Pupils
At Colmers Farm Primary School we promote good citizenship in a variety of ways. The children have opportunities to hold various positions of responsibility in school aiming to promote responsibility and improve life in and around school.
Children will be given opportunities to take part in a range of pupil led groups with additional responsibility. Such groups include school council, head pupils, prefects, librarians, rights respecting school change makers and playground leaders.
School Council
At School Council meetings, we decide on the most effective ways to change and improve the school and then talk to the people who can help to make it happen. The school councillors’ record ideas, from their peers, in school council files, ready to bring to the next school council meeting for discussion.
School Councillors regularly share news and information about new initiatives and the important things which are achieved with their classes. We hold school council meetings regularly. Together they can help Colmers Farm School to continue to grow and succeed.
What are their roles?
- To allow pupils at Colmers Farm Primary School to have a voice;
- To identify ways that we can improve our school and community;
- To be part of the decision-making process in school;
- To help to improve learning in the school;
- To take part in interviews for new teachers and learning walks;
- To be a role model for others in their classroom and around school.
What qualities/skills are required?
School Councillors should:
- Be committed to the role;
- Demonstrate excellent manners;
- Be patient and calm;
- Respect and value the opinions of others (even when they disagree with it);
- Be able to express their ideas clearly;
- Be approachable;
- Always try your best with their learning;
- Always wear the correct school uniform and be well presented;
- Always makes excellent choices in the classroom and around school.
How are they chosen?
At the start of each year in Years 3, 4, 5 and 6, pupils in each class put themselves forward to be elected to the role of School Councillor. This will usually involve them giving a small speech as to why they think they would be great in the role. The class then vote for which pupil they think would represent them best. The two pupils with the most votes then become their classes’ school councillor and vice school councillor.
At the start of each year, our KS2 school council visits the Houses of Parliament to learn about how democracy works.
Head Pupils
This position within school is a real privilege, as only two pupils get to be our head pupils (unless there is a draw in the election, which has happened once).
What are their roles?
- To organise rotas for the prefects with Miss Kelly;
- To show visitors around the school;
- To make contributions to the newsletter or school blog;
- To give speeches promoting the school where necessary;
- To meet regularly with the headteacher and deputy headteacher;
- To be on staff interview panels and to take part in learning walks;
- To be an excellent role model for others in their classroom and around school.
What qualities/skills are required?
A head boy or girl:
- Must be involved in school life as either a school councillor or prefect;
- Always demonstrates excellent manners;
- Always tries their best with their learning;
- Is confident when speaking to groups;
- Is approachable;
- Is good at solving problems (training will be given);
- Should have good leadership qualities;
- Always wears the correct school uniform and is well presented;
- Always makes excellent choices in the classroom and around school.
How are they chosen?
Only pupils who are a Year 6 school councillor, vice school school councillor, rights respecting change maker or a prefect may apply for this position. The pupils will take part in an election campaign (which involves creating an election poster and a short video). Each candidate is allowed to display a set number of posters around school and all pupils across the school watch the campaign videos before we have a school wide vote. The two pupils with the highest number of votes will be elected.
Prefects
Our prefects help our staff at playtimes and dinnertimes. This includes:
- Trustworthy;
- Modelling play to our KS1 pupils;
- Helping in the school dining room;
- Patrolling corridors during wet playtimes and dinnertimes and modelling play in classrooms;
- Controlling the numbers of pupils using the toilet areas;
- Helping to sort any disagreements which may occur;
- Being positive role models.
Our prefects meet regularly and are given training to help perform their roles. Our prefects always try to make the best choices both in the classroom and outside.
What are their roles?
- Help staff to manage dinnertimes (including wet dinnertimes) in KS1 and KS2;
- Dinnertime monitor roles (various);
- Help solve any issues at play and dinnertimes and inform adults where necessary (Training will be provided);
- To show visitors around school;
- Hosting visitors;
- To be a role model for others in their classroom and around school.
What qualities/skills are required?
A prefect:
- Trustworthy;
- Must be committed to the role;
- Demonstrates excellent manners;
- Is willing to work with younger children;
- Is patient and calm;
- Is approachable;
- Is good at solving problems (training will be given);
- Always tries their best with their learning;
- Always wears the correct school uniform and is well presented;
- Always makes excellent choices in the classroom and around school.
How are they chosen?
Each year, our Year 6 pupils are asked to apply for the role of being a prefect. These are then submitted to our Headteacher and Deputy Headteacher for consideration. Our Headteacher and Deputy Headteacher then choose a group of children for this role based on the content of their applications.
Digital Champions
Our Digital Champions are children from Year 4 and Year 5 who are here to help us keep safe online, use digital tools safely and in a way that makes our learning better.
What are their roles?
- To support lower year groups with clubs such as Beebots;
- To ensure the ICT suite is clean, tidy and up to date;
- To support Mrs Rayment with updating the ICT display;
- To promote anti-bullying online;
- To promote e-safety;
- To encourage others to use technology to its full potential;
- To research the newest technology;
- To provide training for pupils on online platforms;
- To use Interland to enhance their technological knowledge.
What qualities and skills are required?
- A good technological knowledge;
- Willingness to learn;
- Willingness to support other children even during their lunchtimes and after school;
- Confident in supporting others and sharing their skills;
- Committed to the role they have been chosen for;
- Keep up to date on the latest technology advances.
How are they chosen?
Children create a digital presentation about why they would make a good Digital Champion. If too many children create presentations they will be shared with KS2 and a democratic vote will take place.
Eco-Committee Representatives
The Eco-committee is a pupil-led initiative and guided by an eco-coordinator within school. As representatives, the selected pupils have the privilege to learn about impactful environmental actions that they could implement at Colmers Farm to make a positive and effective difference to combatting the current climate concerns, on a local scale.
The eco-representatives meet on a fortnightly basis to consider the short and long-term steps to be taken. These action points are fed-back to the rest of the school to be put into effect. The school is also kept updated with the latest climate news and actions which are making a real difference. Our representatives also hope to go beyond the walls of Colmers Farm and extend good practise to the local community.
What are their roles?
- To create a school environment which shows concern for the global environment;
- Through an audit, identify ways all those in the school can make positive changes;
- To create a plan of action following the audit;
- To meet fortnightly to review and action the points;
- To make key decisions on a local scale which will make a difference on a global scale;
- To extend the work to the local community as role models for change and progress.
What qualities and skills are required?
Eco-representatives should be:
- Deeply passionate about the environment;
- Keep themselves updated on initiatives that are making a difference on a local scale but impacting globally;
- Be confident and good communicators;
- Effective negotiators especially when initiatives are met with uncertainty;
- Think outside of the ‘box’;
- Be lifelong learners and change makers.
How are they chosen?
Following an eco-Committee assembly during the first half of the Autumn Term, pupils from Years 3-6 are invited to submit an application of interest to become an eco-representative for their class. Within the application, pupils are given the opportunity to express their understanding of the current climate crisis, their passion for the environment and why they would be an effective member of the team. The strongest applicants are then selected to be the eco-representative for their class.
Playground Leaders
Some of our Year 4 and 5 pupils have been trained to be playground leaders. Our playground leaders play a very important role in creating a safe, friendly, happy and peaceful atmosphere for other children during lunchtimes by setting up and running structured activities for our Reception and Year 1 and 2 children.
What are their roles?
- To set up and to run small games for groups of children.
- To help all children to learn and how to play cooperatively with each other;
- To help children resolve minor problems;
- To help lonely children make new friends.
What qualities/skills are required?
A playground leader:
- Trustworthy and be able to work as a team;
- Must be well organised;
- Be willing to give up some of their lunchtimes to work with younger children.
- Must be friendly towards other children;
- Must be willing to help others;
- Should be able to help solve small problems between children.
How are they chosen?
These children are chosen by Miss Jennings after completing a playmakers course.
Librarians
Our school librarians are Year 5 pupils who help to keep our school library tidy and well organised.
What are their roles?
- To ensure that the library is kept tidy and that all books are in the correct part of the library.
- To help any children or staff who may be in the library when they are present.
What qualities/skills are required?
A librarian:
- Trustworthy and be able to work independently;
- Must be well organised;
- Be willing to give up some of their lunchtimes to work in the library;
- Be able to identify damaged books;
- Must be friendly towards others;
- Must be willing to help others.
How are they chosen?
Children volunteer for this role. If too many children volunteer for this role, children will be chosen randomly.