The Ministers in the Department of Rights and Justice, both young leaders (KS2) and mini leaders (KS1), have an important role to play at All Saints’.
Firstly, they are expected to act as good role models for their peers by having, and sharing with others, a good understanding that all children have a right to learn, a right to be respected and a right to be safe. They will also model and share with others a clear understanding that the staff at All Saints’ have the best interests of all the pupils at the forefront of all decisions made and all that they do.
They will meet half termly. The focus of these meetings will be linked to the leadership skill that is the whole school focus that half term, as well as discussing other topics which have arisen through class parliament discussions relating to children’s rights and justice. One of the young leaders will hold the responsibility for taking minutes and creating a report about what the Department of Rights and Justice is working on at the time. It will then be the responsibility of the ministers to share this information during whole school assemblies.
The link teacher for the Department of Rights and Justice is Miss McLaughlin.
Summer update
In meetings, it was suggested that the children would like to be able to share with their families the recognition from teachers of their positive attitudes towards learning. Children now have the opportunity to receive mini certificates in all curriculum areas. They also can receive a daily certificate to take home to show their families that they have let their light shine. At the end of each term, the children have been able to take part in a reward afternoon.
Meeting date - 30.1.2024
The children wished to use this meeting to discuss matters that they felt were 'unfair' in school.
*The Ministers mentioned that some children in their classes had asked them to raise the fact that some teachers allow a range of snacks at breaktime, whilst other teachers only allow fruit.
You said, We did - Mrs Huddy (link teacher for the Health and Wellbeing Department said that she would discuss this at a leadership meeting and share the conclusions with the teachers.
*The Minsters had also been asked to raise the issue of Shine Card signatures - children stated that some teachers are not signing regularly or are forgetting to add signatures to the cards.
You said, We did - as a group of Ministers, it was voted upon that children should take more responsibility when it comes to collecting their shine card signatures. The Ministers designed the plan that children should remain in class for a moment at break/lunchtime to allow the teacher to sign their card then, rather than during lesson time interrupting the flow of the lessons. It was also agreed that Mrs Hargreaves would share this plan with teachers as well as sharing their concerns about signatures not being offered regularly.
*Ministers also shared that some pupils were feeling there was a level of unfairness when it came to teachers selecting helpers to carry out 'jobs' in the classroom.
You said, We did - Mrs Hargreaves shared the children's feelings with staff.