Denbighshire Secondary School Council Forum

Representatives from each Secondary and Special School Council meet once a term under the banner of the Secondary School Council Forum. The Forum was established five years ago and initially the funding (transport costs and sustenance – but no supply cover) was sourced from a few hundred pounds kept back by the LEA from the School Council Grant. More recently, the funding of the Forum has been provided by the 14-19 Network.

The Forum meets in schools around the county at the invitation of the individual schools. The meeting is usually chaired by the chair of the host school’s council, supported by the county’s Learner Voice Champion. The meetings usually last no more than 2 hours – so a typical meeting would begin at 10am and end at noon. At each meeting there is an opportunity for each School Council to update the Forum on activity since the last meeting; this often leads to a useful information and ideas exchange and schools learn from one another’s successes and mistakes.

There is frequently a short speaker input – in recent times this has included presentations by the county’s recycling officer, the Chief Executive of the county council and the national coordinator of the School-based Counselling Services. Any request to address the Forum is discussed by members of the Forum before an invitation is extended.

In Denbighshire, the Forum has clearly had an effect on enhancing the understanding of the role of the School Council and has acted as a driver in raising the level of student participation.