Policy for the Student Council
POLICY FOR THE STUDENT COUNCIL
Definition:
The Student and Year Councils are a representative structure through which the students can become involved in the affairs of the school, working in partnership with school leadership, staff and parents for the benefits of the school and its students.
Our Principles:
The Council, like the school as a whole, believes that every child matters. The Council is committed to the rights of the child and gives them an opportunity to exercise those rights. The student representatives on the Council give a voice to every child by passing on others’ views in meetings so that every student is included in the school community. Our Students have a valuable contribution to make to the effectiveness of the school.
Our Aims:
For students to be elected to represent the views of pupils in their forms and year group.
For the views of students to be considered in whole school matters.
For students to be included in the development of their school.
For students to communicate their preferences.
For students to develop their sense of belonging to the school community.
For students to listen to others and recognise themselves as worthwhile individuals with the right to be heard.
For students to learn about rights and responsibilities.
For students to make a positive contribution to the school environment and ethos.
How the Council will operate?
There are two councils. A Year Council and a Student Council. Each Year Council will have two ambassadors that are elected from each form.
Each Year Council will be led by a Year 11 Senior prefect who will liaise with the form ambassadors in order to produce an agenda for the meeting.
Each Year Council will meet twice per term. This will always follow on from an extended form period the previous week that will enable the ambassadors to discuss appropriate information with their form.
Each Year Council will have agenda items adapted so that they are age appropriate and at the appropriate level for pupils.
Each year Council will meet for 60 minutes per session Agenda items will come from all stakeholders (pupils, teaching staff, SLT, parents)
The Student Council will have two elected representatives from each Year Council. These elections will take place after students undertake campaigning in their Year Groups that will include presenting their ideas and vision in year group assemblies.
The Student Council will be led by the Head Boy and Head Girl who will work with senior staff to produce an agenda based around the Year Council meetings.
The Student Council will meet once per term or as and when the school deems necessary.
In classrooms there will be a method for collecting ideas for school improvements, any issues within the school or ideas for projects/initiatives. This could be an ideas board or box in each room so that pupils can add ideas as they come up between meetings so they don’t get forgotten.
Every student on the Council will have a badge, so other students know to whom to express their views.
The Student Council will have an annual budget, currently (designated budget), for minor expenses that are a direct result of decisions made by the Council.
