Pupil voice gives children responsibility and nurtures collaboration, confidence and leadership.

In the early years and the beginnings of primary school, pupil voice is a catalyst for learning, guiding and directing the route and shape that the curriculum takes. As children learn through play, practitioners are constantly observing, adapting and questioning in response to the ideas, curiosities and imaginative storylines of their pupils. 

As pupils progress up the school, the opportunities for pupils to lead their learning and contribute to school life deepen. 

The power of pupil voice

Empowering our pupils to have a real say in how things are done has led to tangible improvements in all aspects of school life.

Through class discussion, pupil parliament and other forums (e.g. Forces club) pupils are championed to take their skills and involve themselves in pertinent discussions around the direction of the school. As well as providing children with a great deal of responsibility, it nurtures collaboration, leadership and negotiation skills.

The establishment of a 'Kindness Crew' led by pupils to support other pupils is one example as to the power and impact of pupil voice at Millbrook. 

What does it look like in practice?

We use a variety of ways to promote the voice of children in a school. Here are some examples: 

• Regular opportunities for children and young people to share their views with each other and school staff.
• Varying the ways in which pupils can participate; for example:
  • The Pupil Parliament makes a very useful contribution to shaping school life but relatively only a small number of pupils can get involved as some may find this type of formal engagement challenging. To overcome this we hold regular class meetings to discuss the agenda items of the next school parliament meeting. 
  • Assemblies too can provide opportunities to make sure pupils understand a school’s commitment to knowing what children want and need.
  • A regular ‘suggestion box’ placed in the entrance hall or in each classroom, with the contents shared at the school parliament meetings.
  • Older pupils are encouraged to care for younger pupils and to become role models.
• The curriculum - on a termly basis we ask pupils about their learning, their facilities and the physical environment of the school.
• The Pupil Parliament have clear published actions.
• Our school values and ethos reflect the commitment to pupil voice. Is it included in school statements, school action planning, the website, classrooms and any other publications. At Millbrook our core school values of Kindness and Responsibility. 
• Diversity and inclusion - we strive to create an inclusive and diverse environment where pupils can learn about different cultures and traditions. At Millbrook we celebrate cultural festivals and events, and incorporate different perspectives into the curriculum. For example, a school might explore the history and traditions of Black History Month, or teach pupils about Diwali or Eid.