative of six teachers at Guardian Angels (GA) to support systems, processes and structure to ensure ‘Voice’ is a way of operation at the school.

Purpose

Our goal in 2021 was to ensure there was a common understanding of voice with students, parents, and staff. We also wanted to identify areas within this where our students needed to develop further understanding. We wanted voice in the school to be a way of being.

We defined voice as:

Sharing thoughts, ideas, and opinions that are genuine in an environment underpinned by trust and respect.

Offering realistic suggestions and expectations for the good of the whole.
Accepting responsibility for not only what you say but what needs to be done.

Opportunities to investigate skills and strategies to support voice were implemented from the data gained from the iKnow Survey.

There was an alignment of key school documents to embed student voice eg. Student Behaviour Support Plan, Annual Plans, where a GA learner was defined.

Our goal in 2022 was to deepen voice with students, parents, and staff as a way of operating at GA. We also wanted to identify skills that our students needed to develop further to support authentic voice within the school. A strong connection was linked to GA High Impact practices, which aligned seamlessly with core visible learning practices.

Background Analysis

Key documents and processes were reviewed during 2021. This provided an opportunity to clearly name student voice as a part of our way of operating at Guardian Angels.

Clear communication with all stakeholders was a priority. Clarity around key elements was a continual reference throughout the year: at parent/staff and student meetings, in newsletters, social media and professional development.

The use of the iKnow survey allowed teachers and students key skill areas to focus on and develop. Teaching these skills allowed richness in authentic voice and ownership.

In 2022, our defined statement of a ‘GA Learner’ and components of our behavioural support plan clearly linked the conceptual elements of voice into our ways of working.

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Our named GA Learner elements:

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Examples of student understanding of learning goals:

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Focused communication with all stakeholders continued, as did referencing Student Voice through goals, professional development, communication pathways and community events.

The school clearly defined core high impact practices, which are evidence based, to provide clarity about our consistent way of operating within the school. A resource was developed to clearly define and support teachers, and induct new staff members.

We continued to seek to see GA life through a student's perspective in order to refine our practices, gain perspective and celebrate.

Continued use of the iKnow survey allowed teachers and students to define key skill areas to focus on and develop. Teaching these skills allowed richness in authentic voice and ownership. The process was refined in 2022 and there was opportunity to link to build key focus skills in planning. Short cycle review process enabled GA to close the loop and empower students to know their impact/progress with focus goals. It was linked to class goal setting as a focus.

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Our journey

In 2021, we looked at ways to promote an understanding of Student Voice:

1. A staff focus was linked to school goals of Assessment Capable Learners and a Cohesive and Collective Professional Learning Culture:

Embedded in definition as a learner at GA
Instructional Strategies
Feedback

2. Student understanding was promoted as part of our GA Learner. The definition was a focus as part of WALKING the GA WAY. Key songs, literature and activities were used to promote key elements:

Picture Book: Cay and Adlee Find their Voice by Cali and Russ Quaglia:

‍The world is a noisy place. It's full of voices, but what are they all for? How are they different, and how do people use their voices to be heard? We all have an important voice. What kind of voice do you have

‍Picture Book: Say Something by Peter H Reynolds:

‍Discuss the many ways that a single voice can make a difference. We can say something with our actions, our words, and our voices.‍

Song: I Have a Voice by the Beat Buds. Classes identified the key elements to discover:‍‍

‍Everybody has a voice and the ability to use their voice to make a difference in the world.
No matter if my voice is small or loud, I can make a difference.
Find what you believe in, share what you have to say, your voice can make a difference.
I have a voice and the power to speak.
One voice has power and when our voices unite, we create a force like a meteorite.
Let’s make some noise, let’s change the world with our choice.
Picture Book: The Girl Who Never Made Mistakes by Mark Prett. Subject: Growth mindset/fixed mindset
Link to school theme song for the year ‘Live Our Story’‍

3. Assemblies, gatherings, newsletter, and social media were all mediums used to reinforce and promote voice at GA. There was space in the library for focused display messages.

We also wanted to identify areas within this where our students needed to develop further understanding. We wanted voice in the school to be a way of being. The iKnow my class survey was used and linked to GLOWS and GROWS within each room.
Staff had time to unpack areas and identify strengths, areas for development and wonderings with their students. Students elaborated further in class discussion for clarification. These were used as areas of focus in Term 2/3. TheiKnow survey is something we are looking to continue each semester.

We also took time to look at authentic opportunities to use voice when ideas or problems arise:

Learning Affirmations and school feedback with Carter Conversations around the school to get input, ideas, and actionable ways to build our school
Library Review and future planning Café
Suggestion box: follow through where the mantra Listen, Learn, Lead: Using Your Voice was at the forefront

In 2022, we looked at ways to continue to embed voice in GA language, processes and practices: We continued references to our defined GA Learner. This was promoted at assemblies, newsletters, in classrooms, and named in student diaries. Our definition clearly names what is expected of a learner at GA.

We continued to emphasise the core elements in the definition. Key songs, literature and activities continued to be a powerful way to promote key elements. In addition to those mentioned above, we used:

Maybe by Kobi Yamada: A Story About the Endless Potential in All of Us.
Be You by Peter H Reynolds: a celebration of individuality, persistence and staying true to YOU!
The Magnificent Thing by Ashley Spires: good options for dealing honestly with feelings, while at the same time reassuring children that it's okay to make mistakes.
Decibella by Julia Cook: gives children a fun to learn to be better communicators with the importance in using different volumes of their voice in different situations.
The Invisible Boy by Trudy Ludwig: teaches how small acts of kindness can help children feel included and allow them to flourish.
Perfectly Norman by Tom Percieval: about embracing and celebrating what makes you unique.
Clear links to GA Pedagogical Practices. Time was invested to unpack WHY, HOW and WHAT of these practices in our context.
Link to school theme song for the year ‘Shine Your Way’ by Owl City and key elements of our theme ‘Lights on @GA’

An opportunity to shadow students to look, ascertain and view processes from their perspective was begun in 2022. Reflections were recorded and shared: an example is below:

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We continued to refine our process for developing student skills. We closed the gap this year by building in reflection on how the classes achieved their goals and teachers linking skill needs within their planning.

Each term we used voice when ideas or problems arose, also to give input into school goals and needs from the students. These were really taken up by all classes as they have class meetings prior and representative came with their class voice on paper, and using technology.

‍‍**Outcomes: iKnow Survey Data Analysis**

Based on our analysis of the iKnow Survey Data from 2021 and 2022 (see details on the next page), we continue our journey to promote student voice as a way of being at GA in 2023. Strategic action planning allows us to be intentional through connecting direction, building skills and strategies to develop rigour and engagement for student voice at Guardian Angels. Over our journey we have noticed how empowering voice within our community is making a significant difference to driving learning and a community of learners that are striving to contribute actively to make a difference.