_thumb.jpg)
School Council
What is a School Council?
The school council is a group of students, from each year group, who are elected to represent the views and opinions of all pupils and to improve the school.
Every student has the opportunity to participate in the activities of the School Council through form group discussions with the form representatives.
The purpose of the School Council is to represent your views and opinions on a variety of issues.
The school council does a number of things:
- The school council meets to discuss and sort out problems. These may include school lunches, behaviour or ideas for fundraising events.
- Members of the school council will be responsible for carrying out the ideas that have been agreed, such as planning fund raising events, writing newspaper articles, or meeting with catering staff.
How is the School Council Organised?
At the beginning of the academic year each form group elects two representatives from their form to serve on the Year Council. Year Councils are chaired by the Pastoral Team Leader or his/her nominated representative.
From the members of the Year Council two representatives are elected to serve on the School Council where they will meet to discuss the views and ideas of each year group. The School Council is chaired by Mr Hunt, the school’s PSHE and Citizenship Co-ordinator.
What makes a good School Council?
A good school council benefits the whole school, students and adults, as it gives opportunities for you to communicate your feelings and opinions to teachers and support staff as well as influencing decisions that are made. This enables you to become a partner in your own education.
A good school council get things done!
These are some things that make Harper Green’s School Council effective:
- Regular meetings
- A council that is not too big
- Form councils that meet regularly
- Good communication between representatives and their class
- Training for school council members
- Smaller groups (subcommittees) working on specific events or issues
- Annual evaluations
What Does the School Council Discuss?
Issues that might be discussed in the school council include:
- School rules and policies
- Activities after school
- Planning for new school buildings
- Bullying
- School equipment
- School and community fundraising
- School meals
- Facilities in school
- Community issues
The Aims of the School Council are:
- To promote your views as students through discussion about issues raised by students and staff which affect the life of the school both in the present and in the future
- To help the people who make decisions in the school understand and respect your point of view
- To give you an opportunity to understand and participate in a democratic process
- To encourage you to understand the negotiation of the rights and responsibilities of citizenship in everyday life.
- To enable you to participate effectively in school and debate and address issues of concern to you both in and out of school
- To enable you to become a partner in your education with teachers, support staff and parents
- To give you a real say in how you learn and achieve
- To promote the school's reputation and to maintain the school ethos
- To undertake projects that will improve the quality of the school
Our School Council, Year Group and Tutor Group meetings create opportunities for your views to be expressed and heard. With effective communication within school, the decisions that are made can take into account your views and ideas.
