Where pupils all have a voice

Mar 4 2008 by Hazel Ettienne, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

The school council at Fixby Junior and Infants is made up of representatives from each class. HAZEL ETTIENE looks at the work the council does.

EVERY child has a voice at Fixby Junior and Infant School.

Confidence and enthusiasm abounds among its pupils and its 17-strong school council has a strong role to play within this welcoming school.

From learning to answer the phone correctly in the head teacher’s office and taking messages to organising educational days and fundraising events pupils are very much involved in the life of this multi-cultural school.

Teacher Kate Jackson, who co-ordinates the school council and the school’s personal, social, health and citizenship programme, said: “These children are the citizens of the future and we very much believe in giving them a strong voice in how the school is run.

“They take everything onboard in a very enthusiastic way. Parents jokingly tell us there are the odd sleepless nights when a big project is being organised and students are working hard and they have ideas going round in their heads.

“Over the years the make-up of the school has completely changed. We now has around 60% from ethnic minority communities and this enhances the curriculum marvellously.

“We celebrate a whole range of religious festivals and celebrations, welcome parents warmly into our school and teach the children about respecting people from all faiths and cultures in the area in which we are.”

The school council is divided into three sections, each concentrating on a specific area, based on the Government’s Every Child Matters agenda. These are: learning and achieving, safety and keeping healthy.

Each sub-committee is responsible for a whole variety of school schemes and events. To date these have included:

Organising a healthy school day this term which included fruit-tasting, smoothie-making, exercise sessions, presentations and quizzes.

Inviting poet Gez Walsh into school as part of World Book Day celebrations. Pupils also dressed as book characters.

The safety group is organising meetings with parents to encourage more car-sharing for lifts to school as part of the school’s travel plan. Work is also under way to help reduce congestion outside school.

When teacher Miss Priestley’s interactive board stopped working students decided to launch a fundraising campaign. Bag-packing at Sainsbury’s and a summer car wash have been planned to raise cash for the West Yorkshire Forget Me Not Trust and the new ICT facilities in school.

A tidy classroom competition with a weekly prize has been organised by the health and safety group to ensure coats, bags and shoes do not litter the walkways.

Playleaders ensure everyone gets involved in activities at playtime and a Friendship Stop led by School Council member Aaron Carthy ensures everyone has someone to spend time with at playtime and siblings from the junior and infant sections of the school spend time together if they want to.

Fixby has been given a bronze Eco award and is a keen recycler, has its own allotment, plants tubs for the playground and has energy-saving devices fitted in the school.

A new Sunshine Room, which is flooded with natural light is used for school council meetings.

Students are linked to the Kirklees Grid For Learning and can access the school’s home page, homework, spelling and digital brain exercises. It also has links to other educational websites.

It has an active PTA and school governors who work with staff and students to achieve the best possible results.

Ofsted inspectors who visited last summer praised the school for being “fully inclusive and wholly deserving its strong reputation in the local community.” It’s colourful school newsletter, distributed throughout the area, is a strong indication of this.

Inspectors added that diversity was celebrated at the school, pupils respected each other and there was a fantastic atmosphere within the school. This is clearly evident to any visitors who walk through its doors.