Student Voice on Co-curricular Life

With an enormous co-curricular offering each term including more than 220 exciting options to choose from with everything from gardening to molecular gastronomy and swimming to ceramics, the Alleyn’s Co-Curricular Council is a group of pupils who come together to provide a pupil voice to help shape what is on offer outside of the classroom at Alleyn’s.   

Year 13 Co-curricular Council prefects Ellen, Sally, Oscar and Tim share why they think the council is so important and why they wanted to be involved. 

Talking through the council's role and her interest in being involved, Sally said: 

“The Co-curricular Council meets five times a year and anyone, from any year, can come and give their opinions on anything to do with Sport, Music, Dance, Drama or educational visits and trips.  

Mr Green encourages us to discuss ways to improve or support the co-curricular life of Alleyn’s, making sure everyone has access to equal opportunities. As a Senior Prefect who has played sport all throughout Alleyn’s, from Year 3 to Year 13, I see the Co-curricular Council as an opportunity to voice my experience and listen to the opinions of younger pupils, as well as reflecting on my experiences and offering advice.” 

Reflecting on why the council is so important, Oscar said: 

“With over 220 clubs and societies at Alleyn’s it is crucial to have a council to manage the vast expanse of activities that students can partake in.  

Meeting once a half-term, the co-curricular council is a great way that pupils can be a part of changing their clubs for the better; also providing a brilliant opportunity for students’ creative minds to flourish with the ability to set up their own societies. This allows students to not only pursue their passions outside of lesson times, but also provides a foundation in which leadership qualities can begin to grow if they decide to start their own club, adding to the ever-expanding co-curricular life at Alleyn’s.” 

Tim added: 

“Student voice at Alleyn’s has always had a huge influence, and this is definitely reflected in the Co-Curricular Council. Student voice in a school is crucial as it ensures that decisions made by the school are supported by the students and helps to highlight any issues students may be facing to members of staff. 

“Recently the colours system, which is the rewards system for those who partake in co-curricular activities, was revolutionised due to feedback obtained from students through the council. This has led to colours focusing more on someone’s involvement in co-curricular activities as a whole, and not just their involvement in an individual sport.” 

On what she loves about being involved, Ellen said: 

“What I love about being part of Co-Curricular Council is that it gives me the ability to make positive changes in the school community in areas that are really important to me. The co-curricular provision at Alleyn’s is what drew me to the school when I joined for sixth form, and it has been one of the most enjoyable and memorable parts of my time here. I hope that, through the council this year, we will be able to get more people across the School involved in friendly competition in all co-curricular areas through the House system, and hopefully in the Lower School too.” 

To find out more about the Co-curricular offering at Alleyn’s, visit the Co-curricular pages of our website.