Cultural Capital is something that we all possess but in different amounts. It is a combination of a pupil's knowledge, skills, and behaviour which enables them to be successful in the world of work, their career, and in society. It is the golden thread that ties all aspects of a pupil's school life together, making our children well-rounded people when they leave us.
At Chantlers, we strive to ensure that we add value to our pupils' Cultural Capital both inside and outside of the classroom. Though important, our pupils realise that being successful is not just about their exam performance, therefore we have a range of opportunities for our children to undertake throughout their time at school. In addition to pupils' exam performance, we actively recognise and celebrate qualities we see in our pupils which are sought after by employers and will help foster success when they start secondary school.
The Pupil Leadership Team is a vital part of school life at Chantlers Primary School. It is an important and useful way for our school to provide leadership and development opportunities for our pupils and it is a wonderful way for students to take on leadership roles, promote the voice of the student council, problem-solve, and have an impact on the wider school community. Being a part of the Pupil Leadership Team enables pupils to develop a personal moral code and explore values and beliefs while encouraging the development of a climate that supports the proper exercise of responsibility. It offers pupils an opportunity to be involved in decisions about features of their life at school and allows them to have some control over the use of their time. Working as part of a team provides pupils with improved communication skills and improved self-confidence. It helps pupils to form better relationships with peers. It increases self-awareness and helps improve confidence when making decisions. Working with a group of pupils who they would not ordinarily work with also helps to promote equality, diversity, and inclusion within the school.
It is a DfE requirement that schools promote British Values within their everyday practice. Having a Pupil Leadership Team promotes Democracy, the Rule of Law, Individual Liberty, and Mutual Respect and Tolerance of Different Faiths and Beliefs. As detailed above, the Pupil Leadership Team promotes the development of skills in a variety of ways: Leadership, Teamwork, Community Connectedness, Problem Solving, Listening, Speaking, Positivity, Creativity, Emotional Intelligence, and Aiming High.
This year’s Pupil Leadership Team was elected at the end of Summer 2023, following a rigorous application process. Pupils completed an application form for their roles by answering questions about their skill sets and why they would be good at the role. Applicants were then invited to a whole school assembly where they were required to talk in more detail, in person, about their skills, what makes them a good candidate, and what they would do if they were successfully appointed. Following the assembly, the whole school took part in a democratic vote, in the style of a general election with a polling station set up in school. Votes were counted and the four candidates with the most votes were appointed as Head Boy, Head Girl, and their deputies. The remaining candidates were appointed roles within the leadership team structure. Successful students and their roles were celebrated again in a whole school assembly, and their photographs were added to the pupil leadership display.
Pupil leadership opportunities at Chantlers:
· Head Boy/Girl /Deputy Head Boy/Girl
· Senior Prefects
· House Captains
· Sports Captains
· School Council Members
· Subject Ambassadors
· Librarians
· Lunchtime Supervisors
· Assembly Monitors
· Reading Buddies
Development Objective: Create an Eco-Committee
The Eco-Committee will promote the importance of the school becoming more environmentally sustainable.