Barry Comprehensive School

On Friday 14th October, during Local Democracy Week, every student in the school had the opportunity to cast their votes in the ballot boxes as the hall was transformed into a polling station for the Student Parliament Elections. Over 100 students were elected to represent their forms on their Year Councils and to work in one of the five Parliamentary ‘Departments’: Health & Fitness, Community, Learning & Teaching, Environment and Student Support. In some forms there were up to 10 candidates to choose from so, to help voters make their decision, all students wishing to run for election had to write a manifesto and give a speech to their class.

For the first time this year teachers voted alongside 6th Form students to choose a new Head Girl and Head Boy. Congratulations to Hannah Parker and Michael Walker on their appointments as leaders of the Barry Comprehensive School Student Parliament. As former leaders of the Community Department we are confident they will make a very successful team.

Following their successful election, the Year 12 ‘Cabinet’ - who will be leading the Departments - participated in a training day at Llantwit Major Comprehensive School. Students got the chance to work with others from secondary schools across the Vale, discussing and sharing ideas and joining in a carousel of activities including how to lead successful meetings, how to become student researchers in school and how to plan, organise and publicise events. They returned to school full of enthusiasm and ready to train the younger students they will be leading.

Whole school training for all the elected students took place on Wednesday 2nd November, including learning how to use the school’s exclusive ‘BCS Voice’ social network to communicate and collaborate online. Now meetings can be held anytime, anywhere using this innovative technology. Students also held their first Year Council meetings so they could choose their roles and start getting down to business.

Last week Leighton Andrews Welsh Assembly Government Minister for Education and Skills and Jane Hutt Welsh Assembly Government Minister for Finance and Leader of the House visited Barry Comprehensive to look at the school’s successful implementation of student led systems. Members of the school parliament gave a presentation to the ministers and answered questions about their work in school.
We look forward to seeing what exciting developments the Student Parliament will bring to the school over the coming year.