Pupil Voice and School Council

At Kilburn Grange School we put all of our children at the heart of everything we do whilst providing a first class education so that the pupils can learn, enjoy and succeed. Our school is a place that inspires and engages children’s minds and hearts. Our school believes in a democracy and the laws of the country, where every individual has a voice that is heard and respected. Let’s stop hate and collaborate!

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) is an international agreement that protects the human rights of children under the age of 18. The basis for pupil voice is to be found in Article 12 of the UNCRC, which sets out the right of children and young people to express an opinion and to have that opinion taken into account when decisions are being made on any matter that affects them. Pupil participation is about developing a culture in schools where all children and young people have a voice and have the opportunity to play an active role in decisions that affect their learning and well-being, as set out in Article 12 of the UNCRC. Therefore, gathering pupils’ views and opinions is a regular feature of our school life.

Having an effective School Council is beneficial to the whole school community and also individuals as it gives everyone involved in school a voice. It helps our school develop into a caring community where pupils, teachers and parents/carers work in partnership towards shared goals. The goal of the school council is to support or develop projects that consider the needs of the school and students and host events and activities that help our school community. We want to make our school a safe place where we can all learn, enjoy and succeed.

The views and ideas of children and young people are sought when planning, developing and reviewing policies and procedures that might affect them. In order to be inclusive, consultations should be well-advertised, happen in a timely manner, and a variety of methods used. Some of these may include:

  • Consulting through pupil bodies – e.g. school council representatives;
  • Class meetings (fortnightly) or assemblies (daily);
  • Questionnaires or surveys (at least once per half-term);
  • Focus groups or workshops;
  • Initiatives such as learning detectives/reporters;
  • Suggestion boxes (Kilburn Grange postcard can be completed anytime and put in the suggestion box or given to a School Councillor).

Here are some of the things the School Council is currently working on:

  • Improving playtimes to make sure all children are happy and behaving whilst have a range of equipment and activities to exercise and play with
  •  Reviewing our school lunches and how they can be improved

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