School Council

Our School Council – Pupil Voice in Action

At Manor School, we are proud to give our pupils a meaningful voice in shaping school life. Each year, our Year 6 pupils have the exciting opportunity to stand for election to our School Council, developing their confidence, leadership skills and understanding of democracy.

At the beginning of the autumn term, candidates take part in an election campaign, delivering speeches in assembly and sharing their ideas and ambitions with pupils across the school. Every member of our school community has the opportunity to cast their vote, resulting in the election of 16 School Councillors. Two councillors are elected to represent each Key Stage 1 class, while each Key Stage 2 class is represented by one councillor.

This year, we are especially delighted to welcome two additional School Councillors from our Deaf Support Facility, who will represent our Foundation Stage classes. As part of their important role, they will introduce our youngest pupils to British Sign Language (BSL), build positive relationships and help ensure that even our youngest children's voices are heard and valued.

Our School Council is much more than a group of pupil representatives. It is a celebration of pupil voice, inclusion, responsibility and leadership. Through our democratic election process, children experience first-hand the importance of fairness, representation and making informed choices.

In doing so, we bring democracy, one of the fundamental British Values, to life in a meaningful and engaging way, empowering our pupils to understand that their opinions matter and that they can make a positive difference to our school community.

Our School Council meets twice a week, with each meeting having a clear purpose:

• Mid-week School Council Meetings: Led by Mrs Smith, these meetings provide an opportunity for councillors to discuss important issues, explore new ideas and work towards their agreed priorities. At the beginning of Term 2, our newly elected councillors establish their key aims and begin planning the projects and improvements they hope to achieve throughout the year.

• Fortnightly Friday Class Council Meetings: Every other Friday, our councillors lead discussions with their classes, gathering feedback, asking questions and encouraging everyone to contribute their thoughts and ideas. This ensures that all pupils have a genuine opportunity to influence the work of the School Council and help shape the decisions that affect them.

Our approach ensures that pupil voice is not simply about being listened to, but about being empowered to make a real difference. Children learn the importance of teamwork, communication, responsibility and democratic decision-making, while seeing how their ideas can lead to positive change,