Thomas Willingale School and Nursery
School Council
A school council is a formal group of pupils who act as representatives of their classmates in discussing school issues with the headteacher and staff. It’s a brilliant way of representing and contributing to Pupil Voice in your school.
What does a school council do?
A school council is a formal group of pupils who act as representatives of their classmates in discussing school issues with the headteacher and staff. It’s a brilliant way of representing and contributing to Pupil Voice in your school. Students are elected to represent the views of all pupils and also to improve their school. They help to make decisions about how the school is run and take on projects that support the children’s learning and development, such as representing the school at outside events or ensuring the school is environmentally friendly. School councils are elected annually by the other children in their class. A school council does a number of things:
- A school council meets with a teacher present to discuss and sort out problems. These could include school lunches, behaviour or ideas to improve the school.
- Each year, every class will elect two representatives to be members of the school council. The council will then meet to elect officers such as Chair, Vice Chair and Secretary.
School Councilors 2024-25
Why should you have a school council?
There are lots of reasons to have a school council. A school council can provide a meaningful way in which pupils can voice their opinions and have their views taken into account in decisions that impact upon them. Evidence and experience from schools all over the country shows that a school council that is supported and nurtured helps to improve many aspects of school life. It’s an important and useful way for schools to provide leadership and development opportunities for their pupils.
Student councils are a great way for students to take on leadership roles, promote the voice of the student body, problem solve and impact their community. A council serves as the voice for all the children and actively works with teachers and staff members to promote a better learning environment.
What makes a school council successful?
A good school council is one that represents the views of all students and gets things done. These are some things that make a school council effective:
- Half termly meetings.
- A council that is not too big.
- Good communication between representatives and their class.
Will my child miss lessons if they’re on the school council?
If the school council meets during curriculum time, then your child would miss some lessons. But it's usually arranged so that they don't miss the same lesson each time, and teachers are also asked to help them catch up.