Samuel Laycock School's Smart School Councils Adventure

Background

At Samuel Laycock School, a vibrant community within the Newbridge MAT, fostering student voice and empowerment is at the heart of their ethos. Led by Katie Cash, also serving as the Deputy Head, the school has embarked on an inspiring journey with Smart School Councils (SSC), aiming for consistency and heightened visibility across both the MAT and within their school walls.

In the summer of 2023, Kerri and Karen dropped by the school to chat with Katie about how the programme was coming along. While there, they noticed some great practice that Samual Laycock was doing that other members might like to hear about too:

Tip #1: Make Change Visible

The impact of Smart School Council meetings at Samuel Laycock School is tangible. Whether it’s shaping school policies, or planning impactful projects such as recycling initiatives and outdoor area improvements, you can ‘see’ the change around school. 

Tip #2: Students Driving Positive Change

Students are driving meaningful change with the support of dedicated staff, demonstrating the power of student-led initiatives. Through Action Teams - groups of pupils who create change in their school - they're not just suggesting ideas, they're actively bringing them to life.

Tip #3: Inclusive Class Meetings

Every Wednesday, during assembly day, students gather for class meetings, where they explore themes aligned with RESPECT and British values. These meetings serve as a platform for gathering pupil voices and driving positive change.

Looking Ahead

Despite the remarkable progress, Katie is determined to integrate SSC more seamlessly into the school's fabric, making it a natural part of the everyday life of the students. As Samuel Laycock School continues its journey, it's all set to boost student voices even more, creating a place where everyone feels empowered to speak up and work together.

Hopefully, you have found something useful in these 3 great tips that we gained from our visit to Samual Laycock School. Perhaps you do some of them already, or maybe you now feel a little inspired to try one of them yourself instead. Whichever it is, let’s keep raising pupil voice and encouraging pupil-led change. 🙂