At Harton Primary School, our School Council is an integral part of our whole school and local community.

A new school council is elected every year at the beginning of the Autumn Term. This allows our pupils to experience the full democratic process, which is an important part of British Values.

The process is that each class holds preliminary ‘hustings’ to produce a short list of 3 candidates. Voting slips are prepared, and candidates deliver an election speech.

Pupils vote in polling booths borrowed from the Town Hall, then place their folded voting slips into a ballot box. The votes are carefully counted, with outgoing School Council members overseeing the whole process.

The newly chosen class representatives are announced in a whole school assembly, and receive their new School Council badges.

Why have a School Council?

Children have Rights.

The United Nations convention on the Rights of the child states in article 12- “Children have the right to express the views they have and those views should be listened to in anything that affects them.”

Ensuring that pupils at Harton Primary School have a genuine pupil voice is part of our School Values. Whenever possible, pupils will run meetings themselves with the bare minimum of adult involvement. Representatives will elect a Chairperson, a Secretary and a Treasurer so that meetings can run smoothly.

The Chairperson

• manages the meetings using the agenda.
• makes sure everyone who wants to speak gets the chance.

The Secretary

• collects the main points for discussion.
• ensures all classes and representatives have a copy of the agenda.
• takes notes at the meetings and writes out the minutes.

The Treasurer

• has to make sure the Council only spends money it has.
• lets everyone know how much money the Council has.

The ordinary members (class representatives) have an important job. They must put forward the views of the class they represent.

There is always a lengthy agenda!