Assessment of the 4th Primary School`s democratic governance based on analysis of the First Key

Area:
GOVERNANCE, LEADERSHIP AND PUBLIC ACCOUNTABILITY
FROM THE POINT OF
RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES
ACTIVE
VALUING DIVERSITY
VIEW:
PARTICIPATION
TEACHERS
(Dijana and Silvija)
PSYCHOLOGIST
(Mirjana)
COMMUNITY
(Dijana)

PARENT
(Silvija)

STAGE:2
a)Leadership is responsible to
government
The head of the school is loyal to higher
authorities but has some awarenes of possible
negative effects on stakeholders. She doesnt
recognize other stakeholders as important as
higher authorities.
Leadership tend to focus not on goals but on
regulations. That's why freedom in doing things
our own way is often controlled and has to be
approved.
STAGE:3
b)Leadership shares power with
stakeholders
Important decisions are made after
consultations with majority of those affected by
them. Leadership consults the staff about
certain decisions. Expected conclusion should
be in agreement with the higher authority.
Students opinions are not usually taken into
account. Thus, students are given some
influence in minor, easier areas.

STAGE 2:
c)Management and day to day routines
The Head of School is carefull not to put too

STAGE:3

STAGE:3

Leadership recognises
and promotes shared
ownership and
responsibility of all
stakeholders:

Awareness of diversity:

The Head of the school

distributes tasks and
responsibilities on staff
mainly but inequaly. Those
who prove to be more
responsible get more
freedom in performing the
tasks and more
responsibilities as well.
There is a lack of trust at all
levels: teachers don`t trust
that pupils could be given
more influence in decision
making (fear that they
won`t be responsible
enough and that teachers`
authority will be
diminished).

There are non-discriminating

rules, recognition of religious
diversity, inclusion of SEN
students , equal opportunity
for education no matter the
child` s background.
Everything looks fine on a
piece of paper but it should be
put more into practice.
In practice students are
primarily seen as pupils who
need to be taught obligatory
material . Their emotional
background is not taken
serious enough and values are
not promoted enough in
teaching process.
Although there is opinion
among staff that all pupils
have equal learning
possibilities, in practice it is
not true. Those students who

Assessment of the 4th Primary School`s democratic governance based on analysis of the First Key
Area:
GOVERNANCE, LEADERSHIP AND PUBLIC ACCOUNTABILITY
much power in the hands of staff and students.
She is aware of the importance of good relation
with all stakeholders. But all stakeholders are
not equaly influenced. Communication is mostly
one way.

Distrust that some tasks

should be given to others .
The head of the school does
a lot of administrative work
and seeks control over most
of the things.
Students are involved into
giving some ideas and
sharing their point of view
through Student Council.
Some of the students are
representatives of
Children's City Council. Both
of the Councils engage
them to make decisions,
share ideas, find the ways
to help other kids in
need,spend some quality
time with children who are
hospitalized etc.

experience lack of parental

support have less chances to
succeed and are evaluated in
the same way as students
who have it all.Emotional
itelligence should be practised
among teachers, students and
parents. Children learn the
best through real-life
situations if we do what we
preach, the students will see it
is good, it is for real and it is
something that should be
done.

Assessment of the 4th Primary School`s democratic governance based on analysis of the First Key
Area:
GOVERNANCE, LEADERSHIP AND PUBLIC ACCOUNTABILITY

WHAT DIRECTION WOULD WE LIKE TO

TAKE?
ACTIONS:
The Head of the school should become aware
that it is possible to be loyal to higher
authorities and respect regulatives but still be
able to adjust them to fit to all stakeholders.
Some regulations shouldn`t be taken for
granted. We would like more flexibility with
legislatives and regulations where possible.
Personal responsibility of all the stakeholders
should be taken to a higher level. Values and
responsibilities that the head of the school
expects from others , she should have herself.
The same should be for all the stakeholdersteachers, parents, NGOs. We teach by doing
and not by saying.

DESIRED DIRECTION:

DESIRED DIRECTION:

We would like more active

participation of staff: they
should also initiate staff
meetings in order to share
positive examples of
teaching practice, share
creative ideas , praise pupils
who excell not only in
academic areas but who are
tolerant, supportive,
positive , engaged,
creative ...We like the idea
that pupils colud be
engaged into staff
meetings- they should
participate from time to
time

We should put more

emphasis on promoting
democratic values (in
practice) and not on academic
achievements . Transfer of
knowledge comes after
democratic values.

STUDENTS` council is not

enough active, they do not

Students should be seen as

wholistic people.

Assessment of the 4th Primary School`s democratic governance based on analysis of the First Key
Area:
GOVERNANCE, LEADERSHIP AND PUBLIC ACCOUNTABILITY
initiate ideas nor they try to
present their needs and
demands. We would like to
give them more influence in
decision making and , by
that, more responsibility.
They are not motivated nor
understand what is the
point of that council.
Obviously, they should be
given more support and
more credit for what they
do. All stakeholders should
take this council more
seriously.
There is the lack of
feedback what happens in
students` council meetings,
activities they share, values
they learnThe rest of the
students from our school
get some information about
their activities
( it mostly depends on
information given by their
headteachers) . On the
other hand, parents have
almost no information about
it.Now we have to think of

Assessment of the 4th Primary School`s democratic governance based on analysis of the First Key
Area:
GOVERNANCE, LEADERSHIP AND PUBLIC ACCOUNTABILITY
the ways how to make
parents involved .

Dijana: My impressions while reading this manual were very positive. In many ways it has given me a feedback that

my teaching and work with students is on the right path. I really like what is said about democracy in this manual,
that, it is a journey . Fortunately, I have travelled a certain part of the journey and I am going to do my best to
continue travelling forward.
It was very interesting to assess school where I work in all the areas of governance, although we put assessment of
the first key area on this piece of paper. It took some time and , as a team, we had to discuss and reflect on this a
lot. We tackled some topics that were forgotten for some time. We have also come to various ideas what could be
done in other areas of governance.
Tips and suggestions that I like concern staff meetings and allowing students to join staff meetings from time to
time. Giving students more influence in decision making seems challenging. I also like suggestion that we have to
motivate students to be more active by giving them more support and give them credits for well done job.
As far as personal outlook of the leeder is conserned, I really like suggestions that he/she should not take all
regulations and rules for granted. The leader has the chance and obligation to question himself/herself what can be
done to adjust some of them to the needs of all stakeholders, not only to those who are of higher authority.

Assessment of the 4th Primary School`s democratic governance based on analysis of the First Key
Area:
GOVERNANCE, LEADERSHIP AND PUBLIC ACCOUNTABILITY
Finally, I like suggestions that every head oft he shoul should ask himself/herself about the reasons for becoming a
leader oft he school.

Silvija:
Reading this manual gave me more ideas of what should be changed and the best thing about this manual is that it
gave me the prompts on how to do it. I'm happy to say that I've already practised some of this things in my
everyday teaching. Trying to make some changes in our school, using different approaches, involving something
new into lessons, approaching students with trust and approvalthese are the ways to make the quality of their
lives in school better. I especially like the idea of leaving the lesson plan in order to intervent if somebody is treated
wrong or needs our help. Being a parent and a teacher in this school, I trully hope that parents will be more
involved in this life-learning process. It has a good impact on all of us.

Mirjana
This assessment would be more valuable if the voice of our Head of the School would be a part of this assessment. But, she is
not a memeber of the team so we have made this assessment for the second hand. Though, as a school psychologist, I
work closely with the Head on many issues on which we have sometimes the same and sometimes different attitude. It often
happens that it is necessary "adjust" the application of certain regulations, especially when it comes to children (and parents).
Listening to the other side and the effort to understand the interests of the "other side" they can be the key to solve the
problem in order to get a win-win situation. Search for meaning behind certain provisions is also crucial to their application
to be effective. We should be more flexible in considering regulations concerning children.
This manual enabled us to get insight into the state of democracy in our schools. It's great to recognize some positive
examples in our school, but it is much more important to recognize our weaknesses . We should reflect on them critically. It

Assessment of the 4th Primary School`s democratic governance based on analysis of the First Key
Area:
GOVERNANCE, LEADERSHIP AND PUBLIC ACCOUNTABILITY
seems that we have a long way to a real democracy in our schol and society, but as they say "every trip begins with the first
step".