Barry Comprehensive School

School Council Elections

Barry Comprehensive School held its school council elections on the 26 th of September

All 1200 pupils voted to elect their representatives in a process designed to mirror the format of a general election. The Vale of Glamorgan Council kindly lent the school the official ballot boxes used at general elections and this really helped to make the election feel authentic. John Maitland-Evans the Chief Executive and the Returning Officer for the Vale of Glamorgan kindly agreed to announce the election results and explain to the pupils the importance of voting and how the election process works.

The pupils really enjoyed participating in the election and took the process seriously; carefully selecting the candidates who would best represent them. The school encourages pupil participation and involvement and the school council plays an important role within the school and helping it to continue to address the needs of the pupils. By encouraging pupils to become actively involved in the school community it is hoped that they will also become active and responsible members of the wider community and will recognise the importance of voting when they are 18.

Barry Comprehensive has been at the forefront of the development of school councils in Wales. The school is part of a Welsh Assembly pilot to help develop school councils’ as it is now a requirement that all schools have a council. Pupils from the school council have been asked to meet Jane Davidson, the Welsh Assembly Minister for Education, in October at the launch of the Welsh Assembly Schools Council website.

Barry Comprehensive school council has been running for 3 years and has made many positive changes to the school in that time. Currently, the council is implementing paper recycling throughout the school. Barry Comprehensive aims to be the first secondary school in the Vale of Glamorgan to have a school-wide recycling programme with all classrooms having a recycling bin. The 45 new members of the school council are keen to make further positive changes to the school and the locality.

Photos

1. Voting in the Hall
2. Voting in the Hall
3. Voting in the Hall
4. Voting in the Gym
5. Voting in the Gym
6. The counting is underway