School Council

Constitution

Purpose of the Council

• To give pupils the opportunity to be involved in improving life for everyone.
• For pupils to work as partners with staff developing a caring school by representing and sharing views.
• To develop life skills e.g. organising an executive committee, transferring information, helping at school functions, organising events/showing visitors round school.
• To involve pupils in solving problems and resolving conflict.

The School Council

• The Council is made up of one boy and one girl from each class from Year 1 upwards.
• Elections for class representatives take place at the beginning of the school year in September.  Children may nominate themselves or be nominated and seconded by other children.  Candidates are encouraged to give a short talk or presentation explaining why they have decided to stand for office.
• The vote is by secret ballot to ensure confidentiality.  The class teacher counts the votes and declares the winner but not the number of votes for each candidate.  If there is a tie, there will be a second vote to choose one of the two candidates.
• Councillors are elected for one year.
• Pupils may serve for two years but not consecutively.
• If a councillor misses 3 meetings in a row without good reason the class can elect another representative. 
• Meetings take place every second Thursday in the month.
• Extra members can be co-opted if the elected member does not reflect the school community i.e. ethnic groups/SEN.
• There are three officers responsible for managing the council – the chairperson, the secretary and the treasurer.
• At the beginning of the year the head teacher chairs the meetings until the executive committee has been elected.  Either the head teacher, deputy or a member of the management team will attend every council meeting to offer support and advice.
• In the event of a councillor leaving school, they will be replaced.  If there is less than a term left the new councillor could be re-elected.
• Councillors are expected to set an example to the other children.  Any representative whose behaviour is below standard will be suspended from membership of the council until the head teacher considers the behaviour is no longer an issue.
• Copies will be distributed to each class.
• Class representatives report back to class after every meeting.
• Class representatives collect issues to bring to council and record them in their class council book.