How This International School Built a School Council to Reflect the Voices of Their Diverse Student Body
In this episode of All Chalk, we speak to Louise Russell, Year 5 teacher and Personal Development & Wellbeing Lead at The British International School Budapest. Louise shares her journey of transforming a traditional school council model into an inclusive, school-wide approach that reflects the diverse voices of their international student community.
With over 20 years of teaching experience, Louise speaks candidly about being "handed a folder" and feeling unsure of where to begin with pupil voice. But after exploring new approaches, she found Smart School Councils and never looked back.
"There were so many children bursting with ideas. But the old model wasn’t working. We needed something more inclusive, more structured, and more empowering."
— Louise Russell, The British International School Budapest
In this episode, we explore:
✅ Why a traditional student council wasn't working for BISB's diverse and transient community
✅ How Louise started small to embed Smart School Councils, building up the comms team and regular class meetings
✅ What happened when their most controversial vote (Football-Free Friday) sparked real debate
✅ Why giving time in the timetable made pupil voice part of the school culture, not just an add-on
✅ How students now lead real change through their council, from redesigning house merch to making democracy visible and meaningful
Louise also shares a powerful reflection on why this work matters:
"I was such a quiet child myself. I never would have run for a traditional school council role. But now I get to make sure every child has a safe way to express their ideas and feel heard."
Whether you’re in an international setting or a UK school, this episode is packed with insight, honesty, and practical ideas on embedding inclusive pupil voice.
Want to check it out?
