The school has a vibrant and hardworking Student Council, with two representatives being elected from each of the junior classes. It is a huge honour for the pupils to be chosen to represent their class, showing the respect and trust of their classmates. The Student Councillors meet monthly and work with Lindsey Ryan, Clerk to Riccall Council, to develop their decision making skills and to get new initiatives started. The monthly meetings include debate of the ideas developed by the classes and voting to agree progression of ideas and future projects.

In 2008, the Student Council hopes to introduce a suggestion box for use by all pupils and a new board to be placed centrally in school, to allow pupils to leave their ideas and comments. It is hoped that money can be raised to allow the Student Council to run its own bank account and eventually grant money to support worthwhile projects for Riccall School.

 The Council elects its own Chairman, Treasurer and Secretary.

            Minutes of the meeting of Riccall Community Primary School

Minutes of the meeting of

 Riccall Community Primary School

Student Council

held on 15^th April 2008 at 12.30pm

Attending: George Snaith (Chairman), Trinity Horn (Secretary), Daniel Brown (Joint treasurer), Kelsie Palmer (Joint treasurer), Hannah Bone and Aaron Rowntree.

1                    Apologies – none received.  

2                    Minutes of the last meeting – these were agreed by all present and adopted. 

3                    Matters arising –

Trinity agreed to sort out a new playground tag system with Mrs.

Daniels.

It was agreed that the student council could help to arrange speakers/visitors for world week.

Aaron will check with his mum whether she is able to help make a suggestion box.

Kelsie and Daniel reported that £75.70 was available to open the new student council bank account. This money had been collected during the last non-uniform day. Mrs Ryan has completed the paperwork to open the account and there will be three signatories.

4                    Tuck shop – the school cook had asked for feedback on how this is working. Feedback from the council and from the classes suggested that the drinks are too small and that maybe diluted juice should be available. The councillors wanted to know whether the school dinner menu is agreed by North Yorkshire County Council or whether the school cook can have her own ideas and input.   

5                    Target system – a potential new target system called, ‘Going for Gold’ was discussed. Pupils would collect wins towards a bronze, silver and gold award.  It was agreed that good prizes would be;

Bronze – a certificate

Silver – a pen

Gold – a medal

6                    Art Panels – an offer from Riccall Business Park for pupils to produce artwork to brighten up the new reception for the office block was considered. It was agreed that an idea might be for each class to focus on a different country during ‘world week’ and produce an art panel based on that country.

Aaron entered the meeting at this point (12.55pm)

7             Head teacher interviews – Kelsey, Daniel and George agreed to interview the new head teacher candidates on 21^st April 2008. They will compile a list of questions and check them with Miss O’Brien.

Hannah and Aaron agreed to take action points and feedback to Miss O’Brien and to request a short meeting with her.

8             Comments from the class – to discuss and evaluate any comments and   ideas received.

Mrs Harpham’s class – Hip hop class for golden time.

Mr Darlison’s class – There should be a place indoors for pupils to chill out and maybe talk to their friends as an alternative to being outside in the playground.

Mrs Newsome’s class – Children would like to be able to sit with their own friends at lunch time.

      9            Next meeting - to be held on 20^th May 2008.

Student Council

4^th March 2008 at 12.30pm

Attending: George Snaith (Chairman), Trinity Horn, Aaron Rowntree, Hannah Bone, Kelsie Palmer, Daniel Brown and Mrs Ryan.

1                    Apologies – none.

2                    Minutes of the previous meeting on 5^th February 2008 – agreed and adopted by all present.  

3                    Matters Arising

Painting the shed - Mrs Taylor has said that it should be OK to paint the shed and that she will look into the best ways of doing this, possibly by using pupil handprints. She will discuss this with the other staff at a housekeeping meeting.

Playground equipment tag system – plastic cards are a good idea but could be lost just as easily as laminated tags. It was agreed that the best idea might be a file containing laminated sheets for each class. Ticks can be marked against a pupil’s name using a whiteboard marker, as they take out a piece of equipment and rubbed out as they return it. Student councillors offered to help with the shed duties on a rota basis, if needed, as part of their role.

More school trips – Mrs Taylor will be asked whether groups could be organised to come into school more regularly to tie in with topic work. The Council could help organise this.

School uniform – this issue was debated and it was agreed that taking into consideration the cost of having a totally new uniform for parents, the Council were quite happy with the current one.

4          Student Council bank account – Mrs. Ryan reported that she was going to set up a new account and that she and two members of school staff would be the signatories. This should be in place before the April meeting. Mrs Taylor will allow some of the money from the latest non-uniform day to go into the account. Treasurers Kelsie and Daniel should be able to set to work shortly.

5          Comments from the class –

Mrs Harpam’s class –

School backpack / rucksack with logo? It was agreed that this could be looked into but that it would appeal mostly to KS1 pupils and probably wouldn’t sell very well in the later junior years.

Is it possible to have sides on the shelter in the playground? It was agreed that this wouldn’t work as parents sheltering, would not be able to watch their younger children. Also, balls would constantly hit the sides and possibly damage them.

Tuck shop – sometimes students are not given the right change – the Council thought that it was difficult when two or three children were ordering at once and that this was confusing when change was given out. Teachers will be asked for advice with a view to improving this system.

Mrs Newsome’s class –

Can there be a place in the classroom for ideas post-it notes to go? – Kelsie and Aaron will look into this.

Mr Darlinson’s class –

Dinner arrangements are not working well for year 6 pupils – KS1 children are holding up older children from getting out at playtime, as they take longer to eat their lunch. Is it possible for a teacher to be outside so that older children can go out to play as soon as they are finished eating? Also sometimes one table has to wait for another table to finish. Is it possible that dinner arrangements can be re-evaluated? Mrs Taylor will be asked to advise on this.

Buddy System – can the buddies wear a fluorescent sash when on duty so that they are easily recognisable to other children? Some children are looking for a buddy but not finding one.

6          Learning and teaching comments – Miss O Brien is providing a document for the Student Council to study in time for the April meeting.

      7          Next meeting – April the 15^th.

The questionnaire set by Mrs. Ryan was discussed. A general discussion took place about what ‘democracy’ means, what the role of the student Council is and what skills are required to be a good student Councillor.