Democracy comes to school
There was a queue outside the dance studio at the Royal Alexandra and Albert School on Friday morning. The queue comprised enthusiastic pupils who wanted to cast their vote in the elections for the School Council. All pupils were invited to stand in the elections and each candidate had given a short speech to their class mates. Between two and seven pupils in each tutor group put themselves forward for election and their names were put on the ballot paper for their class.
Before the elections, Head of Social Science, Tamasine Bellaby contacted Reigate and Banstead Borough Council and asked if the School could borrow some polling booths for the election. They agreed, and the polling booths we set up in the dance studio ready for pupils to cast their votes in the same way as adults do in national and local elections.
Sixth formers manned the desks where they handed out ballot papers to pupils. There was a very good turnout for the elections with 68% of pupils voting – a figure that is higher than the turnout in a General Election.
Once elected, the pupils on the School Council will represent the views of their tutor group on issues that are specific to their Year Group and also issues that relate to the whole school.
