Pupil Parliament
Every child has a Voice
What is the Pupil Parliament?
The Pupil Parliament is a group of pupils who are democratically elected to represent the views of all pupils and to improve their School.
What does it do?
The Pupil Parliament meets (with a teacher present) to discuss ideas and issues relating to our school. These may include school lunches, playtimes or ideas for fundraising events.
Members of the Pupil Parliament will be responsible for carrying out ideas they have agreed, such as planning charity events, meeting with Governors or other members of the local community and putting forward the views of other children in the school.
The Aims of the Pupil Parliament are:
- To give children an opportunity to understand and participate in a democratic process.
- To encourage children to understand the negotiation of the rights and responsibilities of citizenship in everyday life.
- To help the people who make decisions in the school understand and respect children’s points of view.
- To give children a real say in how they learn and achieve.
- To promote the school's reputation and to maintain the school ethos.
- To undertake projects that will improve the quality of the school.
What makes a good Pupil Parliament?
A good Pupil Parliament is one that represents the views of the children and is productive.
These are some examples of how St Paul’s School Pupil Parliament is effective:
- Regular meetings - the Pupil Parliament meets twice a half term;
- Good communication between representatives and their classes;
- Training for pupil parliament members;
- Ability to work in a team to share good ideas;
- Being a good listener and sensitive speaker;
- Being good role model.
Past successful projects lead by the Pupil Parliament include:
- Providing new book cases in all Middle Base and Upper Base classrooms;
- Installing a ball catcher on the Middle Base playground;
- New playground markings;
- Donations of gardening equipment from local Garden Centres;
- Providing funds for a new outside reflection area.
What Does the Pupil Parliament Discuss?
Issues that might be discussed in the Pupil Parliament include:
- School rules and policies
- Activities after school
- School equipment/resources
- School and community fundraising
- Facilities in school
- Community issues
Over the last year the Pupil Parliament have been working hard to raise money to go towards a new outside reflection area.