School Council

At Beaconsfield Primary School, we value the ideas, opinions and contributions of all pupils in our school and believe that they should play a key role in making our school the best place that it can be for them. This aligns with our values as a Rights Respecting School where all children have the right to have their voices heard, listened to and be taken seriously (UNCRC Article 12).

Our School Council strengthens the relationship and communication between pupils and staff and is made up of two representatives (School Councillors) from each class in Years 2 to 6 (including Dolphin Class). Being a School Councillor is an excellent opportunity for children to develop their personal skills, teamwork and responsibility.

At the beginning of the year, pupils who are interested in becoming a School Councillor must complete an application form and then present a short speech to their class. An in-class election will then take place to decide who will take on these roles. Pupils in Years 5 and 6 may apply for the position of Chair and Vice Chair and these are elected by the School Councillors during the first School Council meeting after giving a speech. All School Councillors can be identified by the special badge that they wear.

The School Council meets at least twice every half term to discuss issues and that the School Councillors have collected from their classes. During these meetings, actions are set and minutes are recorded that are distributed to all classes to be shared and a copy is freely available to view on the School Council Notice Board.

Some of the things that our School Council have been involved in over the last few years include:

• Choosing what after school clubs they would like to be run
• Working alongside the Eco-Warriors to improve the playground environment
• Working alongside the Playground Buddies to organise lunchtime activities
• Fundraising events for the school and other charitable causes

Last year one of our goals/aims was to create an outdoor reading area. A new glass extension to our dining hall was built last year so we were able to start creating a reading area that could be used not only within the warmer periods of the year but also during the winter months. We have already had lots of positive feedback from the children across the school about this new reading area gives them a quiet and comfortable space to read during lunchtimes. We are continuing to work on making sure the area is inviting for everyone.

Projects in the pipeline for this year include:

• Making the canteen more inviting during lunch time
• Reorganising the outside reading area to make it feel more cosy
• Designing a calming space for children to go to if they are feeling sad, angry or frustrated