Our Student Council
The Coláiste Phádraig Student Council gives our students a voice and the opportunity to work in partnership with management and staff to improve our school. Our Student Council is made up of 12 students, who have been elected class president by their fellow students and nominated by their Year Heads.
The Student Council is afforded freedom of expression and appropriate participation in policy-making under both the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and Ireland’s National Children’s Strategy.
Student councils are provided for in the Education Act, 1998 as a means of students being involved in the affairs of the school.
The aims of the Coláiste Phádraig Student Council are:
- To create a positive school atmosphere
- To create a caring school environment, which is supportive and inclusive
- To act as a vehicle for student participation
- To have a beneficial impact on issues such as discipline, bullying and staff-student relations
- To develop communication and leadership skills, responsibility and accountability
- To be a valued resource to management, teachers and other students
A student council is a representative structure for students only, through which they can become involved in the affairs of the school, working in partnership with school management, staff and parents for the benefit of the school and its students
(Working Group on Student Councils in Second-Level Schools Definition)
Coláiste Phádraig has a Student Council Constitution which is required under the Education Act, 1998. It consists of democratically elected students; one class President per class group, with two of those students nominated by their year heads on to the Student Council.
Student Council representatives have a responsibility to be the voice of their class group in relation to student issues within our school. Regular meetings are held and the council will be involved in the introduction of new school policies, contributing to newsletters, etc. Within the Council there are different roles; president, secretary, treasurer, and a PR team.