Some veterans can recall pupil governors but the memories are dimming. It was prime minister Margaret Thatcher who got rid of the young upstarts, a creation of the previous Labour government. Among her many abolitions, this one attracted little attention.

Now things may be coming full circle. This September, citizenship becomes part of the curriculum and many see this as a perfect time to involve pupils again in making decisions about their school.

It would bring this country into line with what happens in Europe and potentially make pupils feel more responsible for what happens in their school. One researcher also believes greater pupil involvement in decision-making is linked to improved exam performance.

But can a 16-year old really cope with the weight of responsibility on a modern governor? And is putting a student on the board really the only way of ensuring everyone is involved in decision-making? After all, many schools already operate school councils and listen carefully to what older pupils say.

The debate comes at a time when the White Paper, Achieving Success, has raised the issue of “participation of young people in the decisions affecting them”.

Derry Hannam, project director of the Phoenix Trust, which promotes student involvement in decision-making, has carried out research for the Department for Education and Skills. He surveyed 12 schools with participative cultures. Pass rates at GCSE and anecdotal evidence suggested that they were outperforming other schools.

His trust has been involved in helping to launch ESSA, the English School Students’ Association. At present ESSA is little more than an email network but wants to be a a body that could be consulted on educational matters. Its aims include campaigning for a student council at every school.

A leading ESSA member, Mehreen Malik, 16, chairs the school council at her west London comprehensive. She has contacts with Obessu, the European umbrella pupil body based in Belgium - and has visited Denmark as an observer of the school student elections.“We appear to be almost unique in not having pupils on governing bodies,” she says. Mehreen would like to see full participation in governing bodies but accepts those aged 16-18 should be targeted. Even observer status would be a step forward.

But will a 16-year-old really want to spend hours listening to proceedings even adults sometimes find dull? “I have been told governors’ meetings are very boring and there are sensitive issues to be discussed. But I think we should be involved in core issues that affect us such as curriculum, the school development plan and the school budget,” says Mehreen.

ESSA can point to Norway as a model. The country’s schools ombudsman was created after discussions with students’ organisation Elevorganisjonen I Norge (EO). All upper secondary school boards must have two pupil representatives. The chair of EO, 21-year-old Jan Fredrick Stoveland, believes their presence has improved the focus of governing bodies, but he has some caveats. “Some representatives participate without really knowing why they are there or what they are doing. Managing a school budget is not easy.” He also emphasised the need for representatives to feed back decisions so students genuinely feel represented. Schools in Norway can also play safe by creating a school board as required but exercising a legal right not to designate it the governing body - leaving substantial authority with the head.

Stakeholders here have concerns about letting pupils on to governing bodies. David Hart, general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers, says student-governors are not a priority, when there are enough problems ensuring decent staff representation. He is keener on school councils.

Governors, too, are wary. Jane Phillips, chair of the National Association of Governors and Managers is not sure pupils should be full governing body members.

“I think things work better if you encourage good practice - some strong guidance from the DFES on school councils would be helpful.”

Stakeholder and user involvement in public services is in fashion but, where the stakeholders are not adults, it is controversial. Nonetheless, pressures for greater pupil involvement are mounting and some say models in Europe offer a way forward. Morover, as fewer adults exercise their democratic right to vote could democratic involvement at school be the best way to encourage the next generation’s interest in the decisions that affect us?

Obessu website: www.obessu.org; Phoenix trust 01489 579043, email derry@demo51.freeserve.co.uk; Essa email malikmehreen@hotmail.com