The School Council at Saint Christina’s School is integral to ensuring that pupil voice is promoted and valued through listening to and acting on the views of children ranging from the youngest students in the school to our year six school leaders. The School Council is comprised of 15 children aged five to eleven, with at least two councillors from each year group who are democratically elected by their class peers.
The elected councillors meet to represent and propose solutions to issues raised Class Council sessions during regular, scheduled School Council meetings that take place twice each half term. School Councillors hold particular remits which include Secretary, Eco-Monitor and a Chairperson for each meeting; a role which different councillors are being trained to assume on a rotational basis. The Head Girl and Deputy Head Girl are automatically elected members of School Council each year and are instrumental in promoting the values and decisions taken in School Council sessions. Pastoral care, particularly care and concern for new children and families, is at the heart of our School Council agenda throughout the school year. The councillors welcome and introduce themselves to new children to our school at the first meeting of the academic year before sustaining their friendships with them during the course of the year. A positive impact of this is that children who are new to our school community acquire a range of friends in different classes across the school.
Leadership enrichment opportunities for School Councillors are organised at least once a year as children attend Mayor’s Question Time at City Hall to view the intrigues of politics and governance in action. In addition to Mayor’s Question Time, children may also participate in educational tours of the Greater London Authority to gain further insight into how public meetings are organised and how public views are discussed and debated.
A key strength of the Saint Christina’s School Council is the outstanding commitment of all councillors to supporting charitable aims. Each year, the School Council initiates school involvement and support for our annual ‘Warmer Winter Appeal’, the aim of which is to distribute warm clothing to those who are in need or who are homeless, both in London and abroad. School Councillors and their families also give generously to school based charity events, such as the annual Harvest Food Collection and the collection of food aid for victims of natural disasters. Saint Christina’s School Councillors also actively fundraise at particular school events to increase funds in the School Council budget. Working in partnership with the excellent support of Parents’ Link, School Council helps to implement children’s Class Council initiatives and ideas, such as the purchase of further playground equipment that benefits all children in the school.
School Council has a distinctive role to play in school improvement. The views of councillors have been sought and valued in consulting with children for future school development. This includes recording children’s views on the provision of school lunches and the daily menu, asking children to select the commemorative tree that was planted in the playground for our School’s Diamond Jubilee year and having children decide on the appropriate criteria for a new school award, The Saint Raphaela Maria award, in honour of the Foundress of our School’s Order.
Future school initiatives will include Saint Christina’s School councillors hosting inter-school leadership days, the aim of which will be to mobilise councillors from a variety of schools to discuss and take constructive action on issues which affect our local area.
It is a pleasure to work alongside of our forward-thinking School Councillors as they continue to take an active role in supporting our school community. The commitment of the children to supporting the school and those in need is most inspiring.
Miss Gabrielle Villani
School Council Co-ordinator and Deputy Head Teacher