Pupil Parliament
​​​​

At Bevois Primary School, our Pupil Parliament promotes leadership opportunities, empowering children to develop essential communication, organisation, and debating skills through meaningful roles, responsibilities, and enriching experiences.

Rooted in the British values of democracy and liberty, the Pupil Parliament ensures that every voice matters. It provides a platform for pupils from Year 2 to Year 6 to actively contribute to how our school is run. By encouraging participation in decision-making, we cultivate a sense of freedom and responsibility, helping pupils understand their rights and the importance of mutual respect.

This inclusive structure benefits pupils, staff, parents, and the wider community. It enables children to express their views, influence school decisions, and see tangible outcomes of their ideas. Pupils embrace the chance to play a significant role in school life, thriving as active citizens who enjoy making a positive difference.

What are the aims of the Pupil Parliament?

• Represent all pupils and include as many children as possible.
• Ensure pupils’ voices are heard and views shared.
• Feedback to pupils about the outcomes of Pupil Parliament meetings.
• Action decisions that have been made or explain why they can’t happen.
• Make meaningful change to improve school life for the children at Bevois Town.

How does Pupil Parliament work?

• Pupil Parliament meets regularly and members of Pupil Parliament take questions and ideas back to their classes to collect their peers’ opinions. All members of Pupil Parliament have notebooks for making notes in meetings and speaking to their classmates.
• An assembly (either in class or in key stages) is held when a decision is being made and needs to be explained to the school or when a decision has been made and needs to be shared with everyone. Members of Pupil Parliament lead the sharing of this information.
• Pupil Parliament share successes and projects with parents and governors, as well as staff and children.

Who can be a member of a Pupil Parliament committee?

Any pupil from Year 2 to Year 6 is eligible to stand for election. Those interested in a role prepare a short speech or presentation explaining why they are suited to the responsibility.

Each class then holds a mini-election where candidates share their speeches or presentations, and class members vote to create a shortlist of representatives. Shortlisted candidates then present their speeches or presentations during a Key Stage assembly, giving the wider school community the chance to hear their ideas.

Candidates have the opportunity to campaign by speaking to their peers, sharing posters, or distributing flyers during a brief canvassing period. On voting day, all pupils in the Key Stage cast their votes using a secret ballot, supervised by staff.

Once the votes are counted and verified by a returning officer, the winning candidates are announced in a special assembly. Elections are held in May each year, and successful candidates serve a one-year term. Pupils may stand for re-election if their peers wish to support them again.

The Role of the Pupil Parliament

The ministers play a vital role in representing their class in the school’s decision-making process. They collaborate to develop a school improvement plan focused on enhancing the experience of all pupils. Once the plan is in place, they actively monitor and evaluate its progress, ensuring it remains impactful and relevant. 

Their responsibilities may also include assessing the effectiveness of learning across the school, gathering evidence, and using this to inform their discussions. Based on their findings, they make thoughtful recommendations for the way forward, contributing meaningfully to school improvement.

In addition, ministers may take part in welcoming visitors, showcasing the school’s achievements, and even interviewing prospective staff, giving them a unique opportunity to influence key decisions within the school community.