At Heston, we have a very active student council that meets regularly and is part of shaping the school community that we want not just for ourselves but also for Heston in the future. Being a part of the Student Council has bridged the gap between students and members of staff, creating a more involved school environment where students feel that their voice is being listened to and actioned. When representing our peers, a sense of collaboration is felt as we translate the perspectives of our peers and the Full Student Council into meaningful conversations with Mr O'Hagan. This discussion allows us to share concerns and ideas; he advises what actions the school can take and gives us reasonable explanations for why certain requests may not be actioned at this time. This transparency builds trust and empowers student leaders to take an active role in shaping our school experience. 

In our meetings, Mr O'Hagan actively asked for our opinions on important topics such as uniform and equipment – two things that directly impact our daily experience as students. By involving us in such discussions, it showed that student input plays a role in shaping our school’s policies. This process of consultation on such matters reinforces the idea that the student voice is an acknowledged and important part of our school. Furthermore, it allows staff to gain insightful feedback on the decisions taken such as changes to the Behaviour Policy. The Student Council were listened to and were an important part of shaping some of the changes made to this policy and we are very proud of our role in this really significant change to our school culture.

While being a part of the Student Council, we have achieved several meaningful outcomes. One of our proudest accomplishments was running a successful cleaner school campaign where a poster competition was held amongst the school where three winners were chosen: Ayla Besic [7B], Zara Sultana [8P] and Amanjot Chana [7P]. Their posters will be put up around the school highlighting the shared responsibility of ensuring a cleaner school - serving as a constant reminder to take pride in our environment. In addition, due to the Student Council raising the issue of better distribution of seating across both fields, the School quickly remedied this by adding more benches and removing the container that was on the field to make more space for seats. These achievements emphasise the positive impact the Student Council makes on school life and our community.

Neda Noorzai [Head Girl] [12D]