Objectives of our school councillors

To make sure children have a place to voice their concerns, opinions, and thoughts. To encourage all children in school to suggest ideas and improvements for our school. to ensure any suggestions or concerns are listened to and acted upon.

Definition and Ethos of Our School Council

The school council is a body of students that meet once a month to represent the views of all the pupils and look at ways to help improve their school. The school council is made up of representatives from each class from Y1 to Y6 who discuss matters about school life and learning, and then raise concerns with the senior management and the governors of the school.

Bishop Wilson C of E School strongly believe that we all have a gift and we encourage students and adults to think about and reach deep inside to use these gifts to help others. Our aim is to give them direct experience of debating and negotiating issues and enable them to see the ‘bigger picture’ of how the whole school is run.

“Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.”

1 Peter 4:10

School Council Guidelines

The aim of the school council is to involve students in helping to implement an create school policies and procedures that will benefit all in the school community.

This will address the following areas:

• Pupils should be able to have a say in decisions and to play an active role in making their school a better place for all.
• To make changes in our school and community.
• To give pupils the opportunity to let adults know their feelings and opinions about things that affect them.

Role of the Council

The school council will undertake the following:

• Work with the SMT (senior management team) and governors to share their opinions on issues that have been brought to the school council agenda which affect the school community.
• Develop creative ways to involve the school community.
• Develop ways of encouraging outside groups and agencies to be involved in the school.
• Serve as a voice for the pupils of Bishop Wilson C of E school and within the community.

Role of the School Councillors

The role of the school councillors is to:

• Listen to the views of their class and represent these views during school council meetings.
• Feedback key issues from these meeting to their class.

Meetings

School councillors aim to meet at least once a month to work on current projects and discuss key issues.

School Council Meeting Organisation

It is the aim of the school that the meetings should be run and led by the pupils (School Councillors) with the teacher representative (Mrs Page) involved mainly for guidance,

During the first meeting of the council, each representative will take on a designated role or job – these will include:

• Chair Person - leads the meetings and helps set the agenda through gaining feedback from the other representatives on issues that have been raised by their year group.
• Vice Chair Person-will assist the Chair Person and ensures that all of the representatives carry out their roles effectively. They will also run the meeting in the absence of the Chair Person.
• Secretary- takes the minutes of each meeting which should then be word-processed and distributed to all of the teachers and council representatives.