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Bright Sparks & Early Years
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St. Mary’s Prep
4-11 Years
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St. Mary’s
Student Council
The Student Council is a student-run organisation that meets on a weekly basis. We are the voice for the student body and actively work with teachers to promote a better learning environment.
Each form has its own representative to share ideas and suggestions that their fellow students have come up with. Recently the Council created the St. Mary’s College branded water bottles. This was to pursue plans to make the school more sustainable and eco-friendly.
Over the past few years, the Student Council has undertaken many projects and a few examples are as follows: created the House system, a food committee that has allowed the transformation of the canteen as well as changes to the lunch menu and, we have installed more water fountains around the school. Lastly, the Student Council is also responsible for the St. Mary’s Talent Show which is organised every year by the pupils.
For more examples of our successful implementations, please see the ‘Student Council Updates’ below.
Student Council Updates
Raising Money for CAFOD
- The Student Council partnered with Edmund Rice International and were able to help the school raise over £1500 for CAFOD.
- The Student Council came to an agreement that the money should be spent on building two community wells for two poverty-stricken villages in Sierra Leone.
School Water Bottles
- Water Bottles include the St. Mary’s Badge on are available to all pupils and staff.
- The Water Bottles can also contain up to three initials on the bottle.
Garden Area
- The Student Council worked hard to bring to mind an ideal garden area which contains plants and seats for students to congregate and have a nice place to relax during lunch and break.
- The Garden Area is situated outside the Bright Sparks & Early Years building.
Debate Club for Lower School
- The Student Council perused Lower School student’s high demand for lower school to have a debate club
- Lower School students are now able to go to Debate Club in Mr Rothnie’s room on a Friday.
Meeting Minutes
Lent Term 2022
02/03/2022
PTA Ideas
Football Goals
- Football goals to go on the yard next to the uniform shop
- They can be stored beside the uniform shop where the netball posts are kept
Bike Shed
- Research needs to be done on pricing
- Would a cover with locks be cheaper?
- Would keeping the current bike slots but make a cover work?
- Forms need to be asked whether they would use their bike more often if there was a bike shelter
Toilets
Maintenance
- Taps are too hot
- New locks
Non-Binary Toilets
- Pupils agree with this and want this to go ahead
- A Non-Binary toilet is in progress where the single staff toilet is
Sports Hall
Girls Changing Room
- Showers in changing rooms aren’t used and girls would like the shower area to be converted into an extra changing area
- Get cubicles so girls can get changed separately
23/02/2022
PTA Ideas
St. Mary’s Matters
- Pupils and staff are in agreement that this should go ahead
Movie Night
- Pupils agree with this and want this to go ahead
Year 7 Disco
- Year 7 pupils think it will be good to have a disco
Toilets
Makeover
- Both the boy’s and girl’s toilets need a completely new makeover
- The new toilets should consist of new toilet stalls (including toilets and flushers), new sinks, new urinals (boys)
- Pupils believe they should be more modern
Non-Binary Toilets
- Pupils who do not identify as male or female or who do not feel comfortable going into the boys and girls toilets should have their own toilet to use
- The Non-Binary Toilets could be where the current staff toilet is next to the boy’s toilet
Sports Hall
Blue Room
- New Opaque windows in the blue room
- Mirrors for the blue room
Main Hall
- Paint over the white section where the Match of the Day Mural was
O’Halloran Hall
Roof
- New roof where water marks are.
Dining Room
Dining Room Extension
- Extend the dining room so more people can fit in
- Are teachers able to have their lunch in the staff room?
Anxiety Pass
- People with Proven evidence that they have anxiety may be able to apply for an anxiety pass which will allow them to temporarily step out of class if they feel a panic attack coming along.
02/02/2022
PTA Ideas
St. Mary’s Matters
- Performing Arts Event
- Pupils performing music
- Drama Club pupils acting
- Student made artwork for sale
- If it goes ahead it will take place in the school
Movie Night
- Once every half term the school could host a movie night in the main hall
- Pupils will vote which film they would like to watch prior to the event
- Popcorn and sweets could go on sale
- Parents will be allowed to come
Bike Shed
- A nature friendly bike shed
- Could become a whole school project
- Find a cheap way to purchase materials and put it together ourselves
Tuck Shop
- Trial new things in the tuck shop
Water bottles
- Water bottles to be on sale in the Uniform Shop starting next half term
Wall Art Mural
- Deadline will be April
Autumn Term 2023
20/09/2023
PTA Ideas
Girls Summer Blouse
- After discussions last year, the Student Council wants to try and reintroduce the option for girls to wear a blouse in Summer
Stationery Shop
- Pupils would like a place where they can buy stationery so they can make sure they have everything they need for lessons if they find they are without it
Positive Points Rewards
- Pupils feel they should be rewarded for achieving a certain number of Positive Points, (25, 50, 75,100)
- This could be in the form of money or another form of reward
School Lunches
- Pupils want a new lunch menu
- Lunch queues are too long and need to be sorted
- Suggestion to sell cookies away from the main dining area (next to gym)
- Lunch time clubs should be first half so there are less people getting lunch and rushing to clubs for second half
27/09/2023
PTA Ideas
Girls Summer Blouse
- After discussions last year, the Student Council wants to try and reintroduce the option for girls to wear a blouse in Summer
- We will need a whole school student opinion in order for us to pursue this
Firefly
- Can the student council get a tab on firefly where minutes can be posted?
School Lunches
- Lunch and toast queues are too long
- Possibility for a 3rd point of sale in the dining area for toast
- Lunch time clubs should be first half so there are less people getting lunch and rushing to clubs for second half
- Members of staff need to manage the queues better and make sure that once pupils have toast they go outside
Chess Tournament
- Proper organisation and preparation needs to take place for a worthwhile whole school tournament
Talent Show
- Due to date clashes and large absence of pupils, it never took place last year. To combat this pupils would like to request a change of date to the 7th.
04/10/2023
PTA Ideas
Appearance
Girls Summer Blouse
- After discussions, the overall views for the blouse are positive as Year 10 to Sixth Form: Yes, Year 9: Yes, Year 7 and 8: Undecided* (Chart to show this data is at the end of minutes)
- We will look into getting a sample blouse to show pupils
Girls PE Kit
- Girls throughout the school feel strongly about being able to wear school tracksuit pants rather than skorts
PE Kit for Period 1 and 2
- Some pupils have PE during periods 1 and 2
- Pupils believe that they should be able to come into school in their kit then change into uniform after their lesson
- Performing Arts Event
- Pupils performing music
- Drama Club pupils acting
- Student made artwork for sale
- If it goes ahead it will take place in the school
School Lunches
- Lunch and toast queues are too long
- Possibility for a 3rd point of sale in the dining area for toast?
- Members of staff are managing queues more sufficiently than previously
- Year 9s should get their toast at the gym end of the canteen (where the Year 10s and 11s get theirs)
Talent Show
- The request to change the date of the talent show has been granted and it will commence on the Wednesday 13th December
- More information will be announced in the coming weeks
Chess Tournament
- Proper organisation and preparation needs to take place for a worthwhile whole school tournament
- Ms Cotogni is completely on board with the idea
- Chess timers can be on an app on phones
Firefly
- The Student Council now has a Firefly page and a Quick Access Tab on the dashboard
- The page and tab are both accessible on Firefly for Pupils, Parents and Teachers
- Minutes and photos of our work will go up on the page
Newsletter
- A proposal has been made stating that the school should raise more awareness of Animal cruelty and wellbeing
- We will request if a section of the newsletter can be dedicated to this over the coming weeks
Environmentally Friendly
Design and Technology
- DT are urging all pupils to continue to bring in bottles and caps to be recycled and used in the 3D printers
- This will benefit pupils both in class and during extra-curricular DT lessons, as well as helping the school become more Eco-friendly
