‘Student agency refers to feelings of autonomy and input that learners have over their own learning. It is rooted in the principle that when students believe their actions can make a difference, they become more engaged, confident and effective learners. But should educators give students agency in their learning and their teaching?

The idea of asking students about their experiences of school is not new. Many types of student surveys are in use already—perhaps providing insight relating to students’ attitude to school, their wellbeing, or their sense of belonging. Less common are student surveys focused on pedagogy and classroom practice.’

(https://evidencebased.education/resource/student-agency-in-classroom-practice/)

Pupil agency refers to a student’s capacity to take an active role, make meaningful choices, and direct their own learning journey, rather than acting as a passive recipient of information. It shifts the classroom dynamic from teacher-led control to a collaborative partnership where student voice, choice, and ownership are prioritised.

The 4 pillars of student agency

To make agency work it relies on four main ingredients:

Ways to bring agency into your lessons

You don’t have to rewrite your entire curriculum to make this happen. You can start small with a model of “structured freedom”—giving choices within clear boundaries.

1. Provide options for how students show their knowledge

Instead of making every student write the exact same essay, give them options for their final product. Let them choose between writing a report, filming a short video, creating an infographic, or recording a podcast episode. As long as they hit the learning objectives, the format is up to them.

2. Encourage them track their own goals

At the start of a new topic, have students write down one or two personal goals. Give them simple tracking sheets so they can look back and see how much they’ve improved. Teaching them how to use flashcards or self-quizzes to check their own understanding is an amazing way to build lifelong study habits.

3. Shift from “lecture” to “inquiry”

Try turning a standard lesson into a mystery to solve. Give students a driving question or a real-world problem, let them research the answers in pairs, and have them present their findings to the class.

Developmental progression of agency

Agency scales as children mature, moving from micro-decisions to community-wide initiatives:

‘Student agency is about students seeing themselves as capable, curious and empowered, able to shape their learning and make a real impact on the world around them. When schools nurture agency, students gain confidence, motivation, and the future-ready skills they’ll carry long after they leave the classroom.’

(https://www.participatelearning.com/blog/how-to-build-student-agency-in-classrooms/)

 This blog was written by Bretta Townend-Jowitt, Education Consultant and Trainer.