For Governors, Leaders and School Communities
This blog post is written for governors who want to understand and strengthen meaningful student voice and co‑production in their schools.
Too often, student voice is reduced to surveys or councils involving the same confident students, taking place after decisions have already been made.
This guide centres children and young people whose voices are most often unheard: children in care and their carers; disabled and neurodivergent pupils; ethnically diverse students; Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities; and pupils whose religion or belief is frequently misunderstood or marginalised.
As governors, our responsibility is to ensure schools uphold dignity, equity and statutory duties. This pocketbook supports learning, reflection and challenge, helping governors recognise authentic practice and move beyond tokenism towards genuine shared power.
Core Principles (Non‑Negotiables)
- Nothing about us, without us, students are involved before decisions are made.
- Intersectionality matters because students experience overlapping identities and inequalities.
- Access comes before voice communication; trust and safety must be addressed first.
- Feedback must lead to change, and trust depends on visible impact.
1. Student Voice & Agency
High‑quality student voice means students influence real decisions about policies, routines, curriculum and environment. Voice is designed so students do not need confidence, verbal fluency or conformity to participate.
Good practice case study:
A special school worked with children in care and foster carers to redesign EHCP review meetings using visual timelines. Pupils selected priorities in advance. Carers reported reduced anxiety, and pupils described feeling listened to rather than spoken about.
2. Relationships with Peers
Inclusive peer cultures are taught intentionally and address racism, ableism, bullying and exclusion directly.
Good practice case study:
A secondary school co‑designed peer mentoring with Black and neurodivergent students. Mentors supported conversations about racism, masking and belonging. Reporting increased, and repeat incidents reduced.
3. Relationships with Adults
Trust grows when adults listen, believe students and admit mistakes.
Good practice case study:
A primary school worked with Jewish pupils and families to challenge antisemitic language. Pupils helped design guidance for staff responses, improving safety and confidence.
4. School Culture, Ethos and Environment
Culture is reflected in whose experiences shape policy and daily practice.
Good practice case study:
A sixth‑form college partnered with GRT students and community members to review attendance and uniform expectations. Policies were adapted, improving attendance and relationships.
5. Teaching & Learning (Pedagogy)
Inclusive pedagogy reflects students’ lived experience and identity.
Good practice case study:
Students from Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Pakistani and African backgrounds co‑created a living diversity calendar. They designed lessons and assemblies based on lived experience, not tokenistic celebration.
6. Families and Communities
Partnership with families and communities builds trust and belonging.
Good practice case study:
A school partnered with local mosques, synagogues and Seventh‑day Adventist churches. Students and faith leaders co‑planned learning, strengthening cultural understanding and parental trust.
7. Transitions, Wellbeing and Daily Experience
Transitions are high‑risk moments for marginalised students.
Good practice case study:
Neurodivergent pupils and carers co-designed visual transition plans. Students arrived calmer and incidents were reduced.
8. Recruitment, Staffing and Leadership
Student voice also informs those who work in schools.
Good practice case study:
Students and parents from ethnically diverse backgrounds supported staff recruitment, shaping inclusion‑focused interview questions and contributing to more diverse appointments.
Conclusion
Student voice is not an initiative to complete but an ongoing commitment to shared power, dignity and justice. For governors, the critical question is not whether student voice exists, but whose voices shape decisions and whose remain unheard.
When governors prioritise learning, listening and impact, co‑production becomes a driver of inclusion, trust and improved outcomes for students, families and communities