Student Voice
Pupils at Freshsteps engage in a range of activities that enable them to have a voice by sharing their opinions, giving feedback on different aspects of school and voicing their concerns. All activities take place in a safe environment where pupils feel comfortable to express themselves. We recognise the importance of providing a range of channels via which pupils can communicate freely, ensuring the needs of all our pupils are met.
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Student Voice Activity |
Description |
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Whole School Student Voice Held weekly on a Thursday afternoon |
Discussion and debate about the week, including activities in school, how pupils are feeling, resolving issues, airing concerns and worries, restorative discussions, supporting one another. Discussions focus on how to ensure pupils are happy and doing well at school.
Our mock court system is used to help pupils learn about democracy, personal responsibility about consequences to actions.
Pupils share ideas about things they would like to do in school including rewards and trips.
We also use this time to celebrate success and give rewards.
Pupils give presentations, for example, sharing their work or giving presentations about themselves, the focus here is to build confidence and self-esteem.
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Assembly, Circle Time & Tutorial Tutorial and Circle Time - daily Assembly - weekly |
Our assemblies are interactive so that pupils can share their opinions and ideas on the topics, which are taken on board and shared with the student manager and SLT where appropriate.
Tutorial time is another one of our main pupil voice mechanisms; whole school and house team discussions take place supported by teaching assistants, mentors and teachers. The tutorial programme details the topics pupils focus on each week and daily including the assembly. However, we often modify assembly topics based the SEMH needs of the pupils at the time.
Circle time takes place in our primary school daily; pupils take part in discussions about themselves and their feelings as a whole group.
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School Values
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Pupils were guided through a process which led to the formulation of our school values. Pupil opinions on values were shared and discussed, the whole school then voted for our top 4 values.
The prefects and ambassadors worked with some staff members to create simple statements to explain the values which were added to our school aims and ethos. During tutorials pupils wrote their ideas about how our values could impact wellbeing and mental health.
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Pupil Surveys |
We use questionnaires to obtain feedback from pupils on school life and school activities such as remote learning, wellbeing, the tutorial programme and workshops they have attended. The results are analysed and used to make improvements for future events.
Pupils complete surveys about their wellbeing and mental health at school. The results are analysed, and follow-up actions carried out; this includes discussions about what could be done to improve the areas that pupils raised as a concern, i.e., those questions scoring low marks. Our primary school addresses this through circle time discussions, the use of emotions charts and picture cards for our pupils with speech and language difficulties.
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The Worry Box and Student Voice Box |
The student voice box is used to gather opinions and ideas. The student manager looks at the information which is then addressed as appropriate.
Pupils can voice their concerns about anything worrying them by writing it down and putting it in the worry box; this can be done anonymously if they prefer. The student manager looks at the concerns and addresses them promptly as appropriate. |
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Prefects & Ambassadors |
Prefects and ambassadors act as advocates for their peers. They meet with the student manager and sometimes SLT to feedback and share ideas on how to support pupils and make improvements.
They report any concerns about pupils including issues relating to wellbeing, to the student manager.
Some represent the school in community projects such as Youngnexus.
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FreshSteps Magistrates:
FreshSteps Magistrates is our new initiative where we role-play a magistrates scenario. Pupils who have committed 'minor offences' throughout the week at school are summoned to FreshSteps Magistrates during our Student Voice assembly, where they will 'stand trial'. Pupils have the opportunity to choose a peer to act as their 'representative' and each week, different pupils are selected to be the jury. We have found this initiative to be highly successful amongst our pupils in supporting their understanding of the wider community and the acceptance of consequences for their actions.
