School Council Meeting Summary - Thursday 25th June 2006

1) Bully Free Zone

Recently carried out a questionnaire across all Bolton Schools. Questionnaires indicated that some students felt unsafe in their schools and that some students found some staff difficult to talk to if they were being bullied.

Questions asked to the Council included:

‘What does the school do well when students are bullied?’
‘What could the school do better?’
‘Why do some students not feel safe?’

Points of discussion included:

· Year 7 & 8 students do have their own playground – behind the canteen (towards the tennis courts)
· Year 7 students to have mentors when they first arrive
· Raising profile of anti-bullying assemblies
· Ensuring staff availability at all times to support ‘alleged’ victims of bullying
· Positive support of Medi8
· Effectiveness of students as Peer Mediators and Peer Counsellors
· Ensuring supportive transition into Year 7 by mixing students from the same schools

Emma (Bully Free Zone) asked if Westhoughton High School would like to be part of an anti-bullying forum – Council Members indicated that they would.

Kelly (Bolton Pastoral Network) discussed the idea of Learning Walks – students at Westhoughton visiting other schools and vice versa. This was received very favourably.

2) Lockers

In September there will be 100 lockers, students able to rent at £5/term. This was in response to School Council requests.

School Council Meeting Summary – Friday 7 April 2006

Comments made at last School Council Forum have been responded to and all-weather pitch has been relaid

• Respect Code currently being looked at. Students to have an involvement in this and they will be asked to complete a Behaviour and Attendance Audit

• Government supporting Healthy Schools initiative. Consequently, there will be some changes to school menu

- salt and pepper will not be allowed
- chips/fried food will only be available twice a week
- more fruit will be available
- greater variety of vegetables to be offered

• School to support student requests by introducing lockers. The number of these is to be decided, as is their location. Students will be asked to rent a locker for £5 per term – all students should inform their Heads of Year immediately if they are interested. Year 11 students will have priority, then Year 10 etc.. but lockers will be issued on a ‘first come, first served’ basis

• School Council members attended Governors Meeting in February. Governors extremely impressed with the students and welcomed the ideas that they put forward

• At present 38 Extracurricular Clubs take place either before or after school each week. Students (particularly 6th Form) who feel that they can support staff run those Clubs should see members of staff as soon as possible

Welcome to the WHS School's Council Blog

Here you will find information about all the items which have been discussed at our School's Council meetings and summaries about what has been decided.

Most of the information provided here will be in the form of minutes from the meetings we hold with representatives from each form and year group.

You are invited to comment underneath each message posting, but please remember to include your name and form in the text you write. All comments will be moderated (checked) by a member of staff before they appear in the blog.

We're looking forward to hearing your thoughts and ideas for improving our school.

Mr. C. Powell
Deputy Headteacher