School Council
The Primary Goal of our School Council is to develop the school community so pupils become partners with their teachers in their education. It provides the opportunity for pupils to have some influence and say in some areas of school life.
Set up in January 2001, the Council has two representatives, one boy and one girl, from each class from Year 2 upwards. There are also 3 further reprensentatives from Year 6. These pupils hold the positions of Chairperson, Vice-chairperson and Secretary, making a total of 23 children. Meetings take place once per term with a member of the senior management team, a governor and a member of The Friends Association. Minutes from the meetings are then circulated to staff and governors while the representatives report back to their class as soon as possible. The Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson and Secretary also have additional meetings with the head on a more regular basis.
The benefits of having a school council include:
- Pupil councils provide a basis for active learning of key skills and experience of democracy activities.
- School councils enable all pupils to have a voice and help them to learn that their opinion counts.
- Pupils' involvement improves communication between pupils and teachers, senior management and governors. This means the school can develop into a community where pupils and teachers are working in partnership towards shared goals.
- It promotes the development of positive peer leadership and shifts the responsibility for good behaviour away from teachers and towards members of the classroom and the school community.
- Improving behaviour and developing positive relationships within the school impacts positively on the learning environment.
- Pupils have great potential to make a positive contribution to the school and the wider community. School councils help pupils to fulfil this potential by promoting positive relations between the school and the wider community.
- Involving pupils in school councils gives all children in the school the opportunity to develop important skills for life. For example communication skills, relationship skills, peaceful conflict resolution, teamwork, effective leadership, critical and moral reasoning, negotiation, compromise and assertiveness. Many of these skills are important in helping children to develop resilience to negative experiences and improving their academic and non-academic achievements.
Set up in January 2001, the Council has two representatives, one boy and one girl, from each class from Year 2 upwards. There are also 3 further reprensentatives from Year 6. These pupils hold the positions of Chairperson, Vice-chairperson and Secretary, making a total of 23 children. Meetings take place once per term with a member of the senior management team, a governor and a member of The Friends Association. Minutes from the meetings are then circulated to staff and governors while the representatives report back to their class as soon as possible. The Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson and Secretary also have additional meetings with the head on a more regular basis.
The benefits of having a school council include:
- Pupil councils provide a basis for active learning of key skills and experience of democracy activities.
- School councils enable all pupils to have a voice and help them to learn that their opinion counts.
- Pupils' involvement improves communication between pupils and teachers, senior management and governors. This means the school can develop into a community where pupils and teachers are working in partnership towards shared goals.
- It promotes the development of positive peer leadership and shifts the responsibility for good behaviour away from teachers and towards members of the classroom and the school community.
- Improving behaviour and developing positive relationships within the school impacts positively on the learning environment.
- Pupils have great potential to make a positive contribution to the school and the wider community. School councils help pupils to fulfil this potential by promoting positive relations between the school and the wider community.
- Involving pupils in school councils gives all children in the school the opportunity to develop important skills for life. For example communication skills, relationship skills, peaceful conflict resolution, teamwork, effective leadership, critical and moral reasoning, negotiation, compromise and assertiveness. Many of these skills are important in helping children to develop resilience to negative experiences and improving their academic and non-academic achievements.