importance of school parliament essay

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School parliament

Complete print version including resources Word (486 KB) , PDF (555 KB)

Model for a school parliament

Structure of this document, assembly education and engagement program, implementation options, establishing a school parliament—constitution, adapting the model, naming your school parliament, aims and functions, electing members, replacing members, parliamentary roles and responsibilities, support teachers, parliamentary chamber, sittings of the school parliament, a typical sitting day, sitting procedures, amending the constitution.

The following program materials have been developed as a parliamentary-style model for use in conducting proceedings of a primary school student representative council (SRC). It is based on a number of institutional features of the Legislative Assembly for the ACT.

Separately from a school’s SRC arrangements, the materials can also be utilised by upper primary teachers to meet the requirements for teaching the Australian Curriculum Civics and Citizenship strand.

The program acquaints students with a number of key democratic concepts, including the importance of elections and the role of elected representatives in a parliamentary system. It can also be undertaken as a school outreach activity where the Assembly’s education and engagement officers conduct sessions to meet the particular needs of individual schools.

This document has been structured to assist teachers and students with the establishment and operation of a school parliament. The first section sets out the broad objectives for the school parliament model including options on the use of resources by the SRC and the classroom teacher. The second section provides detailed information on establishing a school parliament through the development of a constitution. The constitution formalises the parliament and may include options for electing members, parliamentary roles and responsibilities, suggested floor plan for a chamber and how sitting days might be organised. The final section of the document contains appendices which include a number of parliamentary templates and a training role play to support the operation of the school parliament.

The Assembly’s education and engagement program offers a wide range of different programs for primary school students that can be tailored to meet the needs of teachers and students.

Schools groups are welcome to visit the Legislative Assembly to participate in school parliament role play activities, conduct mock elections and participate in sessions with Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs).

For more information, contact the Assembly’s Education and Engagement Officer on (02) 62053016 or [email protected]

Teachers are also able to access a range of other information about the operation of the Assembly through our website .

The school parliament

A school parliament provides an opportunity for students to be involved in school governance and decision making through a group of democratically elected students who represent the views of all students at the school. The parliament provides an opportunity to:

• involve students in democratic processes and decisions making within the school;
• demonstrate the importance of representation and active involvement in the school community;
• democratically elect student representatives;
• develop student leadership and communication skills;
• give a forum for the presentation of student ideas and opinions on school policies that directly impact students;
• improve the school community by addressing student issues and concerns; and
• support the teaching of the Australian Curriculum Civics and Citizenship strand.

The Legislative Assembly for the ACT—the only legislature in Australia with responsibility for two levels of government (local and state/territory levels)—is the basis of the school parliament model used in this resource.

The program has been developed for, but is not limited to, a whole-of-school parliament. The resources can also be used in a classroom to explore civics and citizenship curriculum to support inquiry questions such as:

• What is democracy in Australia and why is a democracy important? (ACHASSK115);
• Why do we have laws and regulations? (ACHASSK117)
• How are laws developed in Australia? (ACHASSK146); and
• What are the roles and responsibilities of the different levels of government in Australia? (ACHASSK144).

Whether the resources included in the program are used to facilitate role play activities, form the basis of class discussions or activities, or used as the basis of a fully-fledged school SRC, they can be scaled up or down to suit the requirements of each school and each classroom.

Other resources are also available on the Legislative Assembly website to support classroom teaching of civics and citizenship curriculum.

In working towards the development of a school (or class) parliament, it can be useful to first establish a constitution that sets out the aims, membership and operation of the parliament. The constitution needn’t be a long document or cover the wide range of issues that are included in the Australian Constitution or in the ACT Self-Government Act (note—the Australian Capital Territory (Self-Government) Act 1988 is a Commonwealth Act, which amongst other things, established the Legislative Assembly. In many respects it is the effective constitution of the ACT) but the process of involving students in the development of such as document can be an important learning opportunity all on its own.

The constitution can be discussed, reviewed and amended over time and any changes can be approved through a vote of the members in the parliament, or, through a referendum of the classrooms or entire school depending on each schools’ requirements.

Below is an exploration of some of the matters which a school or class might wish to include in their constitution (a template framework for a school parliament constitution is provided in Appendix 1 ).

Schools may already have documents governing the operation of the SRC that can be used as a source document for the creation of a constitution for the parliament.

Schools may wish to emphasise the cooperative dimensions of government and opposition interactions in a school parliament in order to promote a greater sense of unity and inclusiveness. For instance, the government, opposition and crossbench members, rather than taking up adversarial positions on various issues, could instead work together to achieve common objectives. It is not uncommon for members from different political parties to agree on legislation and to work towards similar goals—the spirit of cooperation and working across the chamber, is an approach that is likely to be more well suited in a school setting.

Alternatively, where the parliamentary model is being used in roleplay activities (and not student government or SRC settings), exploring the underlying nature of the adversarial political dimensions of parliamentary proceedings, the roles of government, opposition and crossbench members can be performed in a more traditional manner, where questioning, debate and disagreement on particular policies or ideas are encouraged.

The constitution

The school parliament will need a name that formally identifies the body and creates a recognised brand for use in any communication and documentation which is produced by the parliament.

This section sets out the purpose of the school parliament which is often based around giving students an active say in what happens in their school. The areas of responsibility for the parliament, where students can meaningfully contribute to improving their school through their representation, decisions and activities, should be clearly outlined.

This section should set out who is eligible to be a member of the parliament, the number of members that the body will have, a code of conduct governing the behaviour of members, procedures for replacing a member who leaves (new election or recount of original votes).

The size of the parliament will vary for individual schools depending on their requirements. Consideration should be given to ensuring the structure and size of the parliament facilitates the timely completion of work, ensures that representation is equitable and broad based, and that students are given a sense of ownership over the body.

Members of a school parliament can play an important leadership role in modelling the expected standards of behaviour within the school community in order that everyone feels secure, happy and free to strive towards their full potential. All members of a school parliament are expected to adhere to the values of the school and should be demonstrated in their relationships and interactions with students and staff.

Pledge of office

A ‘pledge of office’ after being elected is one way to highlight the importance of students’ roles as elected representatives. A pledge could be given in front of the school community at an assembly or a special function. The pledge might be as simple as the following short statement or could include additional material from the schools’ values:

I [insert name of student] willingly accept office in the [insert school name] school parliament.

I promise to carry out my duties to the school parliament to the best of my ability, bring to the attention of parliament all matters of concern to my fellow students to help make [insert school name] a school where every student can be happy and successful.

The number of members in a parliament will be determined by each school. However, where possible, an odd number of members is preferable as it will enable decisions or recommendations of the parliament to be decided by a majority (i.e. half of the members + 1).

The term of office should also be established prior to election, this could vary from a school term through to an entire school year. Elections ACT has a number of resources that can be used to help set up and run school parliament elections on the  Elections ACT website .

Students interested in being a member of the school parliament would typically go through the process of nominating to stand as a candidate. Schools can facilitate a pre-election period in which students are able to address their peers—usually their class or year group—outline their ideas and plans as well as giving some general biographical information. Students should be given guidelines for nominating and campaigning to ensure a free and fair election. These could include:

• rules around eligibility for nominating;
• guidelines for provision of candidates’ biographical information, ideas and plans that can be used during the campaign; and
• rules on campaigning such as appropriate use of language, provision of true and accurate information, promises made are achievable and promises are not used as an inducement (e.g. “I will give a chocolate for everyone who votes for me”).

Elections can be held in groups determined by the school (e.g. by each class or year group). Elections should be by confidential ballot (i.e. where students write the name of their preferred candidate on a piece of paper which is placed in a secure ballot box).

All students are typically able to vote and if a student is standing for election they are able to vote for themselves.

A student who leaves the school parliament will need to be replaced. There are usually two options for the replacement process:

• Hold a by-election —the class or year that elected the departing member would vote again for a new member. Nominations would be called for, there would be a short campaign and the students would vote.
• Countback —involves looking at which student came second in the previous election and requires that voting information from each election is kept for possible future countbacks. This is the method used for Members of the Legislative Assembly under the Hare-Clark electoral system . Ballot papers from each election are kept and a countback is conducted to determine the next person eligible to be the new member.

There are a number of positions within a school parliament that perform special roles and responsibilities .These are set out below.

Every member of the parliament is eligible to put their hand up to stand for these positions. However, the process of appointing different roles can be useful for reinforcing leadership responsibilities that already exist within the school. For instance, school captains and vice captains would be suitable choices if they are members (schools could also examine integrating the process for electing captains into school parliament arrangements so that, for example, the school captain is Chief Minister and vice captains are Deputy Chief Minister or ministers).

Members can be elected to positions following a nomination process. Where there is more than one nominee, members can hold a vote. In the Assembly, positions such as Speaker and Chief Minister are elected by secret ballot using a ballot box and individual voting papers and school parliaments can adopt a similar approach for all the positions listed below.

The support teacher should act as the Speaker/Clerk until a member is elected to these roles. Members not standing in the election for particular positions could assist the teacher to count votes.

To gain a deeper understanding of the roles and responsibilities of members’ consideration could be given to rotating the roles each term or semester. This would involve members from the opposition and cross bench taking on the positions in government and conversely the government members becoming opposition and cross bench members. A complete rotation would also include the Speaker and Clerk positions.

The Speaker is the head of the parliament and sits at the front of the chamber. The Speaker essentially chairs the meeting of the chamber. It can be useful to rotate the Deputy Speaker into the role of Speaker from time to time in order that both the Speaker and Deputy Speaker are able to participate in parliamentary discussions about particular school issues (in normal parliamentary practice, when the Speaker or Deputy Speaker is in the chair, they do not participate in debates).  The Speaker is responsible for maintaining order and ensuring the smooth running of the sitting by:

• chairing sittings of the school parliament;
• ensuring members follow parliamentary procedures with the assistance of the Clerk and Deputy Clerk;
• keeping order by ensuring the order of business is followed, that members can be heard when speaking and every member has a chance to contribute to debates;
• overseeing votes on matters being considered by the parliament; and
• sending a letter on behalf of all members to the school principal/executive on bills passed seeking approval for the bill to be enacted.

Deputy Speaker (optional position to allow rotation of Speaker)

The Deputy Speaker, in the absence of the Speaker, performs duties of the Speaker (as outlined above) and contributes to debates and discussions in the parliament as a normal member when not in the chair.

Traditionally the Clerk (In Australia, pronounced c-l-a-r-k) is not an elected member of a parliament but is responsible for advising the Speaker and ensuring the proceedings are conducted according to the rules. However, for the purposes of providing additional opportunities for student involvement, under this model, the Clerk is treated as an elected member and will have the opportunity to participate in debates. It is suggested that the three Clerk positions be rotated so that each student gets a chance to be a member representative as this is difficult to do while undertaking the responsibilities of Clerk, Deputy Clerk and Assistant Clerk. The Clerk may be responsible for:

• recording the minutes of each parliamentary sitting;
• presenting the minutes of previous sitting;
• assisting the Speaker with organising the parliamentary business for each sitting; and
• recording member votes on decisions made.

Deputy Clerk/Serjeant-at-Arms

The Deputy Clerk and Serjeant-at-Arms will assist the Clerk in the duties listed above and, in addition, may be responsible for:

• carrying the mace into the chamber (if school has one);
• leading the Speaker into and out of the chamber at the start and end of each sitting;
• under the direction of the Speaker, removing a named member from the chamber;
• assisting with the preparation of minutes and votes of each parliamentary sitting; and
• in the absence of the Clerk, performs duties of the Clerk (as outlined above).

Assistant Clerk (optional position to allow rotation of Clerks)

The Assistant Clerk may be responsible for performing the duties of the Clerk/Deputy Clerk when one of these positions is absent and contributing to the parliament as a member when not acting as the Clerk/Deputy Clerk.

Chief Minister

The Chief Minister is the leader of the government responsible, with the ministers, for implementing the decisions and laws passed in the school parliament. The Chief Minister may be responsible for:

• reporting to the school parliament on work that is being done on behalf of the parliament;
• developing ideas for bills, with the help of other members;
• supporting ministers to fulfil their responsibilities;
• meeting with the principal and/or executive to discuss bills as required;
• making speeches, e.g. thanking people and presenting gifts;
• writing thank you notes for services rendered to the school/grade on behalf of the school parliament; and
• representing the school on special occasions as required.

Deputy Chief Minister

The Deputy Chief Minister is the second senior member of the government leadership team. Traditionally the Deputy Chief Minister is also a minister and may be responsible for:

• supporting the Chief Minister to implement laws passed in the parliament;
• reporting to the school parliament on matters relevant to their ministerial responsibilities and student feedback;
• developing ideas for bills, with the help of other ministers and members;
• meeting with the principal and/or executive to discuss bills as required; and
• in the absence of the Chief Minister, performs duties of the Chief Minister (as outlined above).

Leader of the Opposition

The Leader of the Opposition plays an important role in a parliamentary democracy by questioning the Chief Minister and ministers on what they have been doing in order to keep the government accountable for the decisions being made. While this can be an adversarial role at times, often the opposition and the government agree about what needs to be done and will work together to ensure this happens. As noted earlier, a cooperative, non-adversarial approach may be more suited well-suited when the model is used as school parliament. The Leader of the Opposition may be responsible for:

• reporting to the school parliament on feedback that has been gathered from students;
• developing ideas for bills with the help of other members;
• organising a shadow ministry to assist with their duties in keeping government to account; and
• holding the government to account by questioning the performance of the ministers.

Deputy Leader of the Opposition

The Deputy Leader of the Opposition is the second senior member of the opposition leadership team and supports the Leader of the Opposition to fulfill their responsibilities. In the absence of the Leader of the Opposition the Deputy performs the duties of the Leader of the Opposition (as outlined above).

Ministers each have a portfolio and work with the Chief Minister to implement the decisions and laws passed in the school parliament. They may be responsible for:

• reporting to the school parliament on matters relevant to their responsibilities and student feedback;
• meeting with the principal and/or executive to discuss bills in their area of responsibility as required;
• forming and organise a committee with other members of the parliament to assist with their duties, the minister will co-ordinate committee meetings and activities; and
• providing information to the student body on decisions of the parliament.

Ministers could each take on an area of portfolio responsibility with the supervising teacher determining ministerial positions in line with school policies and requirements. The school parliament can determine the number of ministers and areas of responsibilities, suggested ministries could include, but are not limited to:

• Minister for Communication (e.g. website and newsletter information, billboard updates);
• Minister for Facilities (e.g. playground equipment, water bubblers);
• Minister for Health and Safety (e.g. sun safety, broken/unsafe surfaces or equipment);
• Minister for the Environment (e.g. Clean up Australia day, rubbish/recycling);
• Minister for Sport (e.g. sporting equipment, access); and
• Minister for Fundraising (e.g. casual clothing days, walkathon).

Members are elected to represent all students from their class or year group. Members can perform a variety of roles including being on ministerial committees as government members, forming the shadow ministry with the Leader and Deputy Leader of the Opposition or sitting on the cross bench.

Opposition members form a shadow ministry that is responsible for commenting on particular areas of government activity, these members are referred to as shadow ministers. In the parliament, shadow ministers will often ask questions of the ministers that they ‘shadow’ and will also take the lead in debating issues connected to their areas of shadow portfolio responsibility.

Members from minor parties and independent members sit in the section of the chamber known as the cross bench. When the government does not hold a majority of seats in the parliament, cross bench members may hold what is commonly referred to as the ‘balance of power’. Their vote may decide the outcome of an issue that is before the Assembly when the government and opposition hold opposing positions.

Members may be responsible for:

• consulting with the students that they represent (in their class or year) to get feedback on ideas, issues or concerns they would like raised in the school parliament;
• representing their classmates in the school parliament by raising ideas and issues discussed in class or year group meetings;
• developing ideas for bills, with the help of all other members;
• providing information back to students that they represent on the decisions of the parliament; and
• helping the ministers with their duties by participating in the committees; or
• forming the cross bench or opposition with the Leader and Deputy Leader of the Opposition.

A support teacher with a special interest in school government can provide a vital link between the students, staff and the school management. The teacher will be able to support the students by helping them develop skills in communication, leadership and decision making. They can also help by providing information on school policy, advice on implementing decisions and administrative back-up to the members of the school parliament.

Classroom teachers

Where the model is used for role play activities, classroom teachers will obviously play a key role. Classroom teachers can adapt various aspects of the model to suit the particular needs of the class. For instance, it is possible to scale down the number of positions or to relax some of the requirements around minute-taking. It is also possible to debate and discuss hypothetical policies and ideas to illustrate various features of parliamentary practice, rather than using the model to make decisions about classroom rules.

The structure of the chamber will depend on the number of members in the school parliament. Traditionally, parliamentary chambers are setup with the Speaker at the front and the Clerk and Deputy Clerk sitting in front of the Speaker. Government members sit to the right of the Speaker, opposition members to the left, and cross bench at the base between the government and opposition members.

This model suggests 25 Members, which is the same number of members as the Assembly. However, numbers can be adjusted depending on size of the parliament and roles allocated. Suggested arrangements for a 25-member parliament are as follows:

• 1 x Speaker;
• 1 x Deputy Speaker (optional);
• 1 x Clerk, 1 x Deputy Clerk and 1 x Assistant Clerk (traditionally Clerks are not members, however an exception has been made for this model);
• 1 x Chief Minister
• 1 x Deputy Chief Minister
• 5 x ministers
• 1 x Leader of the Opposition
• 1 x Deputy Leader of the Opposition
• 11 x members (remaining students are not in allocated positions and can sit on government, opposition or cross benches). They assist ministers by being part of the committees or the Leader of the Opposition by being in a shadow ministry.

To pass a bill in a 25 member parliament, 13 members need to vote yes (majority vote=half of the members+1).

This section of the school parliament constitution should set out how sittings will operate. It needs to include:

• frequency of members meetings with their constituent group (class or year group);
• frequency of sittings (weekly, fortnightly, monthly);
• time of meeting;
• quorum (minimum number of members needed for the sitting to proceed);
• agenda (template in Appendix 2 );
• minutes (template in Appendix 3 );
• bills (template in Appendix 4 );
• reports; and

A bill is a proposed law and is usually presented to the parliament by ministers. However, it can also be presented by opposition and crossbench members. In order for a bill to become an act, a majority of members in the parliament must vote in favour of the bill for it to pass. Bills in the school parliament are proposed actions that the members debate and vote on. Each bill should:

• have a formal name;
• explain the aim of the bill and why it is needed;
• how it will operate;
• how the outcomes will be measured; and
• outline the benefits of enacting the bill (either internally for the student population or externally for fundraising ventures).

An example bill is provided in Appendix 5 .

In the Commonwealth, a bill does not become an act until it has been given Royal assent by the Governor-General. In the states, Royal assent is given by the Governor. In the ACT, Royal assent is not required, instead a bill becomes an act, after the Assembly has passed the bill, it has been certified by the Clerk and Parliamentary Counsel have published the act on the ACT Legislation Register at the request of the Speaker.

In the case of a school parliament, it may be useful for the school principal and/or executive to give final approval to a bill before it becomes an act (i.e. before, it is formally agreed that the proposal in the bill will be actioned). This enables the degree of self-determination facilitated by the parliament to be balanced with the need to ensure that proposals flowing from students are in line with the values and requirements of the school community and school policy.

Bill approval

All school parliament bills that have passed should be notified to the school principal and/or executive. The Speaker sends a letter on behalf of the members of the school parliament asking for approval for the bill to proceed ( Appendix 6 ). Once the principal has approved the decision the members will be able to plan and implement the activity as outlined in the bill.

If necessary, it is the responsibility of the Chief Minister, together with the responsible minister and accompanied by the supervising teacher, to meet with the principal and/or executive to discuss any bills from the parliament. Where there might be conflicts with school policies or other concerns, the Chief Minister could be asked to make amendments to the bill to bring it into line.

Question time

Question time is an important feature of almost all Westminster-style parliaments. It gives members the chance to ask questions of government ministers without any prior notice on the topic. Questions that are asked at question time must be relevant to a minister’s portfolio responsibilities (for example the environment, sport and communications).

Opposition members can often use question time to ask questions that scrutinise the ministers’ performance. Government members (who are not ministers) will often use question time to ask questions that highlight government initiatives and achievements.

Ministers and the Leader of the Opposition all need to report to the school parliament regularly. There may not be time for every minister to report at every sitting, this will depend on the time allowed for sittings. Reporting could be allocated on a rotational basis, if there are urgent items that need to be reported, these should be prioritised. It is suggested that a time limit be allocated for the reporting period of the sitting.

The reports should contain information on what the member has been doing, including new ideas for bills, any problems reported to them by other members of the student body, progress on activities they and other members are planning or involved in and conclude with an action item they will be completing for the next sitting (where they will be reporting). There is scope to determine the level of reporting and the time allocated as the parliamentary term progresses to see what works and what doesn’t.

Every member has the right to cast one vote and for a bill to pass a majority is required (half of the members+1). Only student members can vote, the support teacher does not get a vote. In crafting the constitution, the school parliament can decide if proxy votes from absent members will be accepted.

First Sitting

The first sitting will require the parliamentary roles to be filled. Where it is school policy that captains and vice captains are automatically members of the parliament, the position of Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister could be allocated to these roles (again, it is possible for schools to integrate elections for the captaincy positions with elections for a school parliament).

Alternatively, parliamentary roles can be elected by student members of the parliament by secret ballot with members submitting their vote by writing it on a slip of paper and placing it in a cardboard ballot box. In this case, the supervising teacher performs the roles of Speaker and Clerk until the positions are filled by student members.

After the positions have been elected, the next item of business should be discussion and acceptance of the school parliament constitution and the supervising teacher may be required to prepare a draft constitution and explain how it would operate. Members could propose amendments or discuss areas that they aren’t sure about as part of this preliminary step.

It may be prudent that no further business is undertaken at the first meeting to allow members time to read and understand the constitution and also to meet with their representative groups (class or year) at least once.

The parliament determines its own schedule for sitting dates and times. The sitting agenda sets out the order for business items will be debated ( Appendix 2 ). Sitting days are structured so that debate on bills is the first order of business after the opening and acceptance of minutes. Once this has been completed the next order of business is questions and reports. Debate on any topic can be adjourned to another sitting day if more time is needed to consider an issue, this should be noted in the minutes and remain an item on the agenda until a decision has been made. Schools can adjust the order of business to suit individual requirements.

The formal rules which govern the conduct of business in the parliament are known as standing orders, these are set out in Appendix 7 . The members have the right to amend or change the standing orders which would be done through a majority vote in the school parliament.

Committees should be formed to help support the work of members in the parliament. All members who do not already have specific roles in the parliament can nominate to be on a committees to help implement the decisions of the parliament.

Committees could be established for the term of the school parliament, with the same members on each committee assisting a specific minister or the Leader of the Opposition. Alternatively a committee can be established for each planned activity and once that activity has been completed it ceases to operate.

Committees explore issues in greater detail outside of the parliament. This could include developing new bills to go before the parliament, investigating options for fundraising, holding meetings with students on specific projects to ensure student feedback is considered (for example what new sporting equipment students would like) and considering student participation in community events.

The members have the right to amend the constitution, add new information or remove information that is no longer relevant.

Changing the constitution is an important item of business and in Australia has to be done by referendum. The school could adopt this model which requires all students voting on any proposed change to the school parliament constitution. Alternatively, it can be done in the school parliament through a debate and vote. As the founding document of the school parliament any additions, deletions or changes to the constitution needs to be passed by a two thirds majority of the members (rather than a simple majority). The support teacher should play a role in providing advice on any impacts of changing the school parliament constitution and can also provide feedback to the parliament from the school principal and/or executive if it is relevant to the proposed change.

A number of school parliament resources have been attached as appendices. These include templates, examples and two chamber scripts. One script is a training script to provide students with a complete parliamentary procedure showing how the school parliament model operates and is based on a 30 minute sitting time ( Appendix 8 ). The second script can be used on a regular basis to help the students with correct parliamentary procedure for the sittings of the school parliament ( Appendix 9 ).

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• Australian Constitution Centre: a 2017 reality at the High Court of Australia
• Referendums: Australia v Italy
• The Senate as the States House
• The double dissolution was a success
• The High Court as the ‘Court of Disputed Returns’
• A peaceful revolution or democracy working as it should?
• Why can’t a bankrupt person sit in parliament?
• What was the role of the Privy Council?
• Who is Australia’s Commander-in-Chief?
• The separation of powers and Trump’s threats to jail Clinton
• Could the NSW ban on greyhound racing be unconstitutional?
• The role of the High Court in Australian democracy
• How are resigning Senators replaced?
• Is the lack of Constitutional knowledge linked to political mistrust?
• Federal election dates: PM or people's call
• The NBN Leaks: Parliamentary privilege?
• Federalism in a changing Australia
• Are there Constitutional restrictions for a national sex offender register?
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• Voting critical to our democracy
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• The role of the Queen and the Governor-General in Australian democracy
• The Senate: do we need it?
• Dividing the Senate after a Double Dissolution
• Why aren’t young Australians interested in voting?
• Election writs: vital process, but a bit boring
• A double dissolution: the how and what
• High Court to decide constitutionality of Senate voting changes
• PNG Supreme Court rules that Manus Island detention is unconstitutional
• Voters to settle Parliamentary deadlock at likely double dissolution
• Prorogue could provoke Parliamentary revolt
• The State of Northern Queensland: A pipe dream or a reality?
• Shaking up the Federation through taxation
• An extra dose of democracy for Queenslanders
• An update: Senate voting changes
• Are politicians keeping you uninformed about the planned referendums and plebiscites?
• Are the new citizenship laws unconstitutional?
• Balancing civil liberties with the protection of the community
• CEFA’s role as a Constitutional watchdog
• Caught by surprise by section five
• Constitutional amendments in other parts of the world
• Democracy: policy not popularity
• Does international law fit within our constitutional democracy today?
• Don’t vote [insert minor party here*], it’s a wasted vote
• Double dissolution: Will he? Won’t he?
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• Religious freedom in the Constitution
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School Parliaments (Primary and Secondary)

The constitution education fund school parliaments.

To become active citizens it is essential that all Australians understand how our Parliament works. To ensure that young Australians become engaged with the electoral process, students first need to understand how the system works.

The Constitution Education Fund School Parliaments (CSP) is a major civics education initiative, which we offer to both primary schools and secondary schools across Australia. The outcome of School Parliaments is that students become empowered,  knowledgeable, responsible, engaged and active citizens. They become excited and can’t wait to enrol to vote once they turn 18.

School Parliaments:

• Create a mini democracy within your school
• Incorporate a bi-cameral student leadership structure
• Replicate the Australian system of government
• Teach students about electoral and parliamentary process
• Incorporate student parliamentary inquiries and committees
• Immerse students in a continual civics activity
• Have the capacity to drive all civics activities in your school
• Are driven by students
• Can become a whole-of-school civics activity
• Generate a large-scale, long-term civics education initiative

A Constitution Education Fundschool Parliament in your school gives students a great insight to how our Federal Parliament functions. Each student has the opportunity to take on the role of a person involved in our Parliament and other organisations connected to the Parliament.

There are eight steps in implementing a school parliament.

Introduce student government to the students. This includes promotion of the school parliament as essential to building a large following within the school community. The school will write a Constitution.

The formation of political parties in the school. The party members develop policies and choose a leader and candidates among themselves.

Run election campaigns. Students that were not selected as candidates may take on other roles, such as of journalist writing about the campaign, cartoonists, scrutineers, public servants etc.

Hold an election. This may be done online or via pencil and paper.

The Parliament meets and the party that wins the most candidates forms Government (the Executive). The other major party forms the Opposition.

The Parliament creates legislation for the school based on the policies that the political parties created. The Governor-General signs the legislation into force (gives it the royal assent).

The legislation is implemented in the school by the public service.

Click here for details on how to implement a school parliament

Choosing the Right Way for Your School to Implement a School Parliament

There are several pathways to implementation of a Constitution Education Fund School Parliament. The Constitution Education Fund can help you assess and find the most appropriate pathway for each school according to your school needs, priorities and the resources available.

While every primary and secondary school in Australia is different, schools tend to implement their Parliaments using one of the following three distinct methods.

• Integrating your Constitution Education Fund School Parliament with the curriculum.
• Introducing a Constitution Education Fund School Parliament as a co-curricular initiative outside class time. E.g. "The Parliamentary Club"
• Using a Constitution Education Fund School Parliament as a student leadership and governance initiative. E.g. either complement or replace the Student Representative Council (SRC)

Other resources:

The Parliamentary Education Office in Canberra offers teachers a series of films and fact sheets on the roles and functions of Parliament. www.peo.gov.au

To watch students role play the Parliament, House of Representatives, follow the link http://www.peo.gov.au/multimedia/videos.html

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Essay Writing on SCHOOL PARLIAMENT

SCHOOL PARLIAMENT

India is a democratic country where the parliamentary system of government prevails. So every individual is expected to know the functioning of this system. The members of the parliament are elected by voting.

Soon after the schools reopen in June every year, elections are held to form the School Parliament. In schools, class leaders are elected to form the parliament. From among them, the various office bearers such as Chairman, School leaders etc are elected. The school leader will be the Chief Minister. The Chief Minister nominates the other members of the cabinet and they are given different portfolios. Discipline, sanitation, running of library and reading rooms, social service and cultural activities are some of the portfolios entrusted to them. The headmaster of the school will be the president. Two or three sessions of school parliament will be conducted every year.

The election to school parliaments is a big event today because political parties take interest in it and field their candidates. Some political parties support the students against the authorities or against the rival political parties. They misuse the student power for their political purposes. These political parties often play with the lives and careers of innocent students. Often there are clashes between the students belonging to various political parties and this is backed by their respective political masters, resulting in strikes and sometimes even the death of innocent students. The interference of political groups has spoiled the good name of the school parliaments. As a result, these parliaments do not function effectively. The real aim behind the formation and functioning of school parliaments is neglected due to the unnecessary interference of political parties.

There are many advantages to the credit of school parliaments. The school parliament gives training to the students regarding the function of democracy. This helps the students understand the process of the parliamentary system of the government. In a broad sense, the school parliament teaches children how democracy works. They freely vote their favourite candidates. They learn that the group which gets the majority assumes power. Leadership qualities are spotted and developed. Children learn to be responsible. School parliament are entrusted with the discipline, cleanliness and running of class rooms and libraries. Those entrusted with such responsibilities will become good administrators later. The success of democracy in our country depends to a great extent on the effective functioning of school parliaments.

How to Write an Essay Introduction (with Examples)   

The introduction of an essay plays a critical role in engaging the reader and providing contextual information about the topic. It sets the stage for the rest of the essay, establishes the tone and style, and motivates the reader to continue reading. 

Table of Contents

What is an essay introduction , what to include in an essay introduction, how to create an essay structure , step-by-step process for writing an essay introduction , how to write an introduction paragraph , how to write a hook for your essay , how to include background information , how to write a thesis statement .

• Argumentative Essay Introduction Example: 
• Expository Essay Introduction Example 

Literary Analysis Essay Introduction Example

Check and revise – checklist for essay introduction , key takeaways , frequently asked questions .

An introduction is the opening section of an essay, paper, or other written work. It introduces the topic and provides background information, context, and an overview of what the reader can expect from the rest of the work. 1 The key is to be concise and to the point, providing enough information to engage the reader without delving into excessive detail. 

The essay introduction is crucial as it sets the tone for the entire piece and provides the reader with a roadmap of what to expect. Here are key elements to include in your essay introduction: 

• Hook : Start with an attention-grabbing statement or question to engage the reader. This could be a surprising fact, a relevant quote, or a compelling anecdote. 
• Background information : Provide context and background information to help the reader understand the topic. This can include historical information, definitions of key terms, or an overview of the current state of affairs related to your topic. 
• Thesis statement : Clearly state your main argument or position on the topic. Your thesis should be concise and specific, providing a clear direction for your essay. 

Before we get into how to write an essay introduction, we need to know how it is structured. The structure of an essay is crucial for organizing your thoughts and presenting them clearly and logically. It is divided as follows: 2  

• Introduction:  The introduction should grab the reader’s attention with a hook, provide context, and include a thesis statement that presents the main argument or purpose of the essay.  
• Body:  The body should consist of focused paragraphs that support your thesis statement using evidence and analysis. Each paragraph should concentrate on a single central idea or argument and provide evidence, examples, or analysis to back it up.  
• Conclusion:  The conclusion should summarize the main points and restate the thesis differently. End with a final statement that leaves a lasting impression on the reader. Avoid new information or arguments. 

Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to write an essay introduction: 

• Start with a Hook : Begin your introduction paragraph with an attention-grabbing statement, question, quote, or anecdote related to your topic. The hook should pique the reader’s interest and encourage them to continue reading. 
• Provide Background Information : This helps the reader understand the relevance and importance of the topic. 
• State Your Thesis Statement : The last sentence is the main argument or point of your essay. It should be clear, concise, and directly address the topic of your essay. 
• Preview the Main Points : This gives the reader an idea of what to expect and how you will support your thesis. 
• Keep it Concise and Clear : Avoid going into too much detail or including information not directly relevant to your topic. 
• Revise : Revise your introduction after you’ve written the rest of your essay to ensure it aligns with your final argument. 

Here’s an example of an essay introduction paragraph about the importance of education: 

Education is often viewed as a fundamental human right and a key social and economic development driver. As Nelson Mandela once famously said, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” It is the key to unlocking a wide range of opportunities and benefits for individuals, societies, and nations. In today’s constantly evolving world, education has become even more critical. It has expanded beyond traditional classroom learning to include digital and remote learning, making education more accessible and convenient. This essay will delve into the importance of education in empowering individuals to achieve their dreams, improving societies by promoting social justice and equality, and driving economic growth by developing a skilled workforce and promoting innovation. 

This introduction paragraph example includes a hook (the quote by Nelson Mandela), provides some background information on education, and states the thesis statement (the importance of education). 

This is one of the key steps in how to write an essay introduction. Crafting a compelling hook is vital because it sets the tone for your entire essay and determines whether your readers will stay interested. A good hook draws the reader in and sets the stage for the rest of your essay.  

• Avoid Dry Fact : Instead of simply stating a bland fact, try to make it engaging and relevant to your topic. For example, if you’re writing about the benefits of exercise, you could start with a startling statistic like, “Did you know that regular exercise can increase your lifespan by up to seven years?” 
• Avoid Using a Dictionary Definition : While definitions can be informative, they’re not always the most captivating way to start an essay. Instead, try to use a quote, anecdote, or provocative question to pique the reader’s interest. For instance, if you’re writing about freedom, you could begin with a quote from a famous freedom fighter or philosopher. 
• Do Not Just State a Fact That the Reader Already Knows : This ties back to the first point—your hook should surprise or intrigue the reader. For Here’s an introduction paragraph example, if you’re writing about climate change, you could start with a thought-provoking statement like, “Despite overwhelming evidence, many people still refuse to believe in the reality of climate change.” 

Including background information in the introduction section of your essay is important to provide context and establish the relevance of your topic. When writing the background information, you can follow these steps: 

• Start with a General Statement:  Begin with a general statement about the topic and gradually narrow it down to your specific focus. For example, when discussing the impact of social media, you can begin by making a broad statement about social media and its widespread use in today’s society, as follows: “Social media has become an integral part of modern life, with billions of users worldwide.” 
• Define Key Terms : Define any key terms or concepts that may be unfamiliar to your readers but are essential for understanding your argument. 
• Provide Relevant Statistics:  Use statistics or facts to highlight the significance of the issue you’re discussing. For instance, “According to a report by Statista, the number of social media users is expected to reach 4.41 billion by 2025.” 
• Discuss the Evolution:  Mention previous research or studies that have been conducted on the topic, especially those that are relevant to your argument. Mention key milestones or developments that have shaped its current impact. You can also outline some of the major effects of social media. For example, you can briefly describe how social media has evolved, including positives such as increased connectivity and issues like cyberbullying and privacy concerns. 
• Transition to Your Thesis:  Use the background information to lead into your thesis statement, which should clearly state the main argument or purpose of your essay. For example, “Given its pervasive influence, it is crucial to examine the impact of social media on mental health.” 

A thesis statement is a concise summary of the main point or claim of an essay, research paper, or other type of academic writing. It appears near the end of the introduction. Here’s how to write a thesis statement: 

• Identify the topic:  Start by identifying the topic of your essay. For example, if your essay is about the importance of exercise for overall health, your topic is “exercise.” 
• State your position:  Next, state your position or claim about the topic. This is the main argument or point you want to make. For example, if you believe that regular exercise is crucial for maintaining good health, your position could be: “Regular exercise is essential for maintaining good health.” 
• Support your position:  Provide a brief overview of the reasons or evidence that support your position. These will be the main points of your essay. For example, if you’re writing an essay about the importance of exercise, you could mention the physical health benefits, mental health benefits, and the role of exercise in disease prevention. 
• Make it specific:  Ensure your thesis statement clearly states what you will discuss in your essay. For example, instead of saying, “Exercise is good for you,” you could say, “Regular exercise, including cardiovascular and strength training, can improve overall health and reduce the risk of chronic diseases.” 

Examples of essay introduction 

Here are examples of essay introductions for different types of essays: 

Argumentative Essay Introduction Example:  

Topic: Should the voting age be lowered to 16? 

“The question of whether the voting age should be lowered to 16 has sparked nationwide debate. While some argue that 16-year-olds lack the requisite maturity and knowledge to make informed decisions, others argue that doing so would imbue young people with agency and give them a voice in shaping their future.” 

Expository Essay Introduction Example  

Topic: The benefits of regular exercise 

“In today’s fast-paced world, the importance of regular exercise cannot be overstated. From improving physical health to boosting mental well-being, the benefits of exercise are numerous and far-reaching. This essay will examine the various advantages of regular exercise and provide tips on incorporating it into your daily routine.” 

Text: “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee 

“Harper Lee’s novel, ‘To Kill a Mockingbird,’ is a timeless classic that explores themes of racism, injustice, and morality in the American South. Through the eyes of young Scout Finch, the reader is taken on a journey that challenges societal norms and forces characters to confront their prejudices. This essay will analyze the novel’s use of symbolism, character development, and narrative structure to uncover its deeper meaning and relevance to contemporary society.” 

• Engaging and Relevant First Sentence : The opening sentence captures the reader’s attention and relates directly to the topic. 
• Background Information : Enough background information is introduced to provide context for the thesis statement. 
• Definition of Important Terms : Key terms or concepts that might be unfamiliar to the audience or are central to the argument are defined. 
• Clear Thesis Statement : The thesis statement presents the main point or argument of the essay. 
• Relevance to Main Body : Everything in the introduction directly relates to and sets up the discussion in the main body of the essay. 

Writing a strong introduction is crucial for setting the tone and context of your essay. Here are the key takeaways for how to write essay introduction: 3  

• Hook the Reader : Start with an engaging hook to grab the reader’s attention. This could be a compelling question, a surprising fact, a relevant quote, or an anecdote. 
• Provide Background : Give a brief overview of the topic, setting the context and stage for the discussion. 
• Thesis Statement : State your thesis, which is the main argument or point of your essay. It should be concise, clear, and specific. 
• Preview the Structure : Outline the main points or arguments to help the reader understand the organization of your essay. 
• Keep it Concise : Avoid including unnecessary details or information not directly related to your thesis. 
• Revise and Edit : Revise your introduction to ensure clarity, coherence, and relevance. Check for grammar and spelling errors. 
• Seek Feedback : Get feedback from peers or instructors to improve your introduction further. 

The purpose of an essay introduction is to give an overview of the topic, context, and main ideas of the essay. It is meant to engage the reader, establish the tone for the rest of the essay, and introduce the thesis statement or central argument.  

An essay introduction typically ranges from 5-10% of the total word count. For example, in a 1,000-word essay, the introduction would be roughly 50-100 words. However, the length can vary depending on the complexity of the topic and the overall length of the essay.

An essay introduction is critical in engaging the reader and providing contextual information about the topic. To ensure its effectiveness, consider incorporating these key elements: a compelling hook, background information, a clear thesis statement, an outline of the essay’s scope, a smooth transition to the body, and optional signposting sentences.  

The process of writing an essay introduction is not necessarily straightforward, but there are several strategies that can be employed to achieve this end. When experiencing difficulty initiating the process, consider the following techniques: begin with an anecdote, a quotation, an image, a question, or a startling fact to pique the reader’s interest. It may also be helpful to consider the five W’s of journalism: who, what, when, where, why, and how.   For instance, an anecdotal opening could be structured as follows: “As I ascended the stage, momentarily blinded by the intense lights, I could sense the weight of a hundred eyes upon me, anticipating my next move. The topic of discussion was climate change, a subject I was passionate about, and it was my first public speaking event. Little did I know , that pivotal moment would not only alter my perspective but also chart my life’s course.” 

Crafting a compelling thesis statement for your introduction paragraph is crucial to grab your reader’s attention. To achieve this, avoid using overused phrases such as “In this paper, I will write about” or “I will focus on” as they lack originality. Instead, strive to engage your reader by substantiating your stance or proposition with a “so what” clause. While writing your thesis statement, aim to be precise, succinct, and clear in conveying your main argument.  

To create an effective essay introduction, ensure it is clear, engaging, relevant, and contains a concise thesis statement. It should transition smoothly into the essay and be long enough to cover necessary points but not become overwhelming. Seek feedback from peers or instructors to assess its effectiveness. 

References  

• Cui, L. (2022). Unit 6 Essay Introduction.  Building Academic Writing Skills . 
• West, H., Malcolm, G., Keywood, S., & Hill, J. (2019). Writing a successful essay.  Journal of Geography in Higher Education ,  43 (4), 609-617. 
• Beavers, M. E., Thoune, D. L., & McBeth, M. (2023). Bibliographic Essay: Reading, Researching, Teaching, and Writing with Hooks: A Queer Literacy Sponsorship. College English, 85(3), 230-242. 

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• What is an Argumentative Essay? How to Write It (With Examples)
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Essay on Parliament of India

Students are often asked to write an essay on Parliament of India in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Parliament of India

Introduction.

The Parliament of India is the supreme legislative body in the country. It consists of two houses: the Rajya Sabha and the Lok Sabha.

The Rajya Sabha

The Rajya Sabha, also known as the Council of States, is the upper house. Its members are elected by the members of State Legislatures.

The Lok Sabha

The Lok Sabha, or House of the People, is the lower house. Members are directly elected by citizens of India.

Functioning of the Parliament

The Parliament’s primary function is to make laws. Both houses work together to discuss, debate, and pass legislation.

Importance of Parliament

Parliament plays a crucial role in India’s democracy. It ensures the government is accountable to the people.

Also check:

• Speech on Parliament of India

250 Words Essay on Parliament of India

The Parliament of India, the supreme legislative body in the country, is an emblem of democratic governance. It is a bicameral establishment, composed of the President, the Rajya Sabha (Council of States), and the Lok Sabha (House of the People).

Composition and Structure

The Rajya Sabha, the upper house, is a permanent body with 245 members serving six-year terms. Its members are elected by the members of the State Legislative Assemblies. The Lok Sabha, the lower house, consists of up to 552 members, serving five-year terms, directly elected by the people of India.

Legislative Functions

The Parliament is vested with the power to make laws on any subject listed in the Union List, and concurrent list in consultation with state legislatures. It also has exclusive power to make laws on matters not enumerated in the Concurrent or State lists.

Financial Functions

The Parliament of India holds the purse strings of the nation. All financial bills originate in the Lok Sabha. The Rajya Sabha can suggest changes, but cannot reject or amend them.

Control over Executive

The Parliament exercises control over the activities of the executive through question hours, zero hours, and debates. No-confidence motions and adjournment motions are tools deployed to keep the executive accountable.

Amendment of the Constitution

The Parliament can amend the Constitution, ensuring it remains a dynamic and living document. However, it cannot alter the federal structure of the Constitution.

To conclude, the Parliament of India is a robust institution, reflecting the democratic ethos of the nation, while also being a watchdog of the executive branch, ensuring accountability and transparency.

500 Words Essay on Parliament of India

The Parliament of India, often referred to as the temple of democracy, is the supreme legislative body in the country. It represents the will of the people, enacts laws, and oversees the administration. The Parliament is a bicameral legislature consisting of the President of India and two houses: the Rajya Sabha (Council of States) and the Lok Sabha (House of the People).

Structure of the Parliament

The President of India is the head of the Parliament. The Rajya Sabha, or the upper house, comprises 245 members, 12 of whom are nominated by the President for their exceptional contributions in various fields, and the rest are elected by the members of State Legislative Assemblies. The Lok Sabha, or the lower house, consists of up to 552 members, with 530 representing states, 20 representing union territories, and 2 representing the Anglo-Indian community, if the President deems it necessary.

The primary function of the Parliament is legislation. Bills can be introduced in either house (except Money Bills, which can only be introduced in the Lok Sabha). Once a bill is passed by both houses and receives Presidential assent, it becomes law. The Parliament is also responsible for the creation of new states, alteration of boundaries, and changing names of existing states.

The Parliament plays an essential role in controlling public expenditure. The Union Budget is presented in the Parliament, and no taxes can be levied or expenditure incurred without Parliamentary approval.

Parliamentary Committees

Parliamentary committees play a crucial role in the functioning of the Parliament. They allow for detailed scrutiny and discussion on various issues, which is not possible in the full house due to time constraints. There are two types of committees: standing committees, which are permanent, and ad hoc committees, which are temporary and set up for a specific purpose.

Parliamentary Privileges

Members of the Parliament enjoy certain privileges to ensure they can effectively carry out their duties. These include freedom of speech in the Parliament, immunity from any proceedings in any court for anything said or vote given in the Parliament, and exemption from jury service and arrest under civil cases during sessions.

The Parliament of India, as the embodiment of the people’s will, plays a vital role in the democratic governance of the country. It is the platform where laws are made, policies are debated, and the actions of the government are scrutinized. As such, it is a pillar of the world’s largest democracy, reflecting the diversity and plurality of India. The functioning of the Parliament, its structure, and the privileges enjoyed by its members all serve to ensure that it can effectively represent the interests of the Indian people.

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

If you’re looking for more, here are essays on other interesting topics:

• Essay on Panchayati Raj System in India
• Essay on National Symbols of India
• Essay on My Ideal India

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‘You Can Hear a Pin Drop’: The Rise of Super Strict Schools in England

Inspired by the academic success of schools like the Michaela secondary school in northwest London, some principals are introducing tight controls on students’ behavior.

By Emma Bubola

Emma Bubola visited the Michaela Community School in London and interviewed teachers, educational specialists and students from around England.

As the teacher started to count down, the students uncrossed their arms and bowed their heads, completing the exercise in a flash.

Listen to this article with reporter commentary

Open this article in the New York Times Audio app on iOS.

“Three. Two. One,” the teacher said. Pens across the room went down and all eyes shot back to the teacher. Under a policy called “Slant” (Sit up, Lean forward, Ask and answer questions, Nod your head and Track the speaker), the students, aged 11 and 12, were barred from looking away.

When a digital bell beeped (traditional clocks are “not precise enough,” the principal said) the students walked quickly and silently to the cafeteria in a single line. There they yelled a poem — “ Ozymandias ,” by Percy Bysshe Shelley — in unison, then ate for 13 minutes as they discussed that day’s mandatory lunch topic: how to survive a superintelligent killer snail.

In the decade since the Michaela Community School opened in northwest London, the publicly funded but independently run secondary school has emerged as a leader of a movement convinced that children from disadvantaged backgrounds need strict discipline, rote learning and controlled environments to succeed.

“How do those who come from poor backgrounds make a success of their lives? Well, they have to work harder,” said the principal, Katharine Birbalsingh, who has a cardboard cutout of Russell Crowe in “Gladiator” in her office with the quote, “Hold the Line.” In her social media profiles , she proclaims herself “Britain’s Strictest Headmistress.”

“What you need to do is pull the fence tight,” she added. “Children crave discipline.”

While some critics call Ms. Birbalsingh’s model oppressive, her school has the highest rate of academic progress in England, according to a government measure of the improvement pupils make between age 11 and 16, and its approach is becoming increasingly popular.

In a growing number of schools, days are marked by strict routines and detentions for minor infractions, like forgetting a pencil case or having an untidy uniform. Corridors are silent as students are forbidden to speak with their peers.

Advocates of no-excuses policies in schools, including Michael Gove , an influential secretary of state who previously served as education minister , argue that progressive, child-centered approaches that spread in the 1970s caused a behavioral crisis , reduced learning and hindered social mobility.

Their perspective is tied to a conservative political ideology that emphasizes individual determination, rather than structural elements, as shaping people’s lives. In Britain, politicians from the governing Conservative Party, which has held power for 14 years, have supported this educational current, borrowing from the techniques of American charter schools and educators who rose to prominence in the late 2000s.

The hard-right firebrand Suella Braverman , a former minister with two Tory governments, was a director of the Michaela school. Martyn Oliver, the chief executive of a schools group known for its strict approach to discipline, was appointed as the government’s chief inspector for education last fall. Ms. Birbalsingh served as the government’s head of social mobility from 2021 until last year, a position she held while running the Michaela school.

Tom Bennett, a government adviser for school behavior, said that sympathetic education ministers had helped this “momentum.”

“There are lots of schools doing this now,” Mr. Bennett said. “And they achieve fantastic results.”

Since Rowland Speller became the principal of the Abbey School in the south of England, he has cracked down on misbehavior and introduced formulaic routines inspired by Michaela’s methods. He said that a regulated environment is reassuring for students who have a volatile home life.

If one student does well, the others clap twice after a teacher says, “Two claps on the count of two: one, two.”

“We can celebrate lots of children really quickly,” Mr. Speller said.

Mouhssin Ismail, another school leader who founded a high-performing school in a disadvantaged area of London, posted a picture on social media in November of school corridors with students walking in lines. “You can hear a pin drop during a school’s silent line ups,” he wrote.

The remarks triggered a backlash, with critics likening the pictures to a dystopian science fiction movie.

Ms. Birbalsingh argues that wealthy children can afford to waste time at school because “their parents take them to museums and art galleries,” she said, whereas for children from poorer backgrounds, “the only way you’re going to know about some Roman history is if you’re in your school learning.” Accepting the tiniest misbehavior or adapting expectations to students’ circumstances, she said, “means that there is no social mobility for any of these children.”

At her school, many students expressed gratitude when asked about their experiences, even praising the detentions they received, and eagerly repeating the school’s mantras about self-improvement. The school’s motto is “work hard, be kind.”

Leon, 13, said that initially he did not want to go to the school, “but now I am thankful I went because otherwise I wouldn’t be as smart as I am now.”

With around 700 students, Michaela is smaller than the average state-funded secondary school, which has around 1,050, according to the government. It is so famous that it attracts about 800 visitors a year, mostly teachers, Ms. Birbalsingh said. A leaflet handed to guests asks them not to “demonstrate disbelief to pupils when they say they like their school.”

But some educators have expressed concern about the broader zero-tolerance approach, saying that controlling students’ behavior so minutely might produce excellent academic results, but does not foster autonomy or critical thinking. Draconian punishments for minor infractions can also come at a psychological cost, they say.

“It’s like they’ve taken 1984 and read it as a how-to manual as opposed to a satire,” said Phil Beadle, an award-winning British secondary school teacher and author.

To him, free time and discussion are as important to child development as good academic results. He worries that a “cultlike environment that required total compliance” can deprive children of their childhood.

The Michaela school made headlines in January after a Muslim student took it to court over its ban on prayer rituals, arguing that it was discriminatory. Ms. Birbalsingh defended the ban on social media, saying it was vital for “a successful learning environment where children of all races and religion can thrive.”

The high court has not yet issued its decision in the case.

Proponents of the strict model and some parents say that children with special education needs thrive in strict, predictable environments, but others saw their children with learning difficulties struggle in these schools.

Sarah Dalton sent her dyslexic 12-year-old son to a strict school with excellent academic results. But his dread of being penalized for minor mistakes created unbearable stress, and he started showing signs of depression.

“ There was this fear of being punished ,” she said. “His mental health just spiraled.”

When she moved him to a more relaxed school, he started to heal, Ms. Dalton said.

In England, government data last year showed that dozens of superstrict schools were suspending students at a far higher rate than the national average. (The Michaela school was not among them.)

Lucie Lakin, the principal of Carr Manor Community School in Leeds — which does not follow the zero-tolerance model — said that she realized the approach was spreading when a growing number of students enrolled at her school after being expelled. Her school earns high academic scores , but she said that was not the only goal of an education.

“Are you talking about the school’s results being successful, or are you trying to make successful adults?” she asked. “That’s the path you’ve got to pick.”

In the United States, charter schools that adopted similar strict approaches were initially praised for their results. But growing criticism from some parents , teachers and students in the mid-2010s triggered a reckoning in the sector.

In 2020, Uncommon Schools, an American network of charter schools and one of the pioneers of the “no excuses” approach, announced it was abandoning some of its strictest policies, including “Slant.” The organization said it would remove “undue focus on things like eye contact and seat posture” and put greater emphasis on building student confidence and intellectual engagement.

“A titan in the world of education falls to progressive pressure,” Ms. Birbalsingh wrote on social media . “Uncommon you have just let hundreds of thousands of children down.”

Audio produced by Patricia Sulbarán .

Emma Bubola is a Times reporter based in London, covering news across Europe and around the world. More about Emma Bubola

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