How This Primary School in the South East Built a School Council to Create an Inclusive and Student-Driven Culture
In this new episode of All Chalk, we speak to Lisa Taylor, Headteacher at Halling Primary School in Medway. Lisa shares how her school has built a fully inclusive Smart School Council—giving every pupil, not just a select few, a real voice in shaping their school.
From her very first day at Halling, Lisa has been passionate about creating a positive culture where pupil voice isn’t a token gesture, but a driver of real change. She explains how shifting away from the traditional model to a whole-school approach has empowered even the youngest and quietest students to speak up, lead projects, and feel genuinely heard.
“At Halling, it’s not just about hearing children’s ideas—it’s about acting on them and showing every pupil their voice truly matters.”
In this episode, we explore:
✅ How Halling Primary restructured pupil voice with the Smart School Councils model
✅ How their Communications Team, Class Meetings, and Action Teams work together to include every pupil
✅ Why Lisa believes that giving children real leadership opportunities builds a stronger, happier school culture
✅ Practical tips for creating staff buy-in and embedding pupil voice into the everyday life of a school
Lisa also shares inspiring examples of the incredible initiatives pupils have led—from fundraising for rainbow friendship benches to launching new school houses—and how their PTA and wider school community have helped champion this work.
This is a must-listen for any school leader passionate about creating a culture where every young person can lead, contribute, and drive positive change.
Want to check it out?
