Shoulders sag and there’s an audible sigh when matters of ‘Health & Safety’ crop up.  Or at least this is the case with adults who are the ones that decide what is healthy and what is safe in our schools.  But where is the voice of the children?  Adult decisions affect their day-to-day school lives so why not empower those at the rockface to blaze a trail for Health & Safety in their school?    

The Student Council H&S Representatives initiative has been masterminded by the Trust’s Health & Safety Manager Julie Brooks and on Thursday 25th June, the inaugural training day was held at St Stephens Churchtown Academy, St Austell, with 21 Student Reps attending from Cusgarne Primary School, Mount Hawke Academy, Shortlanesend School, Sandy Hill Academy, St Breock Primary School, St Minver School and St Stephens.   

Unable to attend on the day, due to school commitments was Truro Learning Academy.   Delabole, Tintagel and Warbstow will be having training in their hub area. 

Initial engagement with Student Councils in this innovative and ground-breaking programme are Biscovey Academy, Biscovey Nursery & Infants Academy, Padstow School, Treverbyn Academy. 

A full, fun and interactive day of health & safety training was led by Julie and our delivery partner Hygiene2Health and included learning about legislation, spotting hazards and testing their knowledge with quizzes.   Student feedback was overwhelmingly positive, and their wonderful comments and artwork will form Aspire Health & Safety posters being circulated across the Trust in the autumn term. 

A huge thank you to all our Aspire academies who have shown such interest and commitment to the H&S Student Rep initiative.  The student representative not only represents their school but plays an integral role in the working of the Trust, reporting directly, via their Head of School, to Julie Brooks and the Health & Safety Team in the Core Services Team.