Democracy is in action at Michael Primary, where the 10-strong school council has its own, dedicated notice board on which it displays minutes of its meetings and details of its decision-making.
 
The council – which was recently expanded to include the very youngest pupils – has been instrumental in gaining the school the prestigious Investing in Children award.
 
Michael, which has 114 pupils on its roll, is the sixth school to secure the benchmark since local evaluators Nigel Bennett (St John’s Primary) and Annette Baker (Ballakermeen High) were appointed last spring. Previously, only their schools held it.
 
Schools seeking the award must prove they not only listen to, but act on, pupils’ initiatives.
 
Pupils came up with the idea for a ‘primary pounds’ scheme, where credits for good behaviour go into their very own bank and are used to pay for treats.
 
Pupils have also led the way in the transformation of their library, where the books were ‘falling to bits’. They are turning a spare classroom into a games room, named The Wonder Room, where they can spend breaks and lunchtimes. And they have chosen new equipment for the playground.
 
Changes are afoot in the dining room, where new seating arrangements will mean less noise. Children have even been on a fact-finding visit to another primary school to see what worked there at lunchtimes.
 
Michael’s pupils have input into their learning and choose the content of, and in several cases even run, their own clubs.
 
They moved forward the cycling proficiency test from the end to the beginning of Year 6 so they could then use their new-found skills on two wheels to bike to school.
 
The school council has a suggestion box and members gather ideas from classmates at break times and even ‘by appointment’.
 
When Mr Bennett visited the school to see if it qualified for Investing in Children status, one pupil told him: ‘Our school has changed so much and it’s much better now.’ Another said: ‘I actually like school.’
 
Michael joins Dhoon, Arbory, Fairfield, Ballacottier and Phurt le Moirrey primaries in being awarded Investing in Children status in the last year.
 
In one of his last formal tasks in a school before his retirement, Stuart Dobson, Chief Executive Officer, presented Michael pupils with their award at an assembly today.
 
Tony Robinson, Michael’s headteacher, said: ‘We are very proud of the children at Michael School, who now play a major role in moving the school forward. The school council has done an excellent job in getting things done. Our challenge is to continue to encourage innovation and see projects through with the help of all of the children. The children are particularly pleased with the primary pounds initiative, which they feel rewards children who make good choices in their behaviour. I agree with the quote from one of the children, in the report, who said ‘We love the changes we have made to the school and it's all fun”.’
 
For more information about Investing in Children, contact Mr Bennett at headteacher@stjohns.sch.im (tel: 801282) or Mrs Baker at A.Baker@bhs.sch.im (tel: 648700).