Pupil Voice
‘Pupil voice’ refers to ways of listening to the views of children and/or involving them in decision-making. We believe engaging children as active participants in their education and in making a positive contribution our school and local community is vitally important.
Waterside Primary School is committed to the promotion and protection of children’s rights, in line with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. It believes that children and young people should have opportunities to express their opinion in matters that affect their lives. Some of the benefits of involving children in decision making are:
- It encourages children to become active participants in a democratic society – school council meetings develop skills such as co-operation and communication and encourage children to take responsibility for their learning, behaviour and environment.
- It contributes to achievement and attainment – participative work benefits children in a range of different ways. For example: increasing confidence, self-respect, competence and an improved sense of responsibility.
House Captains
Our house captains are pupils from year 6 who are voted in by their peers to represent each of Waterside’s four houses.
Our House Captains are voted in by their other house team members in an election, after preparing and delivering a speech. In our Friday Celebration Assembly the House with the most house points for the week is announced. The house Captains go round the classes and count the points before coming out to the front of the school in the assembly and informing everyone of the scores. On Sports Day if you have any worries you can always ask the house captains and they will be very supportive.
During the course of the year House Captains organise events that allow the whole school to get together in their houses for special activities arranged by and run by House Captains.
School Council
What is the School Council?
A new school council is elected each year, with every class from Reception to Y6 nominating a representative. This creates a central group that speaks on behalf of the whole school and makes decisions about school life. We value the opinions of our pupils and the School Council gives pupils a forum to share these opinions with the Headteacher and other members of staff.
Lunchtime Monitors
Lunchtime Monitors get to sit at the end of the tables and help support the younger children in their developing good table manners. They also play outside on the Key Stage One playground where they play with the younger children and model how to play safely and enjoyably together.