Board members hold a stewardship role, focusing on planning for and acting in the best interests of the school and its community. Their primary concern is student learning, wellbeing, achievement, and progress.

Effective boards work in partnership with school leaders and staff to benefit the students. While each has distinct roles and responsibilities, they rely on a cooperative relationship to fulfil their duties successfully.

Clear communication is a key aspect of being on the board. Members need to engage in discussions, share information, ask questions, and address important matters. This fosters relationships built on trust, enabling the board to work efficiently as a team.

The board’s main responsibility is to ensure that all students are achieving to a high standard. This involves supporting the Principal and staff, ensuring they have the necessary resources to deliver quality teaching and learning. To achieve this, members rely on accurate, detailed information from school leaders about the progress and wellbeing of the students.

A board member is part of a governance team. Every board includes up to three school-based members: the Principal, a staff representative elected by their peers, and for schools with students in Year 9 and above, a student representative elected by the student body. Most boards consist of five parent-elected members, though they may reduce this to three or increase it to a maximum of seven. Boards of state schools can also co-opt additional members, ensuring the team has a balanced mix of skills, experience, gender, or ethnicity. At Hillmorton High School, we have five elected parent representatives, two co-opted members, and three school-based members.