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Helping Every Child to Find Their Voice

Our charity helps your school to build everyone’s debate, oracy and leadership skills

Supporting British Values, Pupil Voice, School Councils and PSHE ✅

Loved by 500+ Schools

Involve every pupil through meaningful debates and by creating real change. Everything’s ready for you. 2,000 debates at a click, and hand over to your pupils to run. Build a stronger school community and meet Ofsted requirements easily.

Logos of various educational institutions, including Burnage Academy for Boys, Selworthy School, Nandua Primary School, Nanpean CP School, Darri, Galley Hill Primary School, Samuel Laycock, and Nord Anglia Education, in a row against a white background.

Used by 🎓

  • From Year 1, get all your pupils involved in engaging, structured debates that are easy to run.

  • Empower older students to lead debates, fostering critical thinking and discussion skills. Giving them real tools to lead change.

  • Tailored debates to engage all students, no matter their background or educational needs.

  • Building voices across groups of schools has never been more important. Join our MAT programme to do this with ease

  • Loved by International Schools across the world, we help you bring great debates to your young people, wherever you are.

The most powerful tool you have is your voice

Learning to use it takes time, support and belief. But at a time of deep division in society, too few young people get this opportunity. We help schools to involve every voice. Combined with the opportunity to create genuine change. Let’s build a positive and inclusive democratic future together.

How does Smart School Councils work?

Whether you’re a small primary school or a large Multi-Academy Trust, our flexible programme fits seamlessly into your schedule and meet the unique needs of your students.

A classroom with students sitting at tables facing a boy presenting at a smartboard. The tables have stationery supplies, and the students are focused on the presentation. The room has educational posters on the walls.

STEP 1: DEBATE

It all starts with a debate. Using our incredible Class Meeting Tool, pupils in each class or form will be guided through running a snappy meeting on a question you pick

Just choose from our 2,000 debates and watch those voices grow stronger.

  • Just show up and start. Once you've set up your classes, there's no need to plan—everything’s ready for you.

  • Explore a world of ideas with 2,000 debates, all just a click away.

    Plus, 200 of these debates come with a Big Debate Club video to take engagement to the next level.

  • Five new debates, every week. Plus, one featured debate with a complete pack—your debate cheat sheet and an extra lesson plan to boost those oracy skills even further.

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STEP 3: ACTION

If you want to take it further, this is where debates turn into real-world impact. Pupils can identify issues and creating pieces of change.

For our schools who choose to go to this level, it’s not just about talking anymore; it’s about doing—empowering students to create meaningful change in their community.

  • Tailor the debates to address specific issues within your school, ensuring that discussions are directly relevant to your school community's needs

  • Give students the tools and confidence to turn their ideas into actionable steps, fostering a sense of ownership and responsibility.

  • Encourage pupils to not only identify problems but also to be the driving force behind meaningful solutions, strengthening the school’s community and values.

Get Started.

STEP 2: LEADERS

If you’re ready, it’s time for your pupils to step up as leaders. Give pupils an active role in choosing questions and driving the discussions.

This stage isn’t just about talking—it’s about empowering pupils to lead.

  • Empower a small group of students to choose your school's debate questions, making each debate more engaging and tailored to their interests.

  • Foster a culture of confident expression and active participation, helping every pupil develop a democratic voice in your school community.

  • Simplify your workload as students take the lead, allowing you to focus more on guidance.

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Building Everyday Democracy.

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    2,000 Debates Topics with a Click

    Instantly access 2,000 ready-to-go debates, making every classroom conversation count.

  • Two icons seated opposite each other with a speech bubble above one, symbolizing communication or discussion, in a blue-green circular background.

    5 New Debates Every Week

    Keep it fresh! Dive into big issues, current affairs, and more with a featured debate, complete with a video and Cheat Sheet.

  • Icon of a school building with a clock and flag on a gradient background.

    Create Custom School Debates ⭐️

    Use our tool to craft custom school debates that create change - fully flexible to fit your school’s unique needs.

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    Friendly, No-Faff Support

    Book a Getting Started Sessions, CPD or contact teachers who know the classroom - they're an email or call away.

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    Zero Prep for Class Teachers

    Get each class talking right away—no prep, paper or passwords. Just click and hand over to the pupils.

  • Union Jack flag on a location pin icon, set against a gradient blue and green circular background.

    British Values Made Easy

    Every pupil, engaging in democratic discussions regularly, tackling the issues of modern Britain in a safe, simple way.

  • Icon of a bar chart and line graph with magnifying glass on a green and blue gradient background.

    One Click Reporting for Ofsted

    Generate PDFs with your school’s engagement data in seconds—ready to share with a single click

  • Line art illustration of a woman holding a book on a blue and green gradient circular background.

    Built for Teachers. Not Tech Gurus

    Runs on standard school tech, no devices required. Set up in minutes. PS: You can't break it 🤣

What do schools say?

Don't just take our word for it. The pupils and staff in our amazing member schools are the real stars. We love to shine a spotlight on them.

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Alastair Campbell, Writer and Communications Expert

‘Smart School Councils is great. Anybody who sees it in action can only be inspired’

Our Partners & Accolades

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