Pupil voice in schools means a whole-school commitment to listening to the views, wishes and experiences of all children and young people. It means placing value on what children and young people tell school staff about their experiences.
Children and young people need to be provided with meaningful opportunities to share their experiences, views and hopes about their school. Pupils need to know that it is safe and that it is important for them to express their views on what happens at school. They need to know that what they say is valued and will be listened to and considered.
Schools with a strong commitment to pupil voice have reported many positive outcomes. These include a reduction in exclusions, better behaviour, better relationships across the whole-school community, and improving attainment and attendance – all of which can also improve your school’s rating by the school inspectorate.
Use these excel sheet proformas for whole school mental health reporting:
Demographics in pupil populations These populations have been identified by the Department for Education in relation to the role of the Mental Health Lead (Learning outcomes for senior mental health leads in schools and colleges, 2021).