Welcome to our School Council
Cotherstone School Council meet every fortnight.
The School Council is made up of one child per year group. All children are encouraged to take a turn at representing their year group at sometime during their time at school. The present school council is made up of one child from each year group. The children work on resolving issues that effect them and organise social events such as a school disco, Children in Need Talent Show, Sport Relief and World Book Day.
Members
September 2020 – Feb 2021
Libby (Y6) – Chair, Henry (Y3) – Treasurer, Sennen (Y4) – Secretary, Josie (Y5), Lydia (Y2), Harry (Y1) and Noah (R)
March 2021 – July 2021
Jon (Y3) -Chair, Kitty (Y6) Treasurer, Thomas (Y5) – Secretary, Summer (Y4), Isabella (Y2), April (Y1), and Scarlett (R).
Supporting Staff member
Mrs. Batchelor
Why do we need a School Council?
For years, all the decisions about children were made by adults. Adults made those decisions due to being older and therefore considered to have experience, training and qualifications. However, adults didn’t always make the right decisions; this was sometimes due to not talking with children first about the issue and not taking onboard their thoughts and wishes. This provoked a discussion for a different approach and all the countries got together and agreed that children must be given rights. It is a fact that sometimes their ideas are fresher and better than adults!
There is an international law called The Convention of the Rights of the Child, which nearly all the countries in the world have agreed to practise.
In having a School Council, we feel that this gives us an opportunity to discuss, be listened to and be able to make decisions about what is good and right for us, the children of Cotherstone Primary School.
Our School Council is made up of seven School pupils, one from each year group. Candidates who wish to become a member express their interest to their class teacher and after a short presentation (KS2 candidates only) are chosen through a voting process by their class; if they are successful, they will become a member for a term. We like to hold regular meetings (weekly/fortnightly) – and this year’s School Council has been delivered in a number of ways due to COVID restrictions. Including meetings via Teams during home learning, liaising in different ways to include different bubbles KS1 and KS2 through letters/tasks/teams’ meetings/suggestion box. We feel this has been very successful due to our enthusiasm and dedication and because we feel that we are valued, our voice is heard and we are listened to by the adults that care for us.
Here is a list of things that the School Council have been involved with during this school year:
School Council Achievements September 2020 – July 2021
- Constructing and selling D.I.Y. Corn dolly Kits for Harvest – raised £27
- Choosing a charity and holding a school vote on what to spend the funds on – Decision for a Tip tap for Save the Cow Charity.
- Organising Children in Need day – Theme Pyjamas and Spotty day – raised £59.80
- Deciding on how we could safely send Christmas cards this year (due to COVID) – voted for Post boxes but with a quarantine of 72 hours from a cut-off date.
- Composing a successful letter to support an application to the Local School Nature Grants which secured the school a grant of £500 – items chosen and selected by the school council.
- Organising a litter picking session after a school council member was notified by a concerned class mate and brought the matter to the meeting.
- Coming up with the idea of interviewing staff members about things that they like/hobbies/interests and composing a list of questions to find out about these interesting facts. Arranging interviews by sending an invitation letter to the headteacher and Chair of Governors.
- Sending a successful letter to Morrisons requesting a Christmas tree donation.
- Discussing ideas and deciding on our school entry into the community advent window display. (natural materials)
- Successfully obtaining a School Council Noticeboard by submitting a letter to be included with an application for funding from DCC Community Engagement Funding Officer.
- Assisting the Playleader in collecting data via a questionnaire to school pupils to see what games they would like to participate in at break and lunch times.
- Organising a Christmas Jumper Competition
- Selecting and purchasing of School Council Badges with School Council funds.
- Collating information and submitting results for the RSPB Big Bird Watch 2021
- Organising World Book Day
- Setting up aa Suggestion Box
- Choosing an outdoor noticeboard.
- Designing posters – World Book Day, Children in Need, Christmas Jumper Competition, Suggestion box.
- Organising Red Nose Day by gathering information, via a tally chart for activities that pupils would like to participate in and then arranging the most popular activities, selling red noses, collecting money and promoting the charity – funds raised- £120.50
- Judging competitions – Shoe box competition and composting poster.
- Awarding prizes to winners.
- Delivering feedback to suggestions from suggestion box and implementing when possible – composting mission and football programme.
- Holding School Council assemblies to update the school pupils with progress of projects, requests, competitions and news.
- Updating the School Council Noticeboards with weekly exercises, jokes and information.
Roles and responsibilities of a School Council Member
Do you think you could represent your class as a member of Cotherstone Primary School Council?
The role of a School Council Member:
- You will attend regular weekly/fortnightly meetings with other School Council members from each year group.
- You will take ideas and suggestions your class have discuss to the School Council meetings.
- You will bring back ideas, information and suggestions to your class and encourage your class to listen, discuss, share their views, and where necessary, vote on actions that need to be taken.
- You will help to organise charity events throughout the year.
- You will encourage the pupils in your school to be aware of their school environment and to respect and care for it.
- Some of the more senior School Council members will be responsible for specific tasks:
School Chairperson (leads the meeting.)
School Council Secretary (writes the minutes of the meeting.)
School Council Treasurer (manages the money – with Mrs. Batchelor.)
Once chosen to become a member of the School Council, children in Year 3, 4, 5 and 6 will have the opportunity to apply for one of the above roles.
Specific qualities needed to become a School Council Member:
As an individual you may bring lots of additional skills and qualities to this role, however to be a successful School Council member you need to:
- Be reliable.
- Be proud of our school and want our school to be the best it can be.
- Listen carefully to the views of others and take their ideas on board.
- Represent the majority view of your class, even if you don’t agree!
- Commit time to this role and accept that you may need to do things during break times and/or lunchtime.
- Be enthusiastic.
- Be kind and respectful.
- Be patient.
If you think that this role is for you, then be brave and put yourself forward as a candidate to your class teacher.
Candidates will need to:
- Be able to talk to your class for 2 minutes to explain why you want to be on the School Council, and explain how you will make the school better.
Your class will then secretly vote on their favourite candidate speech and the class teacher will declare the successful candidate.
The new School Council members will be introduced to the whole school during the next celebration assembly after the voting.
Good Luck!!