Pupils go to the polls for school election

CHILDREN at Hemingford Grey Primary School held their school council elections last Tuesday and had a chance to vote for a representative for each class.

The candidates drew up manifestos and election posters. Children marched into the hall and, one by one, went to a desk to fill in their ballot paper and posted their votes into the ballot box. There were different coloured ballot papers for each class and the pupils were instructed to put a cross next to the person they wanted to vote for.

It was explained to them that they did not have to say who they voted for and that the candidates could vote for themselves.

Before the election, children and teachers discussed the purpose of the school council and what qualities were needed to make a good school councillor.

The previous year's school councillors gave a presentation in assemblies about their work and spoke about their experiences and how it had helped them develop ideas. The candidates had 10 days to prepare their manifesto.

Pupils were encouraged to campaign with posters and rosettes and the successful candidates were announced in the school's assembly on Friday. They were Ellie Greatorex, Jamie Hazelwood-Mitchell, Laura Flack and Nick Sanderson for year six.

Emma Jones for year five, Summer Edwards for year four, Cameron Rogers for year three and Robert McCrossen and Thomas Lynn for years one and two. There are four representatives for year six because two of them report back from the reception classes.

The school council works with the head teacher, Kate Fox. The school's behaviour policy was created by pupils who also put together an anti-bullying contract. The school council is also responsible for ordering and monitoring play and lunch-time equipment, organising fund-raising events and deciding where the money should go.

Among the priorities for the new council will be to review the anti-racism section of the behaviour policy and to create a healthy snacks policy.