PADL (Promoting Active Democracy Loudly)
School Council Awards
Cornwall Healthy Schools and the Primary PADL Awards
What is PADL?
PADL is a set of standards for primary and secondary school councils which guide and measure effective student voice, representation and leadership within schools. In order to gain a PADL award, trained young assessors interview staff and school council members using formulated questions appropriate to the level of award the school are applying for.
School councils/pupil parliaments can gain a PADL award for their work at Bronze, Silver, Gold or Platinum level.
Cornwall Healthy Schools and the Primary PADL Awards
The Cornwall Healthy Schools Team are delighted to have taken on the management of the Primary PADL awards...
We will be working in partnership with the Children, Schools and Families Team / Children's Trust at Cornwall Council to support schools' involvement in the awards and celebrate the wonderful work of Schools Councils in Cornwall.
We would welcome your thoughts and ideas about the awards and their future.
You can use this section of our website to get up to date information on:
- our 5 minute setting up and running a School Council (pdf document)
- More about the awards and the criteria at each level
- links to useful information and ideas to help your School Council grow and develop
- ideas and resources for work on active participation / UN Convention on the Rights of the Child
- on-line self-assessment recording tool
- school council forum
PADL awards news and updates
We will be holding more awards and assessment days in 2013 around the county. So far we have been on a trip to Berrycoombe School in Bodmin on Thursday 7 March 2013 and we are planning another for the west of the county in May. More news to follow on this. If you would like to attend in May let us know:
Who you are
Which school you are from
Which level award you would like to aim for
How many children you would like to bring (maximum 4)
Some feedback we received from the day in Bodmin:
"It was interesting hearing how different schools run their councils. The children are now keen to 'jobshare' and have assistant Chair and secretary"
"The children really enjoyed the day, especially having visitors from other schools. It has given the school councillors a real boost and they are very keen to begin new projects."
School Council Workshop
We're really thrilled to announce that we hosted a School Council Masterclass session run by Involver the award winning school council and student voice social enterprise.
This day was for Primary Schools only as we run the Primary Active Democracy Loudly awards for primary schools. Secondary Schools who are interested in school council awards can contact Mary Ann Bloomfield at Cornwall Council for more information.
The day included ideas and resources to:
- Make school council meetings more action-focused.
- Run great school council elections
- Support your school council, and not lead it
- Help school councillors to represent their class, and take on certain roles
- Share ideas and good practice.
- Understand the latest research into student voice, from our recent project with the Children’s Commissioner
- Create a clear action plan for you when you get back to school.
11 pupils from Torpoint Nursery and Infant School school council came along to tell the workshop delegates about the wonderful work that their school council does. They did a fantastic presentation and answered questions and generally had us all in the palms of their hands! They behaved so beautifully too! We just had to upload some photos for you to see.
We had some great feedback from teachers and Teaching Assistants who attended the training:
"Lots of great ideas - thank you!"
"Great practical ideas to take back to school"