For the last few weeks, Fern Hill pupils have been engaged in deep discussion over a range of newsworthy topics. As part of our Personal, Health and Social Education (PHSE) and Citizenship programme, questions posed by the ‘Votes for Schools’ company have inspired and challenged our children to ‘think beyond the obvious’.
The exciting presentations and opportunity to make an active vote ‘for’ or ‘against’ a decision, has encourage the children to justify their opinions and bravely make a stand towards what they believe is right.
Questions raised by ‘Votes for Schools’ have so far included:
- Should you always give someone a second chance?
- Should junk food advertisements be banned?
- Is speaking English enough?
Each week, the ‘Votes for Schools’ company produce powerpoint presentations suitable for all key stages. Where possible, every class within our school will access the presentations, teachers will raise the questions to the pupils and everyone will discuss the arguments for or against the issue. At the end of the presentation, each child is asked to vote ‘yes’ or ‘no’. Votes are collected in and the results are displayed for individual classes in our school corridor. Our Rights Respecting Schools Ambassadors are responsible for updating the voting board so that a total school vote can be counted and entered into the national voting system operated by Votes for Schools. The children are thrilled to be part of this exciting project, particularly for the whole school approach that it offers. You can find out more about Votes for Schools here.
Inspiration 