School Council

The Student Council and The Big Question

At ACSC, we believe that providing our students with an opportunity to voice their opinions and concerns is vital. It not only allows them to make the changes they are passionate about, within our school, but also practise the use of the fundamental British Value of democracy.

Our School Council is made up of a wide range of stakeholders from across our school family. Each half term, students spend an allocated form time discussing ‘The Big Question’. This question is chosen from key issues that have risen around school such as: how to improve the school extra-curricular timetable, what changes are needed to make school life more inclusive for all, and what improvements can be made to our school environment.

The Big Question provides an opportunity for all students to have a voice. Each form’s discussion points are then progressed to an official form captain meeting. This is a chance for each form captain to share their own forms opinions and discussion points with their own head of year.

A specific group of form captains then talk through all points raised in an intimate School Council meeting, that is chaired by our Head Boy and Head Girl. This allows our Head Boy and Head Girl to strategically highlight realistic and possible outcomes. These are then passed on to our school SLT team and Head Teacher.

Final decisions are made by SLT and the Head Teacher, which are stemmed from the input from students. The outcomes are then fed back to all students through feedback videos presented by our Senior Student Leaders.

Our overall School Council structure allows for issues to be discussed at all levels of our school and we ensure the discussion points, impact and outcomes go full circle.

Term 1A Big Question - ‘Do you feel safe at school?’

Areas of improvement suggested by students:

  • Concerns about overcrowding and behaviour on the corridors.
  • Behaviour during lesson change over behind, specifically behind technology block.

Term 1A SLT Whole School Feedback - Key Points

  • All students reminded of the one-way system and acceptable behaviour on the corridor. All staff on the corridor during lesson change over.
  • New CCTV has been installed so that this area of school is always monitored. Greater staff presence during lesson change overs.

Term 1B Big Question - ‘How can we promote equality for all at ACSC?’

Areas of improvement suggested by students:

  • Punishments should be harsher for discrimination. Suggestions - FTEC rather than detention.
  • More assemblies to promote/educate equality.

Term 1B SLT Whole School Feedback - Key Points

  • Acts of discrimination are taken seriously. Depending on the nature of the incident one day in FTEC is the MINIMUM punishment.
  • Education is a key part in dealing with discrimination and the most important part of the process is to give students who have made wrong choices the awareness of what their words or actions mean and how it can and will make others feel. This sits alongside the sanction given.
  • There are whole school assemblies throughout the school year that promote equality (see the schedule below).

Assembly Schedule:

WB 14/11/22 Anti-Bullying Week (ABW).

WB 13/03/23 LGBTQ+ History Month (SBS).

WB 17/04/23 Autism Awareness (CPR).

WB 24/04/23 Deaf Awareness Week (JPE).

Term 2A Big Question - ‘How Can we Improve Your Time Outside of the Classroom?’

Areas of improvement suggested by students:

  • More shelter on the new year 7 yard.
  • More outside benches.
  • More sport equipment.
  • Year 9 wanted a space where people don't get hit by the footballs.
  • Year 10 & 11- Extra outdoor shelter over at the Hive with additional benches.
  • Year 10 & 11- Additional toilet facilities needed over at the Hive/Astro.

Term 2A SLT Whole School Feedback – Key Points

  • Year 7 have access to the New Hall during wet break.
  • Year 8 have moved on to the science yard where they access to the football goals and basketball hoops.
  • Year 9 have new moved on to the tennis courts.
  • The back of the HIVE has a large, sheltered area. Most of this is left empty at lunch, so any plan to extend the provision is dependent on demand.
  • School have purchased a new toilet block to be used by years 10 and 11 near the HIVE.

Year 9’s outdoor facilities and tennis courts (see below).

The new toilet blocks for the senior years.

The additional benching and new pathway that has been created for the senior years.

Term 2B’s Big Question - ‘How can we support you in achieving your ideal future career?’

Areas of improvement suggested by students:

  • Access to a greater variety of choice for ‘job of the week’ – during form time.
  • Know how students access further careers advice.

Term 2B SLT Whole School Feedback - Key Points

  • Christiana, schools’ level 6 careers advisor, creates specific job of the week PowerPoints to be used by all year groups – bespoke to what students have requested.
  • To ensure the job of the week/careers slot meets your needs and that of your form/year group– you need to complete the weekly Microsoft Forms Survey, outlining each role you wish to see if your year group.
  • Remember as Christiana is here full time – you can visit or make an appointment to see her by calling into her office (on the maths stairs) or messaging via Teams.
  • You can meet with Christiana no matter what year group you are in to talk about what jobs suit you as an individual. This could be to discuss work experience, skills needed to maintain a job, student leadership, a part time job, CV writing, Year 9 options or just a 1:1 about your future.

Miss Pongourou’s careers office.

Pictures taken by year 10 student, Ruby J.

Personal Development