Pupils have voices heard at two-day School Council Forum sessions

Held over two days on June 30th and July 1st, pupils from 24 schools from around the county attended events, workshops, and Denbighshire County Council’s Chamber for this year’s School Council Forums, presenting the work that their individual School Councils have been undertaking throughout the school year.

Over 60 pupils attended the Primary School Council Forum, which was held at Denbigh High School this year. School Council representatives from Ysgol Esgob Morgan, Ysgol Emmanuel, Ysgol Pant Pastynog and Ysgol Penmorfa presented their work to the other school councils in attendance as well as the Children’s Commissioner for Wales, Rocio Cifuentes.

Primary School Council Forum

The Secondary School Council Forum was held at County Hall in Ruthin, with a chance for pupils from Ysgol Glan Clwyd, Christ The Word, St Brigids, Ysgol Brynhyfryd, Prestatyn High School, Rhyl High School, Ysgol Dinas Bran and Denbigh High School to visit the County Council Chamber and meet and ask questions to Councillor Bobby Feeley, County Council Chair, Councillor Diane King, Lead Member for Children, Communities and Families, and Rocio Cifuentes, Children’s Commissioner for Wales.

The pupils shared the important work they have been doing over the school year, and got to learn about the democratic process at the Council, the chamber microphone system, as well as the electronic voting system.

Secondary School Council Forum

Councillor Diane King, Lead Member for Education, Children and Families said:

“It is vitally important that young people engage with and understand local democracy and how it functions.

The last two days have been so rewarding, to be able to listen to the ideas and voices of pupils from around the county has been so refreshing.

I’d like to thank all of the pupils who attended and helped make this event successful once again this year.”

Rocio Cifuentes, Children’s Commissioner for Wales said:

“It’s been great to see pupils from so many schools come together to share the work they’ve been doing and learn more about how decisions are made locally.

Opportunities like this help connect what happens in schools with the wider community, and give young people the confidence to speak up and take part.

These forums show just how important it is to create space for young people to be listened to and taken seriously.”