SC Newsletter - Drighlington Primary School

SCHOOL COUNCIL’S
WINTER NEWSLETTER
We are all excited for Christmas, Christmas is coming and
school is finally finishing but before all that we have some
news.
We are welcoming four new members to the council, Stan Midgley, Mariam Al-
Janabi, Leanne Avery (Y7) & Jemma Bowers (Y12) - Jemma & Leanne have also joined
the Horsforth Cluster Council. We also have a new link teacher, Mrs. Nowell, who will
take on the role from Mrs Rowett. Mrs. Nowell has the role of linking us to the Senior
Leadership Team.
The School Council have decided on two charities to support
this year, Martin House and Epilepsy Action. Our firstfundraising
event is selling
bags of sweets outside the
LRC for 50p over the next few Mondays, so remember your
money!
As we start a new year, we are introducing some new responsibilities. We have introduced a
secretary, Fliss Chaplin (Y10), a treasurer, Ian Holmes (Y11), Assistant Chairs, Tom Adams
(Y10) & Miles Tidman (Y11), a press officer, Stan Midgley (Y7) who will work closely with the
press team, Leah Wilkinson (Y13), Lillian Hewitt (Y8), Emily Charlesworth (Y8) & Mariam Al-
Janabi (Y7). They will work with the chair, Kieran Bradford (Y13) and vice chair, Matthew
Freeman (Y12) to form the ‘Exec Team’.
Recently Stan Midgley, one of our team, went to Horsforth Hall Park to help plant bulbs with
Cllr. Townsley & Cllr. Cleasby and other students from local primary schools. They then had
their photograph (right) taken for the paper, Wharfe Valley Times.

On the School Council this year, we have the privilege of working with Dr Bothamley, our new
head teacher. This is a massive privilege as it allows us to direct the student views and ideas
straight to the head teacher and the leadership team. We are able to discuss our ideas with
them and they are able to feed back to Kieran about what happened and what we think about
the outcomes/ solutions. Now that this vital link is in place, it allows us to make better
connections with the teachers and governors who make the important decisions within the
school.
As well as this link being made with Dr Bothamley, we have successfully made another link
with the school governors. It has been decided that 3 members of the school council will sit
on the four governors meetings which are held across the year- the next being in March. This
is fantastic news as it creates more links and opportunities to pass on direct problems and
receive any feedback first hand, and trying to avoid a massive Chinese whisper!
This is a massive step in linking the school pupils and the teachers together and creating a
better link to solving problems.
During this year, we have had many issues and we aim to solve many of the issues brought
up by pupils, here are a few questions that have brought to School Council’s attention;
Q) Cleaning Checks in the toilets – particularly the girls’ bathroom opposite the Music
classrooms and the boy’s bathroom situated by the courtyard.
A) After speaking to Mr Burrow we discovered that they will be refurbished over the
Christmas holidays but it is up to the students to use them properly
Q) Form Reps not being able to talk to their form about issues and problems
A) There have been ideas about a specific day being set for form reps to talk to forms
Q) Would it be possible to have more non-uniform days in aid of charities?
A) This is something that was discussed with Dr Bothamley. He said that these days had
been cancelled because the staff involved either had left the school, or had lost interest.
However, he said that he would consider having one day a year for a non-uniform day to
coincide with a national event, such as Children in Need, he will discuss this at the next
Leadership team meeting..
Q) There have been some complaints from students regarding the back ginnel and that it
sometimes floods and that this is a danger when icy
A) Leeds City Council currently own it and it’s their responsibility but Mr Burrow is looking
into adopting the land so that it could be sorted out
Some issues brought up are simply impossible to solve but as a council, we will try our best
to improve the school as much as we can and solve as many issues as possible.
By the Horsforth School Council Press Team,
Stan Midgley, Leah Wilkinson, Lillian Hewitt, Emily Charlesworth & Mariam Al-Janabi