Issue 135

Students from Nemarluk School with books for their library trolley.

As part of the Northern Territory Learning Commission (NTLC), students at Nemarluk School were asked to reflect on what would most improve their learning.

The NTLC is a program that gives students a genuine voice in shaping how their schools improve. It places students at the centre of decision-making, asking them to use evidence, data and their own experiences to recommend what will most strengthen learning. Its aim is to ensure that reform in schools reflects what matters most to students, while simultaneously making improvements that help young people develop skills in leadership, collaboration and critical thinking.

At Nemarluk School, NTLC students met every week with their classroom teachers to explore challenges and opportunities. They began with data: surveys of teachers, students, and families, as well as their own observations of school life. From this evidence they identified priorities, refined them through discussion, and tested their ideas through pitch meetings with other NTLC schools. By the end of the year, they were expected to present their recommendations to peers, school leaders and the Minister for Education.

For this cohort, literacy quickly rose to the surface as an area where change was most needed. They spoke about wanting to choose their own books, to share stories with younger peers, and to have a quiet space for reading. They wanted a library.

The NTLC group responded by putting forward a plan for an initial step towards this; a mobile library that could move across the school as trolleys.

We spoke with classroom teachers Yvette and Bianca, who have been working alongside their students through the NTLC, about the process and the steps now being taken to bring a school library to life.

What is your role in your school?

Yvette

We’re both classroom teachers, responsible for the day-to-day running of specialist classrooms. Each class has around eight students, sometimes a few more, supported by one or two classroom assistants depending on the students’ needs.

As part of the NTLC, we meet with our group of student commissioners once a week for about an hour. In addition, we set aside another hour together during the week for planning and preparation. This gives us time to design activities, think through how to run the sessions, and consider ways to involve the students in meaningful leadership roles across the school.

How did the library get started?

Yvette

The library idea started last year with the previous NTLC students cohort. It was only touched on then, but this year we decided to really push it forward with the new cohort.

Bianca

So, when we looked at the data, literacy really stood out as an area we needed to work on. When we brought that to the NTLC students, the idea of a library came up straight away. They talked about how much they love reading, and how they wanted to be able to share that with younger students.

At the moment, teachers choose ‘borrow books’ for them to borrow from classrooms, so the kids don’t really get a say in what’s chosen. The students saw that as a real gap. They wanted the freedom to browse, to make their own choices, and to feel some ownership over what they were reading. They felt it wasn’t the same when the books appeared in their classrooms without their input. Having a library would give them that sense of choice and involvement.

Because we don’t have the space for a traditional library, they suggested creating a mobile one – using trolleys that could be kept in the hall and brought out at lunchtimes or wheeled into classrooms.

Do you think the push for a library was influenced by the fact that not all students have the same access to books outside of school?

Yvette

Yeah, and I would say that is probably a massive factor. A lot of our kids would be on the lower end of the socio-economic scale and they definitely would not have books at home. Some families don’t have vehicles to take them to the public library, and getting the whole family on a bus to the closest library can be a huge challenge. I think that really hinders a lot of our families from accessing books, apart from the ones we send home.

We also notice it when the Scholastic Book Club comes out once a term. We don’t have a high rate of kids purchasing from it, and that’s because many families can’t afford to buy brand-new books.

What makes the NTLC different from other programs, and why do you think it’s having a greater impact on students and schools?

Yvette

For me, the big thing is that it’s really driven by the kids. We might provide some data or background, but we don’t tell them what direction they have to take. If you sit in on one of the Learning Commission sessions, it’s amazing what they come up with. Sure, sometimes you’ll get an off-the-wall idea like putting in a water slide, but more often they choose really thoughtful, well-considered projects that can genuinely improve their learning, their school community, and make school a better place for everyone.

I think books are especially important for our students because they spend so much time on technology.

As you’ve started exploring how to build a library, what has it revealed to you about the complexity of cataloguing and library systems, and about the role of libraries in schools more broadly?

Yvette

I’m definitely a reader, I love books. I go to the public library, I’m part of book clubs, and for me there’s nothing more important than still having books. Even though I use iBooks and a Kindle, I love the smell of the pages, folding the corners, using a bookmark. A library has always been a safe, comforting place.

In a specialist school like ours, where students have such a range of needs, I think a library would be especially valuable. It could give them a quiet space to regulate. What I find intimidating is the cataloguing side, figuring out how to set it up properly and efficiently. That’s where we’ll need to rely on the expertise of others. It wouldn’t surprise me if some of our students could figure it out faster than I could. Between their input, our resource leader, and support from others, I’m hopeful we can create something that works smoothly and can be passed on easily, so it’s not lost if staff move on.

Bianca

I think books are especially important for our students because they spend so much time on technology. For many families, iPads are an easy way to keep kids entertained while daily needs are met. Having a space where they can access books, have technology-free time, and just enjoy looking through pages and images feels really important.

We also have a lot of non-verbal students. They can’t always tell us what they enjoy or what they’d like to read, so a library would give them the chance to explore and discover for themselves.

Education Services Australia is building on the success of the Northern Territory Learning Commission through Students as Partners in Improvement.

This initiative gives students a meaningful role in identifying what’s working in their school, where improvements are needed, and how change should happen.

Through structured peer consultation and collaboration with educators, students co-design recommendations grounded in real experiences.

Want to get your school involved?

Head to esa.edu.au/solutions/students-as-partners-in-improvement and fill out the form on the page