SCHOOL COUNCIL

At St Nicolas we are proud to have pupil representatives that take part in Class and School Parliament meetings. These councils are in place so that pupils have a voice and are involved in decisions about the school that affect them.

Through Class Council, all pupils have the opportunity to raise issues, share ideas and take part in discussions that involve all of their classmates in reaching a democratic solution. Wider issues that arise at Class Council are discussed further at School Parliament. This ensures that as many pupil voices as possible are heard. Pupils at St Nicolas know that this is their school and their thoughts and ideas matter.

Class council officials should be nominated and then voted in by their class mates – they should not be chosen by their teachers.

The Chair should lead the meetings with you coaching and modelling if necessary – the longer term idea is that children can do this virtually unaided.

An ‘agenda’ (either a whiteboard or laminated sheet of card) will be on the wall throughout the week with a whiteboard pen easily accessible.

Throughout the week children will jot any issues, concerns, worries or ideas etc. that they wish to discuss at the class council meeting.

At the meeting the Chair will raise the first item on the agenda and invite the person who wrote it to explain their point of view.

The Chair then invites the rest of the class to discuss the matter and reach some sort of resolution.

The Secretary then makes a note of what has been decided in the minutes. If the resolution can be reached by adjusting something in class or by speaking to the Head of School, then it need not be taken to School Council.

If the resolution is something that the class feels should be shared with School Parliament to allow wider discussion then a note will be made in the minutes to make this clear.