At Kells Lane Primary in Gateshead, Year 3 Teacher and Character Development Lead Rachel Gray knew their old school council model wasn’t working. The same confident pupils were always voted in, while many others never had the chance to share their views.
With a school-wide focus on oracy, Rachel wanted a new approach to pupil voice - one that gave every child an opportunity to speak, listen, and influence decisions. Since adopting the Smart School Councils model in 2020, she’s transformed how student voice works at her school.
Here are five key lessons from her journey:
1. Move beyond the “usual voices”
Traditional elections often lead to the same confident pupils being chosen, leaving others unheard. Rachel wanted to make pupil voice something for everyone - not just the few who get elected.
💡 Tip: Reimagine your school council so it represents every student, not just the confident ones.
2. Use class meetings to give every child a platform
By introducing the Class Meeting Tool, every class at Kells Lane now takes part in regular discussions and votes. This ensures all pupils - no matter their background or confidence level - have their say.
💡 Tip: Run short, structured class meetings weekly to make pupil voice part of everyday school life.
3. Link pupil voice with oracy skills
Kells Lane already had a strong emphasis on oracy, so Rachel embedded pupil voice as a natural extension. Class meetings provided meaningful opportunities for children to practise speaking and listening.
💡 Tip: Connect pupil voice activities with your existing curriculum priorities, such as oracy or personal development.
4. Empower pupils with leadership roles
Rachel set up a Communications Team to help run the programme. Their role wasn’t to speak just for themselves but to amplify the voices of all their peers.
💡 Tip: Give pupils leadership opportunities that focus on listening and representing others, not just leading for the sake of it.
5. Show students their voices matter
Rachel highlights how Smart School Councils reduced tokenism. Pupils now see their input leading to genuine changes across the school. 💡 Tip: Share outcomes from pupil decisions, whether in assemblies, newsletters or displays, so children know their voices make a difference.
The impact at Kells Lane
Since making these changes, pupil voice at Kells Lane has become more inclusive, structured, and impactful. Rachel calls the new model a “game-changer”, ensuring every child feels part of decision-making while strengthening oracy across the school.
*“Every child can now have a say, not just the confident ones who might get elected.” *
, Rachel Gray