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Voters
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Students have ample opportunity and numerous forums to provide feedback to staff in both the classroom and the wider unit.

As a group or as individuals they can participate in:

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  • Young People's Council - Fortnightly: Chaired by the Lead Nurse and Ward Manager, Young People set their own agenda for items to discuss and actions to be taken forward to the Management Group.

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  • Management Meeting - Monthly: A formal space where pupils are invited to address their concerns and feedback to the Simmons House Management group

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  • Food Steering Group - Termly: A meeting with a teacher, nursing staff, dietician and where possible the chef onsite, to review the current menu and role of food on the unit.

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  • Community Meeting - Daily: A therapeutic space to discuss the functioning of the community facilitated by NHS staff to reflect on the past 24 hours and plan for the next 24 hours.

Voters
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VotesforSchools in an online voting platform which each week selects a topical issue inspired by the weekly news agenda and provides the evidence to encourage an informed debate. The young people then get the chance to submit their votes on the topic and see how their opinions compare to others nationally.

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VotesforSchools encourages respect for other people’s views, the ability to listen to them and to voice opinions without causing offence. 

 

Previous topics include:

  • Can one event define a decade?

  • Is being a bystander bullying?

  • Are world leaders listening to us?

  • Should teenagers be allowed to go on holiday alone?

  • Could we live without single use plastics?

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Should the teaching of political literacy be compulsory in schools?

Is banter an excuse for bullying?

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RECENT VOTES

Rights Respecting Schools Programme 

UNICEF’s Rights Respecting Schools (RRS) initiative puts the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child at the heart of the school’s culture and ethos with the hope of improving well-being and developing every student’s talents and abilities to their fullest potential.I n the classroom at Simmons House we aim to promote a Rights Respecting ethos and endeavour to embody the principles of the convention in all our interactions with each other. 

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We try to encourage students feel able to exert their rights to e.g. education, ideas, self-expression and create opportunities for students to practise sharing their unique points of view and accepting alternative opinions in the frequent Votes for Schools discussions.  Tolerance and understanding of diversity is taught through a range of special days and celebrations marked throughout the year. Young People participate in democracy e.g. by attending and speaking at management meetings, taking part in mock elections, and voting on some classroom decisions.  They also exercise their autonomy by making choices about the elements of curriculum they wish to engage with each day.  When appropriate, students look outward and contribute to the community e.g. by taking environmental action, attending a march, organising a charity sale or volunteering in a local charity shop. 

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https://www.unicef.org.uk/rights-respecting-schools

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Parallel Lines

listen to our medical students talk about their heritage

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