May Update: How This School Dropped The Tokenistic School Council and Involved More Pupils
How do you update the tired, tokenistic school council model to one that genuinely involves more pupils?
We spoke to Lisa, a headteacher at Halling Primary School in Kent, who did just that - moving on from the old ‘small group’ approach and creating something inclusive and structured.
Her new pupil-led Smart School Council system that gives every child a chance to contribute ideas and feel involved. Here’s what she’s learned:
✅ Don't just have the small, elected group—use class tools for all
✅ Let the pupils lead - it builds ownership and saves teacher time
✅ Use clear routines so teachers and pupils know what to expect each week
💬 “Pupils play an active and valued role in school life. The ‘smart school council’ ensures every pupil has a voice in creating a happy and harmonious environment.”
— Ofsted, in Halling Primary’s latest inspection report
Want to hear more about how she did it? There's a full podcast if that's your thing :)
🚀 Find out here
Let's build a better school council, pupil voice with purpose
🎓 SCHOOL STORIES
We absolutely love this new progress board has been made at Wembley Manor in Willesden. Brilliant example of pupil empowerment and engagement in SEND!
🎈 SHOUT OUTS 🏴
Shout out to Reception Class at Roby Park Primary! This week's class meeting ended up with a little dance... democracy never looked so fun.
And also over to St. Nicolas in South Liverpool who have been feeding back to make sure everyone knows the difference that pupil voice is making. Great stuff!
Keep tagging us in with your great stories!
And if you've got any questions, drop us an email :)
Greg