School Parliament

At Nancledra School, pupil voice is taken seriously — and our School Parliament is a powerful example of democracy in action.

Each September, Year 6 pupils have the opportunity to stand for election to Parliament. Candidates prepare and deliver hustings speeches, presenting their ideas and priorities to the whole school during a special assembly. Following this, a secret ballot takes place, ensuring a fair and democratic vote by the children.

Once elected, the School Parliament forms a government structure, including a Prime Minister and Leader of the Opposition, along with ministers who represent the views of the school community.

How Parliament Works

Every term, the School Parliament meets with the Headteacher to hear motions brought forward by each class. These motions reflect real issues, ideas and improvements suggested by pupils across the school.

Through careful discussion and debate, Parliament narrows these proposals down to two key motions. These are then brought to a whole‑school Parliament Assembly, where:

Each motion is formally presented
The Prime Minister and Leader of the Opposition lead a strong and respectful debate
The entire school takes part in a vote on each motion

This process helps pupils develop:

confidence in public speaking
respectful debate and listening skills
a clear understanding of democracy and decision‑making
a sense that their voice can make a real difference

Democracy That Delivers!

Our Parliament doesn’t just debate — it makes things happen.

Following the Autumn Parliament Assembly, one successful motion led to a much‑loved outcome:
The arrival of Toffee, Biscoff and Fudge, our school guinea pigs, who now play an important role in school life and pupil wellbeing.

Why School Parliament Matters

Nancledra School Parliament empowers pupils to:

represent others
think critically
debate fairly
understand responsibility
and see how ideas can turn into real change

It builds confident citizens who know that their voice matters.

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Parliament in action!

Session 1 saw our first motion: “We should get a school guinea pig.” After a passionate debate—with strong arguments on both sides—the vote was incredibly close. The final count tipped in favour of the proposal, and the motion was carried!

Session 2: Pupils brought forward creative fundraising ideas for our Toilet Twinning charity event, including a school water fight and a “mummy competition” involving wrapping classmates in toilet roll. Debate was spirited, with plenty of thoughtful opposition, and in the end both motions were defeated. Following the vote, the Eco Council stepped in and will now lead the charity event planning.

Our pupil voice continues to grow in confidence, ambition and responsibility—democracy in action at Nancledra!

Final session of the year: Year 5/6 put forward the idea of introducing both a healthy tuck shop at break times and a sweet tuck shop after school. After thoughtful discussion, the motion was not carried. The Leader of the Opposition presented a strong argument, highlighting practical considerations such as cost, storage and value for money, ultimately persuading members that children bringing their own snacks would be a more sensible approach.

The second proposal, brought by Year 1, was to hold a whole-school water fight. This motion was passed, with our Prime Minister explaining that it would be a wonderful way to come together at the end of a busy year – celebrating all we have achieved as a school community.

A fantastic example of pupil voice, teamwork and democratic decision-making in action.