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Education

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Original poster

Does your Primary school have a School Council?

43 replies

Donk · 26/03/2006 22:28

I didn't realise that many Primary schools have school councils now! What do they do? Which years are involved? What do you think of them?

OP posts:

lockets · 26/03/2006 22:32

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

tamum · 26/03/2006 22:35

Dd is the rep for her class (P3, she's 7). She takes it all very seriously but find it hard to understand what's going on a lot of the time "They use words like democracy and target and skipafon. I don't even know what a skipafon is!" :o In her school they start being involved in P3, and have a rep from every class. I think they're a good thing generally, they discuss quite sensible stuff like the healthy eating initiative.

Original poster

Donk · 26/03/2006 22:36

I was given to understand that smoe schools include all year groups, but some only involve KS1 &2 - or even just KS2.......
What do you think of the work they do? How are the reps chosen at your school?

OP posts:

Original poster

Donk · 26/03/2006 22:37

I would guess that a skipafon is a skipathon - another sponsored something......

OP posts:

tamum · 26/03/2006 22:38

The reps are chosen by a vote in the class here. The people who want to stand put up their hands, then they have to give a speech. Voting is done by secret ballot.

tamum · 26/03/2006 22:38

Yes, thanks, I realised that Donk- just thought it was funny!

Original poster

Donk · 26/03/2006 22:43

Sorry , I'm always dreadfully literal......

OP posts:

tamum · 26/03/2006 22:44

No problem :)

joanna4 · 26/03/2006 22:57

All classes in primary take part except reception.My dd who is 9 is rep for her class -generally one boy one girl from each.

katetee · 27/03/2006 09:19

my dd is a school councillor, chosen by ballot. She gave a speech to her class and they voted for their reps. They have a meeting once a week with the head and head of PSHE. Last week dd and two others were invited to the Governors meeting to discuss the school's policy of Respect. I think it has done wonders for her confidence. Another school I know of allows the council to vet interview candidates and their say is taken into account.

Sari · 27/03/2006 10:02

Ds1 (yr 1) is on the school council. He was elected by the rest of the class. He never really tells me what goes on at meetings but they seem to discuss things like how to get more people to walk to school, how to improve the playground and how to encourage healthy packed lunches.

He did tell me his brilliant contribution to the meeting on walking to school - giving the parents chocolate as an incentive. Clearly he has worked out that his mother will do most things for chocolate.

WigWamBam · 27/03/2006 10:06

At dd's school there's a rep from each class (three per year) and they include Reception - my dd is the rep for her class. In Reception they closed their eyes and put their hands up for the person they thought would be best, in Y1 ans Y2 anyone who is interested can stand, and there's a ballot.

They have made decisions about equipment for the playgrounds, which type of rubbish bin to use(!), how best to recycle, and have raised concerns about things like the state of the toilets and parents smoking in the playground.

Dd loves it; she wants to stand again next year.

juliab · 27/03/2006 10:13

Yeh, my ds2 (yr 1) is on school council, too. His genius contribution? More bananas for the infants at playtime!

GDG · 27/03/2006 10:17

Yes, but can't remember what it consists of! Ds1 only in reception so he's not on it! I know they requested that the playground fencing be painted bright colours at the PTA meeting - they got it too!

jmum6 · 27/03/2006 10:21

My school has one, two members from each class get voted on by the other children (1 boy and 1 girl).
Once a month in a circle time in class the children all think of ideas to improve the school (cosmetically and generally), the 2 council members then take these ideas to the council meeting ( as well as ideas on how to raise funds to pay for the ideas). Some ideas are chosen and hence we now have giant coloured pencils in the school playground!!!

spacecadet · 27/03/2006 10:25

my ds was a school council rep when he was in year 3, he enjoyed the responsibility, they had monthly meetings where they discussed school issues. i think its an excellent idea. ds's school friends would tell him things that bothered him and they would bring them up at the meetings which were usually attended by the headteacher and a teacher from key stage 1 and 2.

ellceeell · 27/03/2006 13:20

I used to attend school council at my children's primary school as a parent governor. At least the HT and often the DHT attended. It was great listening to the children's ideas and suggestions. Reception was represented by 2 children and a nursery nurse so that messages going back weren't muddled. When we were appointing a new deputy head the school council wrote their own person specification, which was really thoughtful and all the best candidates commented on it. Several of the reps commented that even when their suggestions for school changes were turned down, it was good to have an explanation why. 2 reps would attend the first half hour of a governing body meeting in the summer to discuss how school council itself could be improved - they were chosen by vote at the school council. It really developed confidence and the children felt they were being listened to. There was an agenda and minutes were circulated afterwards.
I've no idea if the school still does it, but I'd like to think so.

MamaG · 27/03/2006 13:21

My DD was voted to be her class's rep with a boy (y2) but she was kicked off it last week for messing about too much

Legacy · 27/03/2006 13:30

Yes, our infant school have one. Lots of sensible stuff comes out of it - like the request for girls to be able to wear trousers for school, and cleanliness of the toilets, portion size of school dinners...

Reckon they're all going to be MPs when they grow up...

MamaG · 27/03/2006 13:31

Mine won't....! Or maybe she will, but she'll be caught skiving off or something...

Ailsa · 27/03/2006 13:33

My dd1 is on her school council, she was voted onto it when she wasn't even in the classroom, she didn't even know it was happening. She was happy to do it though.

Ailsa · 27/03/2006 13:34

Just re-read the title - she's at high school now (Y7). But she was on the Children's Committee at her last school.

Senoracod · 27/03/2006 13:34

yes orus is fab
they are all going to a PHse course to show how good htey are
they interview kids for important roels like playgorund buddies

Feistybird · 27/03/2006 13:35

Yes, from Year 1 onwards are involved.

Tinker · 27/03/2006 13:38

My eldest has been very peed off about not being voted as rep. But her suggestion was more heating in the hall - seemed very reasonable.

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