The start of the new school year saw Castlebrae’s Student Council re-convene with three new additions from S1 after voting took place in their class. They, along with the other members in S2—S6, meet every three weeks ensuring that the students at Castlebrae have a say in the decision making of the school.

The student council have learned about chairing meetings, drawing up an agenda and taking minutes as well as the correct etiquette for meetings. These sessions have given the members the tools and confidence to enable  effective meetings to take place which will involve discussion and decision making on various issues involving the school and wider community.

The school has also used members to get involved in the teachers own working groups to allow the students to voice their opinion on various whole school matters. Last year, two members regularly attended the positive behaviour group and it is hoped that more teachers meetings will involve a contribution from the Student Council.

It has to be emphasized that the Student Council is not just about the sixteen members who attend the meetings. They are representing their own tutor group which means that everyone in the school has a right to voice their  opinion on school matters. If any pupil has an issue which they want to raise, they should approach their representative who will then put it on the agenda as an item to be discussed at the next meeting. There is also a Student Council notice board in the school which will have the minutes of each meeting for all students to view.

Remember School improvement is far more likely to happen if Students are involved !