School Council & United Nations Global Development Goals
We have an innovative approach to school council at Easton Royal Academy. Candidates are elected by the school community on the basis of one project idea that they will see through from start to finish over the course of the year with the help from a key adult. They write a manifesto and share it with the whole school community and then there is an anonymous vote.
We learn about the United Nations Global Goals for Sustainable Development in school and each school council project is based on one of the goals. This helps to show children that everyone can be actively engaged in making a difference, no matter what their age or location.
Covid 19 disrupted our school council and projects but our 2021 - 2022 election is being held on 16th February 2022 and you can download an election pack below with all of the details about school council and how to apply:
The Plastic Free School Project
I want to help life below water by becoming a plastic free school. I am a member of surfers against sewage with my family and they have help on their website that you can follow to become plastic free.
We will be setting up a group of children to help with the project, completing an action plan, holding a 'Trash Mob', writing to our MP, writing to industry and thinking about the plastics within our school.
The ‘FairActive’ Project
We are already a fair trade school and we got our 'Fairaware' award 2 years ago by running some lessons about where bananas come from and who gets the money from the sale of the bananas.
I want to reduce inequality by making sure the people who farm food like bananas get the money they deserve for all of their hard work.
I want to get the next fair trade award and become a 'Fairactive' School. We will need to put a fair trade team together, write an action plan and hold a big fair trade event in school for our children, families and the community.
The Trash - Mob Project
I want to help life on land by running a team of litter pickers who have special equipment and collect any litter that people have dropped or that has blown out of the playground bin.
The problem with litter is that animals and insects can get stuck in it. Also, the plastic can end up in the ocean or in big sites where it doesn't break down.
My litter picking group will be called 'Trash-Mob' - this fits in with another school council project about becoming a plastic free school.
We will need to buy special litter picking equipment and we will need a rota and volunteers. We will also put up posters and do an assembly to talk to everyone about not dropping any litter.
The Clubtastic Project
I want to improve wellbeing by having more clubs at more different times. We have sports leaders at playtimes and we have Gymnastics, Dance, Football and Multisports clubs every week. Some of us have a drama club for one lunchtime a week. Sometimes we have a club like Code Club or African Drumming Club.
I want to have more non-sports clubs after school and also some at lunchtimes that children run themselves.
Not everyone knows what to do at lunchtimes so this will help them.
The Animals Who Help People Project
I want to hold a fund-raising event at school (maybe a toy sale) to raise money for a charity which trains animals to help people who are blind or deaf or need rescuing.
We might be able to adopt an animal and help people at the same time.
The Buddy Crew Project
We have a 'Buddy Crew' at out school who wear red jumpers and help out on the playground if you are lonely or if you have fallen out with a friend. I want to improve people's wellbeing by making it even better.
I want to have more training for the Buddy Crew so they know what to do. I want to make sure they know when they are on duty because sometimes they need a reminder! I want to get a different buddy bench so people know it's only if you need help from the buddy crew.
The Walking Wednesday Project
I want to improve our health and wellbeing by setting up one day each week (Wednesday) where our parents park at the village hall and walk with us down the lane.
This would help us to keep fit and would also stop the traffic in the village and make everything safer. Once people have walked one day, they might decide to do it most days!
We might be able to set up a 'walking train' where a teacher meets us at the village hall at a certain time and then parents can drop and go if they want to.
The Equal Library Project
I want to reduce inequality in our school by increasing the number of books in the library that are good for people with dyslexia. If you are dyslexic you might need books where the words help you to improve your reading but you don't want books with babyish subjects or themes.
I also want to make the library more interactive with displays of books that match a certain theme and with reviews from children, teachers and parents.
