STUDENTS at All Saints Catholic College, Dukinfield, lined up at the canteen ballot boxes on May 7 to cast their votes for school’s new head boy and head girl.
Taking inspiration from the recent local elections across England, the senior leadership team first introduced the idea in 2017 as part of their plan to bring real-life experience into the classroom.
Sarah Scott, senior assistant headteacher, said: “This is something we have done for at least the last four years in favour of having the students simply applying to be prefects and other roles.
“The thinking behind it is to work with the British values of the school and to get the students involved in the process and the experience of voting.
“Everyone in our school community takes part. The students, the staff, anyone over the age of 12 gets to take part in our elections.
“Every year we try to tie it in as closely as possible with the elections that are going on locally so that they have that additional feel of what it is like in real life.
“There’s a real buzz among the student on election day. They get quite excited when they come to cast their votes.
“But they also see the value in what we’re doing, and it makes it all the more personal for the candidates to be elected by their peers.”
The winning candidates were Jenny E, head girl; Finlay H, head boy; Katy L H, deputy head girl; and Connor A, deputy head boy.
They complete the school’s team of 2021 young leaders and will take the lead on behalf of their fellow students liaising with senior management.
Sarah continued: “Our new young leaders understand they are in a very privileged and unique position because they are not just the face of the school, but the voice of the students.
“They will talk to the leadership teams, and they will speak to acting headteacher Gus Diamond about the school and what realistic changes could be made based on feedback from their peers.
“We feel that their having the opportunity to be given these additional responsibilities will provide even more valuable life experiences ready for when they take their next steps into the real world.”
