School council

A school council is a formal group of pupils within a school who are elected by their peers to represent their interests and viewpoint.

School Councils align with Article 12 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the child (UNCRC) which says that children should have a say in decisions that affect their lives. A school council provides a meaningful way in which pupils can voice their opinions and have their views considered in decisions that impact their educational experience.

At West Grove, our School Council empowers pupils and encourages active participation in the school community. It also serves as a practical lesson in democracy, teaching pupils how to express their ideas and bring about positive changes based on their personal needs and interests.

At the beginning of every year, pupils from years 2 – 6 who want to be a School Council Representative, stand for election. They present their goals and explain why they would be an effective school representative for their class. Each class then votes for their School Council Representative following a democratic process. The elected representatives are introduced in a school assembly and their pictures are taken and displayed so that everyone is clear who is on the School Council.

School Council Representative’s role

• Encourage pupils to recognise that their opinions are of value and the importance of their voices being heard.
• Help their peers in learning how to express their views effectively
• Attend meetings and bring forward the opinions and ideas of their class
• Inform their class of decisions made during meetings and the current focus of the school council