Pupil Voice at Maryland
Our Head Students
The Head Students are responsible for promoting and representing the school by being role models. They set an example of how to be respectable citizens and good ambassadors for other children. The Head Students had to follow a rigorous selection process. This included completing nomination forms including an initial speech detailing the qualities that they had to fulfill the role. Once shortlisted they then had to deliver their speeches at Maryland’s hustings event and then they were elected through a democratic process in the school. We have tried to replicate the Government election process to ensure that all children are aware of the process that is followed to elect people to roles of responsibility.
Some of the many important duties our Head students undertake are listed below:
- To be internal and external ambassadors for the school.
- To act as positive role models for all students at Maryland.
- To greet and show important visitors around the school.
- To organise and plan regular meetings with the School Council to ensure that
any decisions made are presented to the senior leadership team. - To take part in charity and fundraising events for the school.
- To organise events which promote British and Maryland Values within the school.
- To present to Governors with the latest updates from the School Council.
Our School Council
Our School Council is a group of children who meet twice a month to discuss important aspects of school life. The School Council members are voted in at the start of the year. Each class elects their representatives, one boy and one girl.
Aims
- To improve the school according to the children’s points of view.
- To make sure each class has a platform to voice their opinions.
- To discuss and raise issues.
Our Monitors
In Year 6, we like to encourage our children to take on different areas of responsibility and set a good example to the rest of the school. We also believe this teaches our Year 6 children how to work as part of a team, help others and develop empathy skills whilst working with younger children in the school. Each child is assigned a different role which they take ownership of and fulfil to the best of their ability.
Our monitors play a key role in helping to maintain good order around the school and to help implement and promote the school’s ethos.
Some of the duties and responsibilities include:
- Library Monitors
- Office Monitors
- Dining Hall Monitors
- Assembly Monitors
Our Play Leaders
Our play leaders play an important role in our school. They support their peers in the playground by playing with other children and helping to develop friendship skills. They are trained by our head of PE to lead activities during playtimes which enable all children to use the equipment safely and responsibly.
Our Travel Ambassadors
This group of children work closely with the travel lead on the school’s travel plan. They promote active travel and safety through assemblies and discussions. Children are encouraged to walk, cycle or scooter to school and ensure that they are aware of how to travel safely by using helmets and reflectors, especially during the winter months.
Our Eco Warriors
The eco-warriors are a dedicated and passionate group of pupils who want to ensure that everyone here at Maryland understands why sustainability is so important, and how we can all help look after our environment. We ensure that as much as possible is recycled in our school. We are becoming increasingly paperless and we are a local recycling hub for empty crisp packets and used pens. Every day, members of the team monitor the school environment to ensure lights and screens are not left, wasting electricity. We also spend our break times working in our wonderful nature garden, looking after, and picking, the food that grows there. There is still so much we want to do, and we have lots of new projects that we want to complete this year!
Our aims and projects for this year include:
- Further cutting down on plastic-usage, both within and outside of Maryland
- Litter-picking trips in the local area
- Researching and becoming a recycling hub for more everyday items
- Promoting sustainability issues in assemblies
- Making links with the community and other organisations. For example, our eco-warriors will be meeting with a government minister via Zoom to discuss sustainability issues
