Pupil Voice

At Herons Dale, we believe that our pupils are at the heart of everything we do. We are committed to ensuring that every pupil has the opportunity to share their thoughts, preferences, opinions and experiences, and to play an active role in decisions that affect their learning, wellbeing and school life.

Through our new Pupil Voice Framework, pupils take part in weekly class-based pupil voice activities linked to half-termly themes and wider school priorities. These themes may focus on areas such as wellbeing, communication, learning, relationships and the school environment.

We recognise that pupils communicate in many different ways. While some pupils may share their views through discussions, interviews, questionnaires, surveys and voting activities, others may communicate through symbols, AAC, switches, objects of reference, supported choice-making, sensory exploration, Intensive Interaction and observations of engagement and preference. This ensures that all pupils, including those with the most complex communication needs, have meaningful opportunities to be heard.

Alongside class-based activities, we have introduced our Pupil Voice Forum, which has replaced our previous School Council. Pupils from different cohorts meet fortnightly to discuss ideas gathered from across the school, explore issues, identify priorities and share suggestions with the Senior Leadership Team. This helps pupils develop confidence, communication, teamwork and decision-making skills while contributing to school improvement.

A key part of our approach is ensuring that pupils can see the impact of their contributions through our “You Said, We Did” process. By listening to pupils and acting upon their feedback, we ensure their voices help shape the continued development of Herons Dale.

At Herons Dale, pupil voice is not limited to planned activities and meetings. We strive to create a culture where pupils feel confident sharing their views every day with staff and school leaders. Our Headteacher, Isabel, values hearing directly from pupils and encourages them to share their ideas, celebrate successes and talk about the things that matter most to them. By ensuring pupil voice is embedded in everyday school life, we enable all pupils to play an active role in shaping our school community.