School Council

The school council works to make improvements to our school and the way we do things at Middlestone Moor Primary Academy. We want to improve and have an impact not only within our school, but within our community and the wider world. We look around for things that could be better and discuss what to do. Everyone gets a chance to speak and when we’ve finished we vote on the best ideas and then start working on changing things. Sometimes we have to talk to teachers and sometimes we have to make phone calls to people outside of the school.

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?

We value the benefits of operating a School Council. The School Council represents the whole school. We aim to benefit the whole community, and as a school we operate as a community. Through our School Council work, it is hoped that we can develop a balance and wholeness, helping to make our community more harmonious 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
• A 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 across school.

Organisation

• Two representatives from each family group. The representatives must be from Year 5 or 6
• Link Teacher (Mrs Murray)
• An agenda is to be organised by the link teacher
• Minutes will be recorded by the children

It is a very responsible job, and School Council Members will share information with their class, and get ideas and views from pupils by talking.

Glossary

We try to be very professional in the council so we use a lot of business words. Hopefully this will help.

• Agenda – a list of things to talk about
• Councillor – someone who has been voted for to work for their class mates on the school council
• Minutes – the notes taken during a meeting so people can see what goes on
• Motion – an idea for the council to discuss