Student Council

Students at Bishop Douglass can join our Student Council, a valuable community group that allows students to develop their skill set, including their diplomacy, communication and negotiation skills.

The Student Council helps students share ideas, interests and any concerns with staff. Through elected form class representatives, students discuss topics set in advance, and feedback from these discussions is bought to the Student Council meetings, which are chaired by the Head Boy and Girl and their deputies.

Previous meetings have focused on community matters such as rewards, spirituality, numeracy and literacy. Feedback from the meetings is shared in assemblies, on the school noticeboard and with the Senior Leadership team, with key actions from meetings being implemented.

Peer Mentoring

Peer Mentoring makes a valuable contribution to the overall ethos of Bishop Douglass School and pastoral support systems.  Peer support helps to increase personal and social development within individuals; it can also provide additional support, encouragement on aspects of schoolwork, help to build confidence, self-esteem and encourage a more positive participation in school life.

Sixth Form students apply to become Peer Mentors and training takes place at the beginning of the autumn term. Peer mentors provide younger students with an initial, accessible point of contact from which to seek information, support and build life skills in a language and manner that is both familiar and acceptable.

Peer mentors provide one-to-one support to a student. Meetings are held every week during form time when they review the following week’s discussion and targets, and set targets for the following week.

We are delighted to share how our students have benefited from mentoring:

• Help with homework/organising skills/study skills
• Listening and responding to the needs of the students by the students
• Creating a caring atmosphere that impacts positively on relationships
• Reducing bullying - reducing lateness
• Providing positive role models within the student body
• Resolving minor problems through mediation
• Enhancing citizenship by providing support and guidance from older students.