We believe that all students should have the opportunity to participate actively in the school community by taking up roles and responsibilities throughout the academic year in order to contribute to whole school improvement. This is key to a deeper student engagement and enables our students to participate in the sort of leadership opportunities that prepare them for life and work in modern democratic Wales and a global society. A society where we value equal opportunities and one in which a variety of opinions are heard.

Student Leadership Team

i) Form Group and Year Group Representatives

Form groups in years 7-11 vote for two form representatives who all attend year group student voice meetings with Year Leaders. In addition, two or three students from each year group are elected as year group representatives to the Student Council. In year 12 and 13 student leadership representatives are appointed through a process of application and interview; in year 13 this forms the process of Head Boy, Head Girl and Prefect interviews.

ii) School Council

The Head Boy and Head Girl chair the School Council and, together with Year 12 representatives are responsible for producing an agenda and minutes. All year groups have at least two representatives on the council. There is a representative from the Hearing Resource Centre, Learning Support Centre and Young Carers’ Hub on the council. One member of the Senior Leadership Team is present at all meetings. The council meets once every half term. In the first meeting of the new academic year the council plans the fundraising events and charities that will be supported for the year and the areas of school improvement that they want to focus on, as part of their action plan. The Student Council will also plan when and how they will communicate their plans and progress with the rest of the school.

iii) Head Boy and Head Girl

The Head Boy and Head Girl are the highest representatives of the Student Leadership Team (StLT) and report to the Governing Body with the progress of the StLT action plan three times a year.

iv) Faculty Prefects

Year 13 students apply for the role of prefects. Year 13 prefects have a range of responsibilities and also support positive behaviour, uniform and attitude to learning. They are seen as positive role models in their everyday interactions in and around the school community and uphold and promote the vision and values of Ysgol Penglais School. They support the Student Leadership Team (SLT) in achieving the aims of the action plan during their year of office. Some prefects are assigned responsibilities to specific areas of school.

The role of the faculty prefects is an ambassadorial one and may include support at parents’ evenings; open evenings, presenting assemblies and support for extra-curricular activities.

vi) Research Groups

Students have the opportunity to be part of the school research groups that focus on aspects of the School Improvement Plan. They work with the link teacher in the research group to provide feedback and ideas for the research area.

vii) Other Student Leadership Opportunities

Sports Ambassadors
Eco Group
Mental Health Ambassadors
Guides at school open evening
School Choir
Debate Club

Penglais School Student Leadership Structure 2021-22

Student Leadership Team

  • Meet once every half term
  • Chaired by Head Boy and Head Girl
  • Feedback via newsletter and assembly
  • Assistant Headteacher to attend meetings
  • Representatives to be elected through form elections

FOCUS

  • Whole School Issues
  • School Improvement Plan
  • Student voice
  • Fundraising
  • Community links

MEMBERSHIP

  • Head Girl, Head Boy (Chair person)
  • Year 12 year reps (2)
  • Year 11 year reps (2)
  • Year 10 year reps (2)
  • Year 9 year reps (3)
  • Year 8 year reps (3)
  • Year 7 year reps (2)
  • HRC & LSC reps (2)
  • Young Carer rep (1)
  • Hafan/ Y Bont rep (1)
  • Research group reps (when invited)
  • Faculty reps (when invited)

Student Form Representatives

  • Meet with Year Leader once every half term
  • Feedback to year group reps
  • Reps to be elected by form

FOCUS

  • Whole school issues
  • Year group issues
  • Wellbeing
  • Feedback to and from year reps on school leadership team

MEMBERSHIP

  • 2 reps from each form
  • SLT year reps selected from form reps by Year Leader

Year 13 Prefects

  • Meet with Year Leader
  • Meet with specified link teachers/ staff
  • Elected through application and interview

FOCUS

  • School community improvement
  • Support SLT
  • Role models to school community

MEMBERSHIP

  • Prefects appointed to posts available
  • Students make applications and are interviewed

Student Representation in Research Groups

  • Meet with a link teacher from the research groups
  • Feedback to Student Leadership Team (Council)
  • Link teacher from research group to liaise with reps
  • Representatives to volunteer

FOCUS

  • Curriculum and assessment
  • Student leadership and student voice
  • Welsh ethos
  • Enrichment opportunities
  • Community organisations
  • Environment
  • Wellbeing

MEMBERSHIP

  • Representatives from Year 7 -13
  • Students volunteer

Faculty & Department Representatives (Ambassadors)

  • Meet with Faculty leader/ Subject Leader
  • Feedback to Student Leadership Team
  • Representatives to be nominated by teachers

FOCUS

  • Teaching & Learning
  • Assessment
  • Teaching environment
  • Curriculum
  • Enrichment
  • Extra Curricular

Satellite Student Leadership

  • Eco Group
  • Sports Ambassadors
  • Guides for Open Evening
  • Mental Health Ambassadors
  • Debate Club
  • School Choir
  • Garden Caretakers