Pupil Leadership at Uplands

Our pupil leadership teams at Uplands are groups of children who represent their peers and provide children with opportunities to become partners in their own education, making positive contributions to the school environment and ethos. We believe that the best schools have a pupil led culture where children can get their voices heard. We value the work of our pupil leaders using it to help shape some of what happens at our school. The intent is to offer children the opportunities to develop our school so that it continues to grow, thrive and succeed.

The children are encouraged to be a part of the running and development of their school and raise any issues or suggestions they wish to make on behalf of their peers. These are then presented and considered by the SLT and any appropriate action taken. This gives the children a feeling of partnership, as they know their views are valued, discussed and acted upon. Our children feel safe to share their opinions and viewpoints.

Why do we have pupil leadership teams at Uplands?

A school is a community and pupil leadership groups help to make our community harmonious and good to live in.
Our Pupil Leadership groups enable pupils to make a positive contribution to their school environment and its ethos.
Every child learns to listen to others and to recognise themselves as a worthwhile individual with a right to be heard.
Children learn self-confidence and social skills.
From a young age, children are challenged to be responsible for their behaviour towards each other and towards their teachers and helpers.
Contributing to their class and school community allows children to grow in self-esteem.
Every child learns from their own experience how to contribute to society as a whole and what it means to be an active citizen

What pupil leadership teams do we have at Uplands?

Rights Respecting Ambassadors (Yrs3-6)
Being Brilliant committee (this also encompasses the role of Public Health Champions). This group promotes all of the principles of The Art of Brilliance across the school community
Digital ambassadors (Yr5) for the promotion of online safety
Librarians (Yr5)
Trick Box team to support personal development and positive well-being
Playground helpers (Years 4 and 5)
Art Ambassadors (1 per class)
Attendance ambassadors (NEW for 2023/24)

In addition pupil voice is an integral part of our school. Leaders and coordinators use pupil voice as part of their regular monitoring activities to shape future developments.

Attendance Ambassadors

Each class has an elected attendance Ambassador. Their role is to promote regular attendance at school and good timekeeping. Each week they will display the class attendance percentage in their room and share this with the pupils. They can act as a "listening ear" for any pupils who have worries or concerns around school that may be impacting upon attendance. The 12 Ambassadors meet half termly with the Headteacher to discuss ideas for promoting good attendance across school.

Rights Respecting Ambassadors

We are a steering group consisting of pupils from across the school, the Head Teacher, a member of staff (Mrs Lane) and 2 Governors and together we devise our action plans. In July 2017 we were delighted to receive our “Recognition of Commitment” (ROC-Bronze level) from UNICEF RRSA, in June 2018 we were assessed for the Silver level of the award and achieved this and then in February 2023 we were awarded our Gold. Each class creates a class charter and a whole school display about the Rights will continue to be developed in a central area. The RRSA is central to our school improvement and our ethos of “Respect For All”. Mrs Lane is our RRSA coordinator and she along with Mrs Webster-Smith will be leading further developments as we work embed our Gold standard.

Being Brilliant Committee

We are a group of upper key stage 2 pupils who nominate ourselves and apply to be a part of the Being Brilliant committee. We promote the Art of Brilliance principles across the school community and work with Mrs Roberts to organise focus weeks, random acts of kindness days in school and our community and promote positive well being. In addition we hold the role of "Health Champions". We have been working with the local authority and the school nursing team to give key health messages to our school and beyond. We are the only primary school taking part in this city trial and due to its success it is going to be rolled out city wide.

Digital Ambassadors

We are a group of dedicated Year 5 & 6 students that are role models to others. We are a positive ongoing support group in school to help other pupils, parents, teachers and Governors with understanding online safety.

We have been trained as Digital Ambassadors so that we can give advice to any pupil who has worries about using technology. It is important in our role to promote keeping safe online and share the positives with using technology.

You can ask us anything about online safety to discard any worries including online risks, sharing personal information, digital footprints and age appropriateness.

Take a look at our Digital 5-a-day diet that we have created alongside the Rights Respecting Ambassadors that focuses on a positive celebration of the online world. It is a healthy diet of online behaviour and links to ensuring everyone can enjoy their rights.

Trick Box Team

We have a pupil leadership group in school called The Trick Box team. Pupils in Year 5 & 6 were invited to apply for the role and a group of 12 pupils have been selected. Their aim is to support the school community by promoting the Trick Box programme and help individuals with emotional regulation.

A few examples of pupils led initiatives and the power of pupil voice

Pupils collectively designed our current library
Pupils put forward their ideas for our outdoor garden area for positive mental well being
The World War 2 History Unit was added to our curriculum following pupil voice with the History coordinator
There was a review of our house system names after a Year 3 child wrote a letter to the Head teacher explaining that the previous names did not reflect our Respect For All ethos-a democratic decision process was put in action
In both Reading and Writing the interests of our pupils has helped to shape texts purchased
Homework club led by SLT was created following a pupil voice whereby a number of children said they did not have time and space to work at home
Changes to our Reading journal activities were created following pupil voice with our Reading coordinator
The playground and field lunchtime activities have all been as a result of pupil voice