Creating an Effective School Council.

Key Stage/Year group: All. Provision through: • Extra curricular activity, • Some discrete provision in PSHE lessons.

School: Lymm High School. Type: Voluntary controlled. Number of Pupils: 1700.

Learning Objectives

1. To engage pupils with ‘real democracy in action’.
2. To familiarise pupils with electoral processes, and opportunities to participate.
3. To improve the school and wider community through student
4. To give pupils real responsibility and empowerment.
5. To develop pupils’ communication and presentation skills.

Description

Lymm High School benefits from a school council system that is two years into its initial five year programme. It places great emphasis on genuine pupil empowerment, participation, and leadership, and involves pupils in activities that that span the entire school and many community organisations. Consequently it fulfils many areas of the CE Programmes of Study including 1a,e,f, all of Section 2, 3b and c. More importantly perhaps, the pupils thoroughly enjoy it.

Setting Up: Paul Wainwright, Citizenship co-ordinator and instigator of this project, took inspiration from the School Councils UK and the German education system.

The existing 6th Form Council was asked to consult all pupils on the kind of council that they wanted. Three models were proposed, examined, and one chosen by referendum. Staff, the chair of governors, students and pupils then discussed and created a written constitution outlining areas where pupils could decide the course of action, areas where they could expect to be consulted, and issues where they had the right to be informed. Paul then created a 100 page Council Handbook to provide pupils with helpful information; areas of staff responsibility, how to contact the staff, pupil rights and responsibilities, council procedures and structures etc.

The main school council is student led, although it also attended by SMT members, staff and the chair of governors. They have received training from School Councils UK on how to run organisations effectively, reflecting on and developing skills of democratic participation. There are now specific roles for members, sub-committees (for uniforms or the dining hall, for example), and systems for informing various school groups through registrations, assemblies and peer education projects. Each year group also has a council, and each form has two representatives, ensuring that every pupil in the school is directly involved in the overarching democratic system. Again, year councils are led by the students themselves, with each of the twenty members assigned a role such as secretary or community liaison officer. Reviews are held to ensure that problems do not recur, and ‘hand-over council’ meetings ensure continuity at the end of the year.

What do these councils do?

Some councils or sub-committees help run things at school; one group invited catering staff in to discuss dining hall matters, others organise extra curricular activities, and some communicate with the local council to discuss transport issues about roads and safety. Senior management also asks to meet with councils to raise awareness and assist with changes or projects happening in the school. Members of the councils have been involved in the interviewing process for new staff coming to the school. The latest development is called “Lymm Pride”; a potent coalition of the school council, the parish and borough councils, local voluntary organisations and businesses.

As a consequence, pupils become aware of election systems, council models and operations, representation, local government and voluntary organisations, methods of communication, democracy, rights, and they perceive themselves to be agents of real change in their community. This is an advanced council system that leads to true empowerment, self-esteem and responsibility.

Practice

Resources needed

Cost of initial training for students (provided by School Councils UK).

Links to Citizenship Programmes of Study

1d (democratic / electoral processes and participation), 1f (bringing about change as individuals / voluntary groups);
all of Sec 3.

Links to other National Curriculum Subjects

• English (communication skills),
• ICT (publicity / council newsletter),
• History (democracy).

Links to other organisations

School councils decide where raised funds are targeted; local charities and voluntary organisations. “Lymm Pride”: a coalition of local businesses, parish / borough councils, and voluntary organisations.

Quotes

“The council has made a great difference to the school because pupils are given more say in what happens. Pupils can now raise issues easily and we can discuss them in our meetings.” (Joel & Megan, Year 9)