The Independent Public Schools initiative empowers school principals in conjunction with staff, parents and the broader community to make important decisions regarding their school and respond directly to local needs and aspirations.
It is designed to offer schools the freedom to be responsive and open to the broader range of possibilities their communities can offer. It also expands the opportunities for schools to collaborate and innovate in order to achieve the best possible outcomes for their students and local communities.
All Independent Public Schools are required to establish a school council. School councils enable greater involvement of the school community and other stakeholders, such as industry, in setting the strategic direction for the school. School councils approve and monitor the school’s strategic direction, further strengthening collaborative local decision-making. The council must perform its role in accordance with legislation and in a way that achieves the best learning outcomes for the school’s students.