School Council

Our School Council is a boy and girl from each class elected by their classmates at the beginning of the year. Through this process, all children from Year One to Year Six gain experience of Democracy which is integral to their understanding of ‘British Values’. Every two weeks, we gather to discuss, overview and analyse various school issues so that all children feel heard and together we can make St. Stephen’s an inclusive place to learn.

 

 

Recent Meetings

Monday 16th May 2022

School Council Meeting

Date 16.5.22

Present:

Teachers: Miss Kelly, Mrs Jeffrey

Year 1, Year 2, Year 3, Year 4, Year 5 – all present

Year 6 – Isabella, Kyle

Apologies: Y6 – Spanish trip – Harry, Tegan

Minutes

We mentioned the change in school council meeting as feedback from the school council as children kept missing the same lessons when we met regularly on Friday afternoons.

This meeting was about an update on the eco school application.

1 Eco school Update

The children have discussed all the plants in their classroom.  Some of the plants have been given names and all the councillors said they had responsibility looking after them.  We also discussed how we should have saucers as plant pot bases rather than using plastic.  We will ask parents and Mr Schumm whether we can find old/unused saucers for each classroom.

Children were shown the results of the eco audit with Mrs Jeffrey highlighting the scores for each of the ten topics.

In summary, the school scored (out of 10)

Bio diversity 8

Global Citizenship 8

Waste 3

Litter 3

Marine 1

Water 5

Transport 7

Healthy Living 9

Energy 4

School Grounds 8

We acknowledged the good work done by Miss Mahon and Cookie for the high scores in Global Citizenship and Healthy Living.

Within the Marine section, where the school scored only 1 mark, we chose three which we could improve.  Firstly, we agreed that we could ask Mr Schumm to make a policy to ban/reduce the use of glitter, balloons and single use plastic.  Secondly, we also decided that we could ask Miss Hall, as Art co-ordinator to help us with creating a mural or sculpture to highlight how single use plastics can harm marine life.  Thirdly, we will also think about fundraising ideas for a marine conservation charity.

Our next meeting will be on the 26.5.22

Tuesday 26th April 2022

Thanks to the school council’s suggestion and your generous donations – we have just had our first delivery of plants! The benefits of having plants are well documented and we have carefully chosen plants which are suitable for our classrooms. The school council will be responsible for looking after the plants in their own classroom and looking after them (or finding a home for them) during the longer school holidays. Each class will also get the chance to name their own plants.

Again, thank you!

Friday 25th February

School Council Meeting

Date 25.02.22

 

Present:

Teachers : Miss Kelly, Mrs Jeffrey

Year 1, Year 2, Year 3, Year 4, Year 5, Year 6 – all present

Apologies: None

Minutes

1 Eco school Update

Making good progress with the eco audit.  Just one section to complete before EJ feeds back to school council.

Y3 Meeting with AB – we should have no litter/anti litter posters – Annora Guiste has also said it’s an issue.

TFM suggested litter picking competition.

2 Diversity Initiative

MK – EM has emailed all class teachers about Creative Careers the STEM figure for classes to learn more about.

3 Any other business

More gardening plants – eg sunflowers, radishes, roses, sugar snaps, cabbage

More bulbs have been planted around the school and the gardening club have helped by weeding some of the raised flower beds.

EJ to send email to parents requesting plants and school councillors will be responsible for watering plants and taking them home over Easter and longer holidays.

4. Maintenance.

Improve water pressure on water fountains. EJ to ask AB. Two by Reception needs attention. Outside Y3 Nichols classroom for Y6 to use at lunch time.

5. AOB

VK suggested that school council meetings should be at different times so children don’t miss the same lessons.  EJ suggested assembly time but it was explained this sometimes clashes with interventions.

New whiteboards have been put into lots of classrooms.

HH – library passes to be brought back – EJ to action.

EH – concerned about missing assembly

 

Our next meeting will be on the 25.3.22

 

Friday 27th January

School Council Meeting

Date 27.1.22

 

Present:

Teachers : Miss Kelly, Mrs Jeffrey

Year 1, Year 2, Year 3, Year 4, Year 5, Year 6

Apologies:

Year 1 (1 rep)

Year 4 (1 rep)

Year 5 (1 rep)

Year 6 (3 reps)

Minutes

1 Eco school Update

EJ recapped on Eco school audits. MK to complete self audit next week.

2 Diversity Initiative

MK – to communicate with EM about Diversity group.

3. School fundraising – Crazy Hair Day to raise for school funds by donating on the day. Idea well received.  Winner could be chosen by class teachers from each class or year, winners to go to hall for whole school to see.  Parents could be invited to help create crazy hair styles at stations which children would visit.  Crazy hair themed baked cake sale.  Teachers to be encouraged to take part.  Maybe have a competition so a teacher would have to have a child drawn hair style.
4. Plants

Flowering bulbs have been donated by Nursery so there will be flowers in the middle playground and around the school.

5. Maintenance.

Improve water pressure on water fountains. Two by Reception needs attention. Outside Y3 Nichols classroom for Y6 to use at lunch time. EJ to ask AB.

6. AOB

Eat less meat so have more vegetarian options at lunch – ongoing improvements being made with sesame seed free houmous called ‘schummous’ and nut free pesto.

 

Our next meeting will be 25/2/22

Friday 7th January

School Council Meeting

Date 7.1.21

 

Present:

Teachers : Miss Kelly, Mrs Jeffrey

Year 1, Year 2, Year 3, Year 4, Year 5, Year 6

Apologies:

Year 1 (1 rep)

Year 3 (1 rep)

Minutes

1 Eco school Update

EJ recapped on Eco school audits. Different sections to be allocated to groups of children.

2 Diversity Initiative

MK – MS will be doing STEM ambassadors based on people, some of whom we have already spoke with during our Science Week. MK to action.

3 Any other business

More gardening plants – eg sunflowers, radishes, roses, sugar snaps, cabbage

EJ to ask MS for funds for gardening.

4. More fun school trips, eg. Central London – London Eye, Shakespeare Globe, Buckingham Palace (?!), London Aquarium

Fundraising – To create a poster competition for a funfair. eg maybe fundraiser for St Stephen’s funfair

Concert – teachers to take part concert EJ suggested a pantomime, Teachers have Talent, water fight competition.

5. Maintenance.

Improve water pressure on water fountains. EJ to ask AB. Two by Reception needs attention. Outside Y3 Nichols classroom for Y6 to use at lunch time.

6. AOB

Eat less meat so have more vegetarian options at lunch – EJ to discuss with MS and AM

 

Our next meeting will be on the 21/1/22

Friday 3rd December

26.11.21

Mini Eco Committee Update

Present:

Y3 Ella and JJ

Y4

Started to audit the school to assess how the school was performing in terms of being eco friendly.

In the middle garden the children started looking at bug hotels, piles of leaves, small wildlife area and bird feeders.

 

EJ & Anita Moir – brief chat about becoming more sustainable.

Discussed waste could be taken by farmers for pigs.

AM explained kitchen no longer used spoons for desserts and this year school had plastic free crackers.

Currently school dinners is meat free 1 x p.w – target to go 2 x p.w. therefore more vegetarian than meat.

Advised that meat comes from reputable source who supply West End restaurants and hotels.

Advised that reduced waste was supported by limited choice of meals.

EJ to arrange meeting with AM and S? about how to be more sustainable.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Minutes of School Council Meeting – 02/11/2021

Present :EJ, MK

Y5, Y4, Y3

Apologies :Year 6 – Sports Trip

Y1 + Y2 Nativity Rehearsals

Y3- J and W absent

Minutes

EJ Recap of mini eco meeting last Friday of the middle playgroup

EJ explained that an audit needed to be reviewed by children and adults

Jobs discussed as to who would chat/interview to certain adults around the school to help us gain more information about how green St. Stephen’s is.  Children chose their own sections to work on.

Global citizenship – chatting to FOSS, Mr Brown, Mr Schumm- Aggie, Ella, Annabelle, Ava (MK to support)

Healthy Living-Cookie/Marvin-  Phoebe, Charlie, AJ, Josiah (EJ to support)

Litter- to be assigned

Marine- to be assigned

Energy- to be assigned

Transport- Mr Brown, Mr Schumm- Viola, Paul (EJ to support)

Water- Viola, Paul (EJ to support)

EJ will assign jobs to the children who were unable to attend today and will email class teachers about assignments.  Children to feed back to class and to encourage the class to think of any additional questions they want to ask.

MK/EJ read through some of the ideas posted in the School Councils Boxes which included bringing back school puddings, hooded school jackets, Taco Tuesday, junk food Friday and horse riding.

School council chn commented they would like more solar panels on the roof – EJ explained that once the audit was completed then the school could make decisions about solar panels and other ways to make the school more eco friendly.

Viola suggested an eco friendly advent calendar – Viola to action.

EJ suggested the team had a special chant, jingle or logo – school council to come back with ideas.

Next meeting

Last week of term – date to be confirmed.

Friday 19th November 2021

St. Stephen’s School Council Meeting

Date 19/11/2021

Who is present?

Miss Kelly

Ms Jeffrey

Y1D, Y1 McN, Y2M, Y3N, Y4B, Y4R, Y5B, Y5S,

Y3L- one member sends her apologies

Y6Z- one member sends her apologies

Y6A- one member unable to attend due to filling in the role of Mr Schumm for the day.

What were some of ideas?

To create policies/posters to put up around the playground to help keep the new astro turf in good condition.

To help the school to get an eco-school flag award.

To discuss how we can make St. Stephen’s more eco-friendly and sustainable.

We then discussed..

How could we improve the environment around our school by :-

• Having litter pickers after lunch
• Having more plants around the school to create a greener environment and cleaner air
• Increasing the vegan and vegetarian options on the school menus to reduce the amount of meat we eat
• Reducing the amount of plastic we use around the school
• Growing more fruit and vegetables at the school so that we can also help to reduce the amount of plastic we use
• Saving water around the school
• Upcycling clothes, second hand shops, swap days or ‘bring and buys’ to help reduce waste

The children are really enjoying playing on the astro turf as it has enabled them to play more sports and it also causes less injuries when they fall on the grass as it ‘cushions’ the blow. The children would like to raise awareness around the school about the importance of looking after the astro turf and keeping it in top condition.

Requests

For the school council boxes to be reopened for the whole school to use.

Our next meeting will be on 03/12/21.

Friday 15th October 2021

School Council Meeting Template

Date 15/10/21

Who is present?

Miss Mahon

6A – one member sends their apologies   5S 5B

6Z 4B 4R   3L 3N

2M

2H could not attend due to a parent activity from Hispanic Day

1D 1M

Miss Mahon feedback on some of the ideas School Council discussed last time.

All pupils are very happy that all water fountains have been fixed.

Children learned about the Astro turf which addressed the idea of having the lines painted again on the playground – they are very excited.

Following confirmation of the playground reinvigoration, school council concluded that we need to come up with fundraising ideas for planters, plants, gardening equipment for the big playground – counsellors are to come up with fundraising ideas ready to discuss next meeting on the 5/11/21.

Following the confirmation that puddings can now come into lunch menu a couple of times a term (confirmation by Ms Bell) School Council suggested:

Cake and custard, Jelly, Brownies, Banana Split, Ice cream or Lollies in the summer, Doughnuts

Sunflower growing competition to take place in spring. School Council decide this should be an interclass competition.

 

Requests

Children would like some more chalk for the playground, more ball scoops, bouncy balls, space hoppers, footballs and basket balls, tennis rackets, mini football goals

Is there possibility of air con/fans in the KS1 building when it is hot?

Can the water pressure on all water fountains be stronger?

Make sure that there continues to be a schedule for the playground activities following the AstroTurf being laid.

School Council also noted that they had really enjoyed Hispanic Day and particularly enjoyed the dance workshop.

 

We discussed Red Card to Racism Day next Friday and scheduled our next meeting for the 5/11/21.

Friday 1st October 2021

Who was present?

Representatives from:

1 D     1M

2H     2M

3L     3N – unable to attend

4R    4B

5S   5B

6A   6Z

Miss Mahon

Meeting Content

Those children who did not have badges were given them. We discussed how to keep them safe and that worn with pride.

At our previous meeting School Council were asked to come up with ideas to improve the school.

These were the suggestions:

• Get all the water fountains in the playground working.
• Have more plants or things to grow in the big playground.
• Have a pudding for after lunch perhaps once or twice a term.
• Pupils really like all the toys on the playground and would like a few more different items.
• To have markings drawn on to the tarmac for football.
• To have football goals in the playground.
• To have a sunflower growing competition in the spring/summer so all children can get the chance to grow things

We then discussed ‘Anti Bullying Week’ next week and School Council were instructed to hold a discussion with their respective classes about what this means and how to help those who are being bullied.

Miss Mahon will now pass this on to SLT and see what can be done about the above suggestions

Our next meeting will be on the 15/10/21.

Friday 17th September 2021

Today, we had our first school council meeting of the year! Our first sessions was spent pinning our badges to our jumpers, having our pictures taken for the school board and discussing the role of school council. Our new cohort decided that we need to respectful, well behaved and hard-working individuals who will always be ready to listen to our peers. We were then lucky enough to learn that School Council are going to be a part an excellent environmental initiative led by Mrs Jeffries to see if we can make St. Stephen’s even greener. For the next two weeks, until our next meeting, School Council will be making themselves available to their peers for ideas on how to improve the school.

Tuesday 22nd June 2021

Today, we had a practise of the messages of gratitude we will read into tomorrow’s ‘Thank a Teacher and TA’ assembly. We were very impressed with each other’s loud speaking voices and again spoke about how these moments of thankfulness really make the world a better place. We are also very excited to surprise our adults!

Friday 11th June 2021

Today, we had a lovely meeting discussing the power of ‘Thank you’. We discussed all the ways teachers and teaching assistants help us every day. As the 23rd June is ‘Thank A Teacher Day’, we then hatched a plan to surprise our teachers with a thank you during our assembly on this day. School Council wrote messages that they will read out during this assembly and some lovely messages for the teaching staff in our St. Stephen’s community.

We will next meet on 18th June to practise for our assembly and talk through any other school pupil business.

Friday 21st May 2021

Today, we reviewed our school’s ‘Anti -Bullying Policy’. We discussed the different points included in it and considered why it is important that all schools have this and that pupils know about it. Our school council liked the steps we put in place in the policy and discussed how they would like to help develop what they know about resolving conflict. Here were some of their thoughts about the policy:

‘It helps makes sure no one is bullied here.’ Year 2

‘If bullying does happen, it helps the teachers and students know what to do to stop it’ Year 4

‘It helps pupils feel safe and happy here’ Year 6

 

School Council then took a discussion sheet back to their classes where they will lead a discussion based on what makes a ‘Happy Classroom’.

We will next meet the first week after half term.

 

Tuesday 11th May 2021

Over the past two week, School Council have been incredibly lucky to work with Mr Perry about our school vision ‘Turn your ears to wisdom and heart to understanding’. Proverbs 2:2. This Thursday, they will help Mr P deliver an assembly sharing with the school their findings and reflections about St. Stephens’ vision.

Friday 23rd April 2021

Today, we had our first School Council meeting of the new term and it was lovely to have the sun shining down on us as we discussed the importance ‘Earth Day’. We came up with some ideas of how to care for our world but now we want to turn our attention to St. Stephen’s. All our councillors took a suggestion sheet that they will fill with their class’ ideas ready to share with us on our next meeting. Let’s get St. Stephen’s gorgeously green!

Friday 27th November

Today in school council we had a meeting to hear how everybody’s year groups are still coping with the rules during these Covid times. Most reported that everyone seemed to be quite happy but were looking forward to when they could play with children from other year groups.

We discussed that all school council children in KS2 will be responsible for keeping the KS2 playground clear of bikes and scooters which should make collection of them at the end of the day that bit calmer.

Realising that we have only a few weeks of term left, School Council’s mission for the next two weeks is to identify how we can make Spring Term even better in these odd times. One suggestion made by our Year Five member was to turn the playground into a skate park however as we debated this we realised that there would be lots of health and safety issues as well as financing to consider. This gave us lots to think about and hopefully we can work on some solutions in the coming weeks. Our next meeting will be the 11^th December.

Wednesday 11th November

Today, we finally found out the results of our democratic vote. Our year six council members helped count the votes (supervised of course) on Friday ready for our meeting today. Our members  gathered in the atrium at break time to find out the eagerly anticipated vote. The winners were chicken drumsticks/cauliflower cheese with a runaway 180 votes and chicken/veggie korma with 85 votes.

Our delegates scurried off to tell their respective classes the good news and happy whispers of ‘chicken drumsticks’ were heard across the playground throughout the day. This was such a wonderful opportunity for democracy and thank you school council for helping the vote run smoothly.

Friday 23rd October 2020

After a little break last week, due to ‘Hispanic Day’ we were back to it to prepare for ‘Parliament Week’ which will take place when we come back after half term.

In the spirit of democracy, School Council learned that all children in St. Stephen’s will get the chance to vote for two new dishes on our school menu in this very special week. Cookie will then put the two dishes with the highest vote on the dishes from Spring Term onwards. This will show that each child has the chance to make difference with their vote when they are older.

Over half term, School Council are tasked with making posters to get everyone excited for the week! Watch this space for the results..

Friday 9th October 2020

Today we had a quick session to remind everyone about our ‘Red Card to Racism’ day on the 15th October and then we were flying off to our different sections of the school to put up posters from the charity as well as the ones we have created at home. Can you spot them on our school windows?

Friday 2nd October 2020

Today, we had our first meeting of the school year. This was an opportunity to meet each other in a safe environment and to think about what we want this year’s school council to achieve. We thought about what a school councilor should be and came up with these ideas:

• To be friendly
• To be kind
• To lead by example
• To tuck our shirts in
• To stand up for positive values and to against bullying or mean words
• To consider how to make a school a better place

We then talked about our upcoming ‘Red Card to Racism’ day on the 15th October where we will wear red to show we are against racism and learn about being an anti-racist school.

School Council were then tasked with creating posters to advertise the event.