Norristhorpe Junior & Infant School

The Playleaders are a group of children who help to bring out and put away the play equipment during lunchtime play.

They teach and play games with the other children in the top playground and they help lonely children make friends.

Being a Play Leader helps the children to:

• gain and build confidence and self esteem
• develop a genuine sense of responsibility by helping others to improve playtimes
• grow emotionally when offered responsibility
• learn moral values, such as keeping to the rules, turn taking and sharing.
• All children who have completed their jobs receive a certificate and a small token.

Mrs Merrick- Lunchtime Manager & Pastoral Manager

Our School Council aims to encourage our children to:

• Develop confidence and responsibility and make the most of their abilities
• Prepare them to play an active role as citizens
• Develop healthy, safer lifestyles
• Develop good relationships and respect the differences between people
• To have a “voice” and to share their opinions and ideas with others

Why?

We value the benefits of operating a School Council. The School Council represents the whole school.  We feel they benefit the whole community and as a school we operate as a community. Our School Council work will enable pupils with positive attitudes to exert a positive influence. Everyone will benefit from the work of the School Council.

Our School Council aims to ensure our children have:

• A safe, happy and fair learning environment
• A forum to voice their concerns and act upon them
• A structured opportunity to learn problem-solving skills
• An opportunity to take an active role in the organisation of the school
• An opportunity to experience a democratic process

Our School Council should encourage pupils to develop:

• A sense of ownership over policy and practice
• A consensus over school issues such as behaviour
• A responsibility towards the school community and environment

Our School Council should give pupils the experience of:

• Planning, organising and monitoring small projects
• Speaking and listening skills
• Debating skills
• Mediation and negotiating skills

Our School Council aims to prepare our pupils for citizenship by teaching them about roles, rights and responsibilities within the school system.

Elections:

Class elections will be held every year so that different representatives can put forward their election speeches as well as developing the full potential of the School Council to complete tasks.  One candidate will be elected from each class from year 2.

Organisation:

• One representative from Year 2 to 6
• An agenda is to be organised by the teacher
• Minutes will be recorded by the children
• It is a very responsible job, and School Council members will share information with their class, and get ideas and views from pupils by talking to each other.

Link between the School and Class Councils:

Each class will operate a class council in which issues are discussed associated with their class. If, however, an issue does occur which they feel needs to be forwarded to the School Council, then the issue will be presented to the School Council through the class representative.

The School Council will be leading more meetings with the whole school to hear their feedback on a termly basis. Our school council will also work with the school council at Curwen Primary School to share good practice.

Feedback will be provided from each School Council Meeting through minutes from the meetings and feedback from the link teacher.

Running the School Council Meetings:

The School Council will vote for a chair. This is the person who makes sure everyone gets a turn to speak and encourages all members to contribute. In addition, the School Council will ensure someone takes notes during the meeting and the notes should assist the feedback classes receive after the meeting.

At the end of the School Council’s meeting, everyone needs to know what they have to do next. The Chair needs to make sure members know what to do and what they have to say to their class.

Giving Feedback to Pupils:

Following the School Council Meeting, School Council members speak to their class to let them know what is going on and tell the class about the issues being discussed and what is happening next.  This will encourage more children to contribute to further meetings, share worries and let members know the things which could be done to improve the school.