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School councils are great, right? They get young people interested in democracy, participation, and using their voice. Amazing!
But the truth isn’t quite as bright.
Having spent the last ten years working on this, the traditional model is outdated. Honestly, they can be a bit tricky to run. They can run out of steam by Christmas. And they often re-run the same discussion over and over. Toilets, anyone?
But there’s a bigger concern, which a recent book by a researcher at the Education Endowment Foundation brought into sharp focus.
The voices who take part are already the most confident. They are the higher attainers. And even if you’re able to involve a very representative group of pupils, it’s only really a small number - maybe 5% of the school - who get involved.
I’ve been working on a new approach—one that involves every voice. Learning from our 500+ school members, and here are my top five tips for those who want a fairer, more inclusive school council that gets everyone involved.
1. Make Every Voice Count
Don’t just rely on the same small group of confident students. Aim to involve all pupils, even those who are quieter or less likely to speak up. Regular class discussions, where each class can contribute to school-wide topics, are a great way to make sure everyone is heard.
They don’t need to be long or complicated. For each meeting, it’s best to just discuss a single question. And pick the same one across the school. That way, everyone has a chance to get involved and your school council won’t just represent a handful of pupils but reflect the voice of the entire student body.
In practical terms, it’s about asking two pupils in each class to lead a five-minute conversation on a key question. And building a common structure so that everyone gets used to it. It’s a quick, easy way to engage everyone without overwhelming staff or taking up too much class time.
2. Move Beyond the Same Old Topics
Let’s be honest: toilets get brought up way too often! While it’s great that students care about their environment, councils often get stuck on a few repeated issues.
Spending weeks talking about a new swimming pool in the playground isn’t really the best use of time.
Encourage your school council to look at broader, more meaningful topics. Issues like mental health, sustainability, or local community projects can spark more interest and participation from across the school. Look at the awareness days that are coming up too.
Another way to keep things fresh is by weaving in current events and world affairs. With so much happening globally, these topics can spark critical thinking and deep discussions, helping your school council stay relevant while also developing students' awareness of the world around them.
3. Rotate Leadership Roles
An effective school council isn’t led by the same few confident students every time. It’s about giving everyone a chance to step up and lead. Rotate leadership roles during meetings, discussions, and projects to ensure that a wider range of students gain leadership experience. This not only spreads the responsibility but also builds the confidence of quieter students who might not naturally take charge.
If you want, you could make this a formal process. Create a rota where different pupils take on roles such as chairing meetings, taking notes, or presenting ideas. This helps develop a range of skills across the student body, from public speaking to organisation, and makes sure the council feels representative of everyone, not just the most vocal.
4. Create an Inclusive Progress Board
Transparency is key to an effective school council. Create a visible progress board where students can see what the council is working on, what’s been achieved, and what’s coming up next. This keeps everyone in the loop and encourages wider participation. If students feel their voices lead to real action, they’re more likely to stay engaged.
This progress board can also be a way to celebrate small wins. Highlight the council’s achievements, whether that’s solving a small issue like improving the playground or tackling something bigger. Making this progress visible to the whole school helps build momentum and shows that the council’s work is valuable.
5. Take Small, Manageable Actions
While big, ambitious projects are great, they can often be overwhelming and take a long time to show results. I’m a fan of small, manageable pieces of change that can create quick and visible improvements. It keeps pupils motivated and shows that change is possible without needing large-scale efforts that might fizzle out.
For example, instead of trying to overhaul the entire school lunch system, your council could focus on smaller, achievable changes like introducing a healthier snack option or organising a single event. These bite-sized actions build confidence and create real impact, while staying manageable for both pupils and staff.
Whatever method you choose, it’s all about giving everyone’s voice a say in democracy. There’s nobody’s voice that you want to leave out in your school.
Greg
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If you’d like to join our 500+ school members across the world, and get everyone involved through our easy to use and inclusive programme, find our more about Smart School Councils at: www.smartschoolcouncils.org.uk
Here’s a 10% lifetime discount to join up. Just use YESFUTURES at the checkout.
Greg Sanderson Bio
Greg is the founder of Smart School Councils, a charity that champions a more inclusive approach to pupil voice in schools, empowering every student to participate. With a background in the civil service and non-profit leadership, Greg’s work tackles inequality and tokenism in educational settings by building better ways to create inclusive everyday democracy.
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