In a dynamic display of pupil engagement and collaboration, primary and secondary schools within The Thinking Schools Academy Trust recently came together for the 'Pupil Voice' meeting.
Pupils connected from Kent to Devon via teams, sharing ideas and perspectives to shape their own educational experiences and build a stronger, more connected community.
The meeting concentrated on six critical areas: charity, school food service, ‘Be Your Best Self’ school journals, environmental sustainability, anti-bullying, and reading.
- Environmental Sustainability
Representatives from Plymouth High School and Plympton Academy shared their ideas on enhancing environmental sustainability. They advocated introducing more plants around their schools to promote insect habitats and suggested organising litter-picking activities. Additionally, they proposed creating an Earth Alliance webpage for all schools within the Trust to access and share environmental initiatives.
- Charity
Brixham College, Paignton Academy, Furzeham Primary and Kings Ash Primary contributed their thoughts on charity work, recommending that pupils receive more education about the charities they support to ensure they understand the causes they are fundraising for. Rochester Grammar School proposed incorporating fundraising for internal school projects to promote pupils' well-being. They have implemented a system to localise the charities they support, allowing pupils to vote on which causes to promote. This approach enhances the sense of community and ensures that charitable efforts are meaningful and impactful for pupils.
- School Food Service
When discussing the school food service, a consensus emerged that food prices are currently too high and need to be made more affordable. Pupils across the schools requested a reduction in plastic use and recommended comparing menus across the Trust to ensure consistency and variety.
- ‘Be Your Best Self' School Journals
Plympton and Plymouth pupils expressed a desire for changes to be made based on pupil surveys, ensuring that the journals are tailored to their needs and preferences.
- Anti-Bullying
The meeting also addressed anti-bullying measures, with pupils sharing their experiences and suggesting improvements. Brixham has introduced Anti-Bullying Ambassadors who meet weekly to discuss and implement strategies to combat bullying. Plympton suggested organising fundraisers across all schools to support anti-bullying initiatives.
- Reading
Plympton and Plymouth are planning to share their school pupil magazines to exchange ideas and foster creativity. Paignton expressed a desire to promote their libraries more actively to increase their popularity among pupils.
Toby, a Year 12 student at Plympton Academy commented: “Coming together gives us a great insight into what other schools are doing. It really is a great way to share ideas, hear what other schools are doing and embed these ideas into our own school.”
Ellathea, Deputy Head Student at Plymouth High School praised pupil voice saying: “It’s super exciting to be at Plympton Academy and learn about how their students are making informative decisions about Trust wide issues”.
Reflecting on the event, Simon Underdown, Headteacher of Plymouth High School For Girls, who leads the Pupil Voice commented: "It is truly inspiring and fascinating to hear that the general thoughts and concerns across the Trust of schools are so similar. This collective input will drive meaningful changes."
