Quotes

Teachers

"I had to work out if I could afford the time but the payback in the way attitudes have changed has been phenomenal .. a limited input of time has had such a big effect."
Teacher, Lipson Community College

"Being involved in a school council can help to raise children's self esteem and help schools challenge unacceptable behaviour by a few."
Barbara Darley, NAPE Chair Elect and Headteacher

"I cannot think of any circumstances in which a school could not think it to their benefit to establish a pupils' council."
Clive Lawton, Former Headmaster and Deputy Director of LEA Liverpool

"The councils give them some responsibility and power in the best sense of the word, as they use it to influence the other children. Peer pressure if it is used in the right way can be a very powerful tool."
Sue Shinkfield, Headteacher, Toxteth

"It was difficult for me to accept initially but if you are giving that empowerment to the students then you need to look at your own attitude, you must take the things they are saying on board."
Teacher, Lipson Community College

"How do schools improve if they don't listen to their clients? Just as Tesco listen to their shoppers, we have listen to the people we teach, otherwise we can't get better."
Anna Hussan, Headteacher, East London

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Pupils

"When you get something changed or done, you can say, yeah, that was what I did."
Pupil coordinator, Eastgrove School

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Governors

"The ethos of the school councils is a really sensible one, students should have a voice in what's going on and the school council really gives them that voice."
Governor, Plymouth

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Parents

"She looks forward to going to school...she's got a role to play, she's more involved."
Parent, Windsor County Primary

"She was very unhappy about going to school but I've seen a change in her, she's a lot more confident, a lot more relaxed."
Parent, Lipson Community College

"If there is something wrong they will actually get something done about it, they won't just sweep it under the carpet."
Parent, Windsor Primary

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Policy makers

"School councils can be a most excellent training ground in responsibility for future citizens."
Professor Crick, 1998 Chair of the Advisory Group on Citizenship

"A school council can be an effective means of social education, even in our most deprived communities."
Peter Kilfoyle, MP, Liverpool

"Ofsted has been consistent in the encouragement of school councils .. a school council should be a key indicator of a successful and democratic school."
David Bell, Chief Inspector of Schools

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