The basis for pupil voice is found in Article 12 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child which sets out the right of children to express an opinion and to be included in decisions that involve and affect them.
Children's Voice
At Christ Church C of E Primary School, our pupils have a voice and actively participate at all levels of school life
Children’s voice
At Christ Church Primary School, we hold great value in our children’s voice. We believe that it is really important to gain their views and opinions about our school and their learning.
Staff in school frequently spend time discussing learning with our children; what they have enjoyed, what they have learnt and what the adults in school can do going forward to continue to support their learning and progress. By carrying out children voice, we know that our children love attending Christ Church:
‘Pupils say they are happy at school and love their learning. When asked what they like about the school, they say, ‘Everything!’ Ofsted 2022.
With the help of our children’s thoughts and opinions, we can continue to ensure that Christ Church is the best place it can be for all who attend.
How do our pupils get involved?
At our School, pupil participation happens in a variety of ways. Some of these are:
- as part of Assessment for Learning
- by involving pupils in school self-evaluation and assessment
- groups such as school council, eco-council, healthy schools
- fundraising, links with charities and with the wider community
- improvements to the school environment (e.g. school buildings, playground, toilets)
- development of a whole-school environmental and sustainability plan
- involvement with some staff recruitment
- involvement with planning extra-curricular activities
- consultation mechanisms such as surveys, suggestion boxes and circle time
What are the benefits of pupil participating?
We believe there are real benefits for pupils and school by including pupils in the decisions and matters that they care about and are important to them. These are:
- improved pupil engagement and its impact on well-being, behaviour and learning
- improved pupil to staff and pupil to pupil relationships
- policy making is based on the needs and suggestions of pupils and is therefore more inclusive and effective
- creating a fully inclusive school, where all pupils are encouraged and supported to contribute
- increased opportunity for pupils to develop personal, social and communication skills
How do we consult with our pupils?
We consult with pupils and take account of their opinions and needs.
We have a wide range of initiatives we use to consult with pupils and take on board their opinions, experiences and needs. This includes such things as suggestion boxes, focus groups, school councils, assessment for learning, and whole-school consultations.
