At Christ the King, our School Council aims to encourage our children to:
- Develop confidence and responsibility and make the most of their abilities
- Prepare them to play an active role as citizens
- Develop healthy, safer lifestyles
- Develop good relationships and respect the differences between people
- To have a “voice” and to share their opinions and ideas with others
Why?
The School Council represents the whole school. Through our School Council and class council work it is hoped that we can develop a balance and wholeness, helping to make our community more pleasant to live in. Our School Council work will enable pupils with positive attitudes to exert a positive influence.
Our School Council aims to ensure our children have:
- A safe, happy and fair learning environment
- A forum to voice their concerns and act upon them
- A structured opportunity to learn problem-solving skills
- An opportunity to take an active role in the organisation of the school
- An opportunity to experience a democratic process
Our School Council should encourage pupils to develop:
- A sense of ownership over policy and practice
- A consensus over school issues such as behaviour
- Responsibility towards the school community and environment
Our School Council should give pupils the experience of:
- Planning, organising and monitoring small projects
- Speaking and listening skills
- Debating skills
- Mediation and negotiating skills
- Basic budgeting and managing money
Our School Council aims to prepare our pupils for citizenship by teaching them about roles, rights and responsibilities within the school system.
Elections:
Class elections will be held every year so that different representatives can put forward their election speeches as well as developing the full potential of the School Council to complete tasks. Two candidates will be elected from each class - one male and one female .
Organisation:
- Two representatives from each class
- Link Teacher
- An agenda is to be organised by the link teacher
- Minutes will be recorded by the children
- The School Council can bid for funding for each project. They will need to prepare a proposal and report on the impact.
School Council Members will share information with their class, and get ideas and views from pupils by talking during allocated time tin class and during free time at break and lunchtimes.
Link between the School and Class Councils:
Each class will operate a class council in which issues are discussed, associated with their class. If, however, an issue does occur which they feel needs to be forwarded to the School Council, then the issue will be presented to the School Council through the class representative.
The School Council will be leading planned meetings with the whole school to hear their feedback on a termly basis.
Feedback will be provided from each School Council Meeting through minutes from the meetings and feedback from the link teacher.
Running the School Council Meetings:
The School Council will vote for a chair. This is the person who makes sure everyone gets a turn to speak and encourages all members to contribute. In addition, the School Council will ensure someone takes notes during the meeting and the notes should assist the feedback classes receive after the meeting.
At the end of the School Council’s meeting, everyone needs to know what they have to do next. The chair needs to make sure members know what to do and what they have to say to their class.
Giving Feedback to Pupils:
Following the School Council Meeting, School Council Members speak to their class to let them know what is going on and tell the class about the issues being discussed and what is happening next. This will encourage more children to contribute to further meetings, share worries and let members know the things which could be done to improve the school. The school will record School Council Achievements on the school newsletter as and when appropriate.
School Council - Intent, Implementation and Impact Statement
Intent
At Christ the King, our school council forms a significant part of school life in which all children play a key role in our school development.
Our aim is to enact Article 12 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), which states that ‘Every child has the right to express their views, feelings and wishes in all matters affecting them, and to have their views considered and taken seriously.’
In our school, pupils are given the opportunity to express their views and make positive contributions towards school life. In each meeting, children are taught the skills they need to respect and tolerate the views of others and how to evaluate these views to make effective decisions.
The education system exists for children; and giving them autonomy within that system enables them to make the most of their education.
Implementation
At Christ the King we ensure that the following is completed by (and for our) School Councillors:
- School Council Elections are held biannually (once in autumn term, once in the summer).
- Each nominee will have to canvas for votes by delivering their own manifesto to their class.
- Two councillors, a Main and Vice Councillor will be appointed for each class.
- Once the members of the council are elected, meetings will take place in each classroom. School Councillors are to present the shared agenda to the class and record responses.
Councillors will remain engaged and active participants by:
- Presenting agendas and recording minutes.
- Encouraging discussion and promoting mutual respect for all.
- Being supported to have and reasonable and responsible understanding of the type of decisions their views can change (it is not just a wish list).
- Promoting school events, significant topic months and calendar dates around the school.
- Being ambassadors for their school environment and instructing others to do the same.
In order for them to fulfil their role, they will need to have:
- A dedicated school webpage with minutes uploaded after each meeting
- Class pages that promote and exhibit the work of the councillors in each class in their meetings
- A School Council folder
- Highlights from discussions/meetings or any other school council business shared on Twitter
Pupil voice on specific school development issues.
Impact
Benefits to the children:
- The children experience the power of a democratic vote and the importance of mutual respect and tolerance.
- Improved emotional health and wellbeing.
- Increased confidence, self-esteem and motivation.
- Development of life skills such as negotiation, compromise and decision making.
- Increased responsibility and involvement within the school and community.
Benefits to the school:
- Improved communication between staff and children.
- Improvements to the school environment.
- More opportunity for pupils to embrace school ethos.
House captains and vice house captains:
Our Lady Lourdes
House Captain: Scarlett Jendro
Vice House Captain: Connor Brennan
Our Lady of Knock
House Captain: Megan Milbourne
Vice House Captain: Curtis Brown
Our Lady of Fatima
House Captain: James Currie
Vice House Captain: Darcy Tutchener
Our Lady of Walsingham
House Captain: Megan Boyce
Vice House Captain: Jack Meredith