Gateway's school council voice their opinions

Our Student Council have been full of ideas and meeting with great enthusiasm, as we have returned for the new school year.

They have tackled many important issues and have kept the spirit of Pupil Voice alive for everyone at Gateway. The Student Council is set up to enable all pupils to have a real say in issues that affect them and to know that their opinions count. Article 12 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) says that children should have a say in decisions that affect them. Issues are raised within the Council in a number of ways and help achieve effective pupil participation.

Members of the School Council were elected by their peers at the start of term to represent them and their views. It provides a meaningful way in which our children can voice their opinions and have their views taken into account in decisions which impact upon them. By supporting and nurturing Pupil Voice at the school, they have helped to improve many aspects of school life, including an understanding of the work of charities, lunches, playground equipment, the use of the merit system to name a few.These have all highlighted issues of democracy and local and global citizenship. It has been an important and useful means of providing development opportunities for our pupils.

The focus this term has been to discuss charities the children would like to support in this academic year. The representatives have made short presentations to consider local and international charities to share with their peers. They have also discussed choosing new playground equipment which they will communicate with their classes. Some younger have liked the idea of skipping ropes and stilts, particularly. The Council also talked about the work of the Chiltern Foodbank, as part of our Harvest appeal this year.

It is wonderful that our Student Council have had so many ideas. They have shown great qualities leadership, cooperation and collaboration in sharing their ideas and presenting them to others.