The Student Council

Students at Robert Bruce hold an annual election to decide on the student council representatives for the year. Students interested in joining the student council deliver a brief presentation to their tutor group followed by an electoral ballot by their peers. The students selected are expected to be role models and have the necessary qualities to discuss and communicate the thoughts and feelings of the student body on a range of topical issues to the school managerial team.

To help improve the skills and management of the student council members a training day has been organized on the 22nd January 2007 in conjunction with the student voice Steering Group of BSIP (The Bedfordshire School Improvement Partnership). The purpose of the days training for students and staff is to prepare students to be able to manage their own meetings and agendas under supervision and to communicate more effectively decision making and required action.

To develop initiatives across schools, selected members of the student council will attend half termly meetings of the learning community for the student steering group. This group is made up of student councillors from lower, middle and upper schools in a learning community. The focus of this group is to share ideas and good practice across schools on topical issues. This year the focus of the steering group agenda will include:

• Anti – bullying initiatives
• Healthy school meals
• Developing playground areas
• Extra curricular skills

The Robert Bruce Student Council will contribute to these meetings and have already made progress on making suggestions to help improve school dinners.

Agenda items identified for action by this year's student council include:

• Refurbishing the boys showers with shower cubicles
• Developing a School Travel Plan to purchase cycle storage facilities and commence cycling proficiency courses
• To develop the School Rewards system and behaviour policy

Student Council will also manage their own end of term events alongside a range of active citizenship initiatives to raise the profile of the school in their community projects. Already this term students have been involved in a clean up of the River Ouse which was sponsored by the Pride in Bedford team at the Borough council and had a news feature on Anglia T.V and in the local newspapers. Students have also contributed to collecting Christmas hampers to be delivered to local charities and senior citizens living alone.

If you have any project ideas to involve students in the local community please share your ideas with us by contacting Mr G Hesketh via the school website.