Four Year 6 pupils at St Margaret’s Prep School in Calne have taken on roles on the school’s council, a body which gives pupils the opportunity to have a voice within the school and allows them to be involved in making changes. Each member of the School Council takes responsibility for a particular area of school life, and this year it will be: Izzy, well-being; Phoebe, academic; Alice, enrichment; and Molly, outdoors.
In Year 6 St Margaret’s is active in giving its students numerous opportunities to take on positions of leadership and responsibility, such as House Captains, Student Council leaders, Eco council leaders and Librarians.
“This is a life skill which we value highly at St Margaret’s Prep and find that the pupils always rise to the challenges set for them, growing in confidence throughout the year and becoming positive role models to the younger pupils,” explained Miss Coombes, Year 4 Class Teacher and co-leader of the School Council.
“To elect the Year 6 leaders, we hold a council hustings. Anyone who wants to be considered for this position creates a short presentation to give to the school during a whole school assembly. Last year we did this in person but this year we made short film clips of all candidates. The students are then given a voting slip and they vote for the 4 leaders who they would like to elect.”
Some of the tasks achieved by the council last year are –
- Went to lunch with Early Years and pre-prep then led playground games with them every Friday lunchtime.
- Put forward ideas for the charity the school would support over the year.
- Ran stalls and helped with some organisation of the Easter and Christmas charity fairs.
- Visited the chosen charity.
- Helped out with some academic events such as maths week and outdoor classroom day.
- And so far this year, they have also visited St Mary’s chapel service to meet and question a speaker from Calne Food Bank.
“I think that having an active Student Council is integral to a happy school and I am proud to be involved in leading and guiding our school council,” added Miss Combes. “At the end of the day, this is their school and it is important to give them the opportunity to be heard.
“Allowing and helping children to use their voice to make positive changes and become confident leaders will give them life skills that they will use far beyond the classroom. It also helps them to empathise with others, whether that is through supporting younger children and their peers around the school, working hard to raise money for the charities they have chosen or just by listening to the ideas of others and sharing them in council meetings.”