Barker College is a fantastic example of a successful School Formal event model. To any school representative, this is a very worthwhile read!

The integration of Year 10, 11, and 12 annual social events into a coordinated, co-managed partnership between the school, professional event managers, and external venues has produced consistently successful outcomes for all stakeholders for more than two decades. This collaborative model emerged following a meeting between Dr Rod Kefford (then Headmaster of Barker College) and Elliot Kleiner (Chief Executive Officer, National Strategic Protection). Their discussions provided a comprehensive understanding of the collective needs, expectations, and operational requirements surrounding the school’s social event calendar.

This consultation served as the foundation for the development of a robust, systematic framework designed to ensure that each stakeholder group received the outcomes essential to their respective roles. Simultaneously, the model incorporated opportunities for senior students to engage with real-world organisational processes, thereby contributing directly to curriculum-aligned learning in subject areas such as Commerce, Law, and the Humanities and Social Sciences.

Stakeholder Requirements

The school environment comprises several primary stakeholder groups, each with distinct priorities.

School Administration

Administrative staff require a reliable and well-regulated management system that provides structured data flow in relation to:

• scheduling of dates and times

• geographical and logistical arrangements

• guest ticketing processes

• seating allocations

• dietary information and associated safety requirements

• cost analysis and financial disbursements

• security, safety, and regulatory compliance

• alignment between event presentation and the school’s public image and ethos

• management of potential liability exposures through harm minimisation and risk-mitigation protocols

Students

Students approach these events with a different set of expectations, prioritising:

• an enjoyable and socially engaging atmosphere

• high-quality dance music

• plentiful, appealing food options tailored to adolescent preferences

• access to photographic and digital media suitable for online sharing

Parents

Parents’ concerns typically relate to:

• the safety and supervision of their children

• the quality and safety of food provided

• the assurance that their children will enjoy the event

• overall financial cost and value

Teachers and Year Leaders

Teachers and year coordinators hold a unique set of responsibilities and expectations, including:

• demonstrating meaningful support for students during a significant developmental milestone

• facilitating student input into the planning process without imposing undue distractions from academic commitments, particularly during periods preceding examinations

• managing student expectations and ensuring that these expectations are met effectively

Conceptual Framework for Annual Events

The overarching concept is to deliver all three annual events (Years 10, 11, 12) according to a developmental and pedagogical progression. This framework includes the following principles:

1. Strategic Scheduling: Events are positioned within the school’s annual calendar so as not to conflict with academic or co-curricular commitments.

2. Progressive Formality: The Year 10 event adopts a minimally formal structure with limited student decision-making. Across Years 11 and 12, the level of formality and student responsibility increases incrementally, culminating in a highly formal Year 12 event for which students hold substantial organisational control.

This incremental model not only enhances student engagement and ownership but also supports the development of leadership, organisational capability, and social responsibility.

This is how each year group runs…

Year 10 – “Party”

• The school makes ALL decisions concerning date, venue, format, inclusions package and pricing.
• The school busses the students both in and out of the venue.
• A team of teachers attend the event.
• No partners allowed from outside the year group.

The Year 10 is a “Stand-Up’ “Finger-Food” style of party with fun decorations and features where the kids are essentially “Free Range”. They can dance, graze on a buffet of teen-food items like mini burgers & pizza, and take all the selfies they like for social media.

Year 11 – More “Formal”, More Responsibility

• The school makes ALL decisions concerning date, venue, format, inclusions package and pricing BUT a student committee is invited to take some control of things like colour schemes, dinner menus, DJ Music programmes and speeches / formalities.
• Guests are able to get themselves to the venue BUT the school busses them back to the school for pick up.
• A team of teachers attend the event.
• Partners are only allowed from within the school but this includes other year groups.

The Year 11 is a proper “Sit-Down” formal with banquet tables and plated meal service. All of the fun elements are still part of the night but they get to make more of their own decisions about how the night will go for them.

Year 12 – More Extravagant, and MOST Responsibility

• The school makes ONLY decisions concerning date. All decisions about venue, format, inclusions package and pricing are now made by the student committee. They’re given full control over colour schemes, dinner menus, DJ Music programmes and speeches / formalities.
• Guests must get themselves to the venue and home, with no help from the school.
• Teachers DO NOT attend the event.
• Partners are allowed from outside the school.

The Year 12 is the ULTIMATE Extravaganza where the format is “Formal-Black Tie” with plated multi-course dinner served to banquet tables, however the freedom to include whatever extra features they want means that this event becomes huge and diverse with lots of extra inclusions and experiences. The allowance to invite outside partners means that this significantly boosts attendance numbers, which in-turn makes the ticket price very affordable by spreading the costs across many more people.

This is their final “Hoorah” yet fully supported by the school, which is nice.

Results

The incremental system that introduces students to the possibilities of event design and progressively increases their decision-making authority across the three-year sequence (Years 10, 11, 12) provides significant educational value. Through this scaffolded approach, students gain authentic exposure to organisational planning, logistics, collective purchasing and negotiation, contractual and administrative processes, and principles of safety and security. Importantly, these experiences occur within an enjoyable context, allowing students to appreciate both the planning journey and the culminating events.

Professional event management organisations, such as Prom Night Events, assume responsibility for the more complex components of event delivery. Through established procedures, specialised expertise, and refined operational resources, these companies streamline the entire process. As a result, the administrative and supervisory responsibilities placed on school staff are not only minimal but also simplified, efficient, and generally positive in nature.

This framework subsequently becomes a replicable and adaptable template that can be deployed on an annual basis. Its modular design accommodates variations in venue selection, event inclusions, enrolment size, and cultural expectations, ensuring the model remains relevant and responsive over time.

Prom Night Events and its long-standing school partners (including Barker College) strongly recommend this model to institutions seeking to maintain oversight, enhance safety, and mitigate potential risks associated with school social events. While some schools may assume that events such as Year 10 or Year 11 formals do not occur without their involvement, this is rarely the case. Such events typically proceed regardless, often facilitated by external providers. Although event management companies can and do coordinate these functions independently, schools that opt not to participate forfeit the opportunity to influence event culture, support student development, and benefit from the positive outcomes inherent in a structured, collaborative model.