Once appointed, the Pupil Leaders’ Group all meet with the Head of School and discuss the structure and expectations for the year. We are very keen for our children to participate actively in the life of the school and our young leaders have a say, whether they are a School Prefect, a school librarian, part of the Student Council or are House Captains, Sports Captains, Literacy Leaders, or Buddy mentors. We are very proud of the way the ‘pupil voice’ is encouraged at Sancton Wood. Pupils have the opportunity to be involved in all sorts of decision making and recent examples include new catering provision, charities & fundraising, community days.
At Sancton Wood School, pupil leadership means:
Recognising that pupils have logical perspectives and opinions on issues that matter in the classroom, in the school, and in the community. Giving pupils an active role in influencing decisions about these issues as well as in the implementation of these decisions. Enabling pupils to participate as active young citizens.
School Council
We have a School Council whereby representatives from each class are elected each term from amongst their peers to be involved in this important leadership development opportunity. The School Council discusses various issues with their own classes to take forward to their meetings. This gives children the chance to think about and discuss ideas, concerns and opportunities. The School Council meets regularly and also contributes to specific assemblies when the children on the School Council tell us about their work and what they have achieved.
School Council meetings create opportunities for children’s views to be expressed and heard. We encourage effective communication within school, and we take account of children’s views and ideas.
The aims of the School Council are:
- To give children a voice in the school community.
- To give children an opportunity to understand and participate in a democratic process.
- To respect and listen to what children have to say.
- To encourage children to discuss ideas and issues.
- To promote the views of pupils.
- To help the people who make decisions in the school understand and respect the children’s point of view.
- To encourage children to understand the negotiation of the rights and responsibilities of citizenship in everyday life.
- To enable children to participate effectively in school and debate and address issues.
- To enable children to become partners in their education with teachers, support staff and parents.
- To promote the school’s reputation in the community and to maintain the school ethos.
Senior Prefects
The Senior Prefects chair the Student Council and the Student Charity Committee to ensure that the student voice is represented in key decisions and developments within the school. See separate job description.
They represent the school and student body at a variety of public functions during the year, including new Parents’ Evenings, Sports Day and Awards Day.
They report to the Senior Leadership Team every half term and also attend one Governor’s meeting and report on how student voice has had an impact on school planning. They oversee and manage the prefect team to oversee the Student Leaders’ Programme with the Head of School.
In addition to this they oversee the organisation of Year 11 Leavers’ Dinner through a student committee working closely with the Finance Office, support and help with charity and fund-raising events and take on any other duties that may be reasonably called upon to undertake by Senior Members of staff.
The Prefect Team
Prefects support the Senior Prefects in their duties and have separate roles as dictated by the Prefect Handbook.
Heads of House
Each house will have one House Captain at the Seniors and one House Captain and Deputy House Captain in the Prep. These roles will work closely with other students leaders in supporting their work with Student Voice. The House Captains and Deputies will be ambassadors for their houses and represent houses at whole school events. They will liaise with their Head of House and be involved in assembly planning and delivery, organising competitions and charity events and promoting the ethos of their individual house.
Literacy Leaders
Support the delivery of literacy strategies to younger students in Humanities lessons, Form time and in English. They help raise the profile of literacy around the school.
They are also trained to work with younger students to support their reading and enable them to grow in confidence week after week.
Anti-Bullying Support Team
These are students from across the school who will help us to stop bullying and also support students who feel they may be being bullied.
Their founding principles read as follows:
- To empower children and young people to tackle all forms of bullying.
- To provide support to any child who feels sad, lonely, isolated or bullied.
- To work with staff to quickly tackle instances of unkindness.
- To encourage ‘talking schools’ where all children and young people are given a safe space to discuss bullying and other issues that affect their lives, and are supported to report all forms of bullying; and
- To raise awareness of the impact of bullying on children’s lives if they don’t tell anyone it’s happening.
