Article 12 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) says that children and young people should have a say in decisions that affect their lives. A school council can provide a meaningful way in which pupils can voice their opinions and have their views taken into account in decisions which impact upon them.

Senior School Council structure

This is a summit, made up of senior school representatives, including the Head Boy and Girl, Head All-Through and Senior Prefects.

At the initial meeting each year, the group will establish its aims and the projects they want to work on. They might divide into mini groups to work on particular projects throughout the year.

The summit meets the Senior Leadership Team (SLT) on a termly basis to provide an update on the activities of the focus groups, and to submit new proposals. The SLT also uses this as a forum in which to exchange ideas with pupils.

Attributes of a member of the Senior School Council

1. Integrity

Integrity means honesty and more. It refers to having strong internal guiding principles that one does not compromise. It means treating others as one would wish to be treated. Integrity promotes trust, and little can be achieved without it.

2. Communication

Communication in the context of leadership refers to interpersonal communication between the individual and others, both in the team and across the school community. A good leader needs to be proficient in the communication that informs and must actively listen to others.

3. Relationship building

Relationships develop good interpersonal and group communications. A leader who likes dealing with people and who can initiate and deepen relationships with others, has a great leadership advantage. This is a leader who can build a team and build up trust within it.

4. Persuasion

The ability to influence others and cause them to act in a particular way is a highly important leadership skill. An ability to be persuasive is directly related to how much people trust you and how good your relationship skills and communication are.

5. Adaptability

Adaptability and flexibility in not being bound by a plan are important success factors. A leader must move easily from one set of circumstances (the plan) to the next (if the plan is not going as expected) and take them all in their stride, even when the circumstances are unexpected. A good leader has to embrace change and see it as an opportunity.

6. Teamwork

Teamwork is an important and often neglected part of being a prefect. Our community has a team of prefects who are part of and leaders within the school. No one person can do it all. That’s why a team, comprised of others with different skill sets, is essential. A leader must know how to build and nurture such a team.

7. Decision-making

A leader must be able to wade through information, comprehend what is relevant, make a well-considered decision, and take action based on that decision. Once a team decision has been made, the individual must fully support the group in carrying out the actions related.

Role of the Senior School Council

· To maintain a positive and productive school atmosphere in which both pupils and colleagues feel included.

· To lead aspects of the whole school life so that the community becomes stronger.

· To ensure that duties for different teams are carried out correctly.

· To work together as a Leadership team.

· To mentor younger pupils to build in succession.

Focus groups

Focus Groups meet on a bi-weekly basis to decide on and organise projects which are relevant to their area of focus. Each group is overseen by a teacher. The pupil voice co-ordinator explains all the ideas that come from the pupils, and the teacher’s role is simply to facilitate.

The focus groups are:

1. The Equality and Diversity Group

The aim is to ensure everyone in the community is seen and understood. The group works with teachers and pupils to celebrate different cultures in school and raise awareness of the need to work together to make the school more inclusive. Examples of events are:

• International Women’s Day

• Black History Month

• Men’s Mental Health

2. The Charity Group

The group meets bi-weekly to fundraise for the charities which are chosen by the members. Some of the events are:

• Bake sales, including the annual one for Macmillan

• Selling poppies for The Royal British Legion

• The annual Christmas appeal, which has a different charity annually

3. The Wellbeing Group

In the Wellbeing Group, the aim is to create a positive and enjoyable working environment for both pupils and teachers and support them feeling comfortable and safe at school.

As part of its role at the school, the group encourages pupils to join in with different activities. The group does this by organising a variety of events aimed at everyone. For example, in the summer the group runs rounders for our sport-orientated pupils, and for our arty pupils, the group runs colouring and drawing sessions. This helps to promote the school values – Endeavour and Excellence, Creativity and Character, Integrity and Empathy – and give pupils a chance to work with and get to know people across the whole school community.

4. The Eco Group

The aim is to provide a place for pupils to put their ideas about the school environment forward and work together to discuss and implement improvements. Current members are trying to develop a

garden that is centred around the use of compost to use food waste from food technology. They also have plans to continue making sustainably sourced technology projects for raising money and pushing for more recycling opportunities in classrooms.

5. The Digital Leadership Group

This group is interested in the use of technology inside of school. The members help run technology for school events. They have a computing club and organise the annual Bebras competition. They also have other various responsibilities, such as editing drone footage.

6. The Sports & Extracurricular Captains

The Sports Captains work closely with the House Leaders to provide interhouse competitions. The aim is to involve everyone in the community. For example, they have run the freshers’ fair in Autumn to encourage pupils to join a club by displaying the wide range of extracurricular activities the school offers. The members also oversee competitions, such as Sports Day in the Upper and Lower school. They are also required to volunteer by supporting the PE teachers.

7. The Library and Careers Group

The Careers team is a key group within the school community. The members ensure that the library can provide a range of diverse and engaging resources, an IT access, and a space that is welcoming to the whole Westgate community. They also provide support for the smooth running of the library’s activities in the Upper and Lower Schools. They also support the school through careers events by practising interviews and helping in the careers’ fair.

8. The Curriculum Group

The aim is to provide a place for pupils to share their ideas about the curriculum and work together to implement changes that benefit the whole school. The members are focused on how to best support different learning styles, enhance classroom learning experiences, and help others with their studies.

They have also discussed the effectiveness of not using mobile phones in school. This approach helps to boost pupils’ concentration during lessons and ensures a fairer environment by reducing distractions and removing potential inequalities.

9. The Arts Leads

The aim is to promote the Arts department within the school community. This involves leading extra-curricular activities and encouraging younger pupils to take part in activities and promote the arts. The members inspire creativity which would eventually lead to opportunities for pupils to showcase their talent during events.

10. The Lower School Leads

· Tutoring lower school pupils

· Setting up Y9 DofE reading

· Working on School Council

· Aiming to bridge activities/clubs more effectively between the Lower and Upper school

11. The House Captains

The House Captains represent and lead the four houses at Westgate. They ensure that there is a wide range of activities and competitions so that everyone has a chance to represent their house

and help win the coveted house cup. They work with the house leaders to support the Westgate community challenge to make sure that house members are able to gain their Bronze or Silver, or even Gold badges. They celebrate this success with assemblies.

12. The PSA and Prom Committee

The Senior Council representatives for Prom Committee help plan the Year 11 Prom. This includes orchestrating fundraising events and being involved in all the other aspects such as the yearbook. They also support the PSA (Parent and Staff Association). They ensure that the school and the parents work together to raise money for school projects. They suggest projects through speaking with other groups and organise pupil involvement.

13. The Language Lead

The aim is to support the MFL Department and incorporate languages into the wider Westgate community. They work with the MFL teachers to set up and run clubs which encourage the younger years to excel in their classes. They also often work with the primary phase leaders and visit the lower school to help the pupils to enjoy learning languages from a young age.

14. The Media Lead

The aim is to work with the school’s HR department and promote the school website and the social media. This may include taking photos and reporting on recent school events, helping in The Gate to showcase the school to parents or job applicants, and sharing school news with fellow pupils.

15. The Peer Supporters

The peer supporter program is designed to help younger pupils feel more comfortable and happier at school. The main aim of the peer supporter lead is to work with the year 10s who have applied for this role, match them with a year 7 buddy and make sure everything runs smoothly.