Thinking Schools Academy Trust pupils join forces to have their say on education future

Young people representing 21 schools within the Thinking Schools Academy Trust came together for its first ever pupil voice event and schools from across Devon, Hampshire, and Kent had young spokespeople sharing ideas and thoughts.

The event came about following the Trust’s mission to transform life chances and provide a child-first approach and there were discussions about bringing its schools together to build a stronger pupil voice.

Kelly Denton, a member of the senior management team at the Thinking Schools Academy Trust, said: ‘It was fantastic to see schools from across all of our hubs which span the south west and south east England, come together to discuss matters that are really important to them.

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‘Our schools have a strong pupil voice and this virtual meeting provided an exciting opportunity to discuss topics beyond the boundaries of Trust. The children understand there is something quite special when they speak up and have their voices heard in a large-scale context, so it was brilliant to see everyone enjoying this.’

The event saw more than 40 pupils, from both primary and secondary schools, represent their peers and help shape the future of their schools and the trust.

Pupils discussed matters including climate change and protecting the planet, improving the food services available at school, the use of thinking tools within lessons, and how pupils can now have a greater voice in deciding what charities their school supports.