School Council
The School Council is a great opportunity for students to get involved in the running of the school.
Our Head Students are democratically elected by the whole school community in July each year.
Our Head Student Team meet half-termly to discuss their key aims and any issues raised by Year Councils.
Year Councils are made up of representatives from each year group.
Students apply to become their year reps in Sept and are selected by the 6th Form Council.
The Council listens and responds to matters raised by students. They are consulted on key decisions about whole school priorities. They are also involved in the appointment of key staff roles.
You can also get involved in Norwich Youth Advisory Board which gives young people a voice on local services and issues that concern them. For more info about Norwich YAB, see below.
What we've achieved so far this year:
- Additional online revision resources created for Y10-Y13
- Y10 Work experience expanded to 3 days
- St John's Hall open as an additional lunch space
- Talent Show planned and run by Head Student Team
- Caterers to consider more plant-based protein options
- Prefects to monitor Chapel at lunchtimes
What we achieved in 2022-23
- Combining Y-9 and Y10-11 has helped organisation and enabled better conversations
- The Head Student Team helped to lead the Whole School Mass. Very positive feedback from staff, students and Cathedral Team
- Our Head Students spoke at Open Evenings for Y7 and Y12
- We raised over £17,000 for charities chosen by the School Council. HST video helped to encourage donations
- Y11 PSHEE lessons requested on how to revise and look after wellbeing during Mocks have been delivered and are planned to be shown to Y10 before their Summer Mocks
What we achieved in 2021-22
- Raised awareness on issues including COP26, Diversity, Inclusivity
- Put sortable recycling bins in playgrounds
- Established recycled paper for photocopying
- Collected crisp packets to be transformed into blankets for a homeless charity
- Collected items to send out to charities in Ukraine
What we achieved in 2020-21
What we achieved in 2019-20
Who would make a good school councillor?
- A good listener and speaker
- A team player
- Interested to learn more about our school
- Keen to make a contribution to improving our school
- Able to represent the views of others in your year group
- Able and willing to speak to your year group at assembly about the Council?
- Willing to give up some of your own time to this post
- Has lots of good ideas
- Sets a good example to others
Why should you join the School Council?
- It is a great opportunity to have your say and help direct the way the school goes.
- You meet students from other year groups and hear the views of others.
- You get to know the teachers more and can speak directly to members of the Leadership Team, including the Head and the Chair of Governors.
- It is a chance to develop your confidence and public speaking.
- It improves your employability and looks great on a CV.
Norfolk Youth Advisory Board
Do you want to ensure that young people have a voice in local issues and improvements?
Youth Advisory Boards (YAB) are a group of young people working with professionals to improve their area. YABs help choose what projects get funded and design new services.
What are we working on this year?
Tackling discrimination and bullying, improving housing for young people, taking action on climate change, redesigning mental health services, raising awareness on county lines and knife crime.
How to get involved
We have a Notre Dame YAB group that meet in school. Contact Mr Savage for more details, or find Norwich YAB on social media. Details below.
Supporting our Wider Community and Sponsored Walk
'We need to reach out to the world outside our gates'. Mr Pinnington
As part of our school's Mission we reach beyonds the gates of our school to support local, national and international organisations and charities.
One of the most important responsibilities of the School Council is to identify the charities that we raise funds for through the Sponsored Walk.
A key aspect of our Mission is to live in an inclusive society. Each year we invite our community to suggest charities for us to support. We then organise events through the year to raise awareness of the work that each charity does and to raise funds.
Our major event is our Sponsored Walk. The entire school walk from school down to Whitlingham Country Park and back. This is also an opportunity to all come together as one community. To find out which charities we are raising funds for this year visit our Charities and Fundraising page.
To find out more about the wide variety of exciting opportunities that we have for students to have an impact on issues that matter to them, visit our Supporting the Wider Community page.