The Role of the School as a Space for Democratic Participation: A Systematic Review (2019-2025)

Abstract

Student participation in school decision-making is a relevant aspect of contemporary discourses on educational innovation and social justice. This study presents a systematic review of student participation in school decision-making in primary education. The main objective is to explore how this participation is being implemented in real educational contexts, its benefits and the challenges involved. Following the guidelines of the PRISMA Declaration ensured a rigorous and replicable methodological approach. A total of 16 studies were selected from the following databases: ERIC, Web of Science and Dialnet. A systematic review methodology was used to identify recurrent patterns, participatory strategies and structural barriers to authentic student participation. The analysis also considers the different levels of decision-making (classroom, school, and community) in which students are involved, as well as the pedagogical frameworks that support these practices. In particular, it examines the influence of democratic education models, project-based learning, and participatory governance structures on the development of students’ agency and sense of belonging. Furthermore, the review highlights the role of institutional culture and leadership styles as determining factors that either facilitate or hinder meaningful participation. The results show that most of the student participation is conceptualised through active methodologies. However, the study identifies a significant disconnect between the normative discourse promoting participation and the reality of school practices, where tokenistic rather than meaningful participation tends to prevail. The study concludes by stressing the fundamental role of teachers as agents of change and underlines the urgent need for teacher training in democratic culture.