How SLTs Can Make Pupil Voice More Inclusive in School

27 Aug

For senior leadership teams, pupil voice is more than just a tick-box exercise - it’s a way to give every child the chance to share their ideas, influence decisions, and feel part of the school community. And one of the best ways to achieve this is through your school council, which can act as a structured platform to involve every pupil.

But making pupil voice truly inclusive can be tricky. Often, the same confident students dominate, while quieter pupils or those with different needs struggle to have their say. With the help of your school council, you can build systems that ensure every voice is heard.

Here are three practical ways SLTs can make it happen:

1. Make pupil voice part of everyday school life

While some pupils can talk at length without prompts, others need a framework to feel confident speaking up. Simple, repeatable formats make it easier for everyone to join in. A school council can provide that structure, giving students the confidence to lead while ensuring discussions are fair and inclusive.

📌 Action: Encourage class teachers to run short discussions as part of their routine, using the school council model to guide them, so every pupil gets used to sharing ideas in a safe space.

2. Give structure, not scripts

While some pupils can talk at length without prompts, others need a framework to feel confident speaking up. Simple, repeatable formats make it easier for everyone to join in.

📌 Action: Provide pupils with clear discussion questions, sentence starters, or leader prompts so they can run council meetings independently - with the flexibility to adapt for different groups.

3. Show pupils their ideas matter

If pupils never see the impact of their suggestions, they’ll quickly disengage. Sharing what’s been done as a result of their input makes the process meaningful. Your school council is a natural vehicle for this - it can gather ideas, track actions, and communicate impact back to the whole school.

📌 Action: Publicly celebrate changes made because of pupil ideas - in newsletters, on displays, or in assemblies - and make sure credit goes to the students.