What enables student participation in school? An ethnographic case study

Background Democratic student participation is widely recognised as important in building a fairer society and fostering critical citizenship. However, despite several robust theoretical frameworks outlining the characteristics of high-level participation, a gap remains between understandings of theory and practice. In many educational settings, symbolic or passive practices still predominate, often due to a lack of empirical models illustrating how to implement student participation well in daily school life.Purpose To address this gap, this ethnographic case study focuses on one state-funded school in the Basque country, recognised for its democratic practices. Objectives are twofold: to present a successful case model, and to analyse how genuine student participation is fostered in this school, thereby identifying useful aspects for educational improvement. The article describes in detail how these factors are articulated and applied in the school’s daily practice.Method The research adopted a qualitative ethnographic case study design. Data were gathered through 24 participant observations, analysis of 21 school documents, and group discussions with a teaching team (1 group) and with former students across several generations of the school’s history (28 groups).Findings The analysis revealed three interlinked dimensions essential for fostering real participation: 1) a renovated teacher perspective, which regards students as active subjects with rights and capabilities; 2) a participative, emergent curriculum based on global (non-subject-specific) projects chosen and led by students; and 3) a flexible organisational model with high levels of coordination, subordinated to students’ needs and project requirements.Conclusion Achieving high-level participation requires a holistic transformation of school culture. By aligning teacher beliefs, curricular design, and organisational structures, student participation and sense of belonging can be fostered. These findings offer a practical framework which may be helpful for educational centres seeking to operationalise democratic theory in their everyday practice.