School Council and the Proactive School Community Projects
The School Council is a body of students, with one male and one female representative from each year group, which meets twice on a half termly basis. The committee provides a meaningful way for students to voice their opinions, representing the views of all the pupils at CCS. Not only are these views taken into account in decisions which impact upon them, but the School Council also provides the students with an opportunity to generate new ideas to assist with the continuous improvement of the school. One major improvement has been how pupil voice has helped to produce the Proactive School Community Projects. The Head Boy and Head Girl then takes forward these initiatives and proposals to the school governing body meetings to allow strategic planning and action.
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You Said, We Did- What we have achieved.
Estyn report 2019- School Council and the Proactive School Community project
https://www.estyn.gov.wales/sites/www.estyn.gov.wales/files/documents/Cowbridge%20Comprehensive%20School_0.pdf https://www.estyn.gov.wales/effective-practice/improving-quality-teaching-through-professional-learning
How to apply to run an event at CCS through the School Council
1. Contact Mrs Taylor-John (Come along to E2D or email ctaylor-john@cowbridgecs.co.uk) about speaking at a School Council meeting about your proposed event or project. You will be emailed the date of the next School Council meeting.
2. The School Council will then need to approve the event or project before the event goes ahead. This may be done verbally in the School Council meeting or through an email from Mrs Taylor-John.
3. If approved, book a planning meeting for your event or project with Mrs Taylor-John.
4. Begin setting in place the plans drawn up from the meeting above. This may include meeting with other members of staff or students.
5. Book a final meeting with Mrs Taylor-John just before your event or when the project starts. This is to check all points on the plan are met, so your event is successful.
Agenda / Minutes
Agenda 09-07-24
Minutes 09-07-24
Agenda 30-04-24
Minutes 30-04-24
Agenda 14-03-24
Minutes 14-03-24
Agenda 01-02-24
Mintes 01-02-24
Minutes 21-11-23
Agenda 21-11-23
Minutes 10-10-23
Agenda 10-10-23
Minutes 06-07-23
Agenda 06-07-23
Minutes 20-04-23
Agenda 20-04-23
Minutes 9-3-23
Agenda 9-3-23
Minutes 18-1-23
Agenda 18-1-23
Minutes 24-11-22
Agenda 24-11-22
Minutes 17-10-22
Agenda 17-10-22
Minutes 29-6-22
Agenda 29-6-22
Minutes 28-4-22
Agenda 28-4-22
Minutes 9-3-22
Agenda 9-3-22
Minutes 13-1-22
Agenda 13-1-22
Agenda 24-11-21
Minutes 24-11-21
Agenda 14-10-21
Minutes 14-10-21
Minutes 25-5-21
Minutes 12-5-21
Minutes 27-4-21
Minutes 14-4-21
Minutes 11-3-21
Minutes 2-3-21
Minutes January - March 2021
Proactive School Community Projects
The Proactive School Community Projects - Pupil Voice in action.
Click here for the Proactive School Community Calendar 2021 / 22
Anti- Bullying Campaign
Anti-bullying Awareness Article
Autism Awareness Day
Autism Awareness Day takes place in April at CCS. We as the Autism Awareness Committee in our school felt we had a vocation to raise awareness of this life changing disorder that 1 in 59 children are diagnosed with, and many more that are not. Many members have a close shared friend that was diagnosed with autism, and so have experienced second-hand how tough life can be living with this disorder.
We promoted Autism Awareness Week within our school by creating and displaying a variety of posters around the school in order to provide information and display our bake sale which raised money for Ysgol Y Deri; our sister comprehensive school that specialises in children with learning disorders. In addition to this we presented an assembly to a younger year group in order to raise awareness on certain issues, such as: why we should not discriminate and how everyone diagnosed is different. Furthermore, we offered advice on how to help people with autism, and created a large display within the foyer area of A block for students to gain additional information.
CCS Mentoring Schemes
Buddy, Peer Mentoring and the 'Bullies Out' Schemes
The Buddy Scheme works with years 7-8. Year 12 and 13 students have designated forms that they will help once a week. They help Form Tutors with assemblies, seasonal activities and some Buddies will work specifically with individual children, such as help with reading. This helps to create relationships between older and younger students, and supports KS3 students and Form Tutors during form time.
The Peer Mentor Scheme consists of Year 12 and 13 students who have all undertaken Peer Mentoring training with Kantz Misra from the Elevate Community. The Peer Mentors support the younger students throughout the year.
Elevate Awards Ceremony and Peer Mentoring Testimonials
https://elevate.community/
‘Bullies Out’ has helped CCS to train up the Anti Bullying Mentors. The training explained the different types of bullying and how to identify them and what to do in certain situations. The CCS Anti Bullying Campaign is continual through an academic year. However, there is a focus on Anti Bullying in November of each year, as it is Anti Bullying Week. There will be PSE lessons and assemblies in KS3 for this event.
https://bulliesout.com/
Cancer Charities and World Cancer Day
As part of our support for cancer charities, Cowbridge Comprehensive School will be holding a World Cancer Day in February every year. Through a cake sale on this date, we will be raising money for various cancer charities. The charities we will be supporting are Macmillan, Marie Curie, Latch (in memory of Jack Griffiths), Myeloma UK, The Little Princess Trust and Cancer Research UK.
During this week and throughout February and March, we will also be selling Marie Curie daffodils. The Cancer Charities committee will also be showing presentations in assemblies about World Cancer Day and how pupils can show their support.
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Dementia Friendly Cowbridge
The aim of the DFC School Committee is to form links with the local town committee, to make Cowbridge a place that is considerate of those living with Dementia and their carers. The committee strives to educate pupils attending CCS regarding Dementia. We hope to ensure that the younger generation have a positive impact on supporting those in our community living with Dementia inside and also outside of school.
We meet monthly as a school committee to check we are developing on our current projects and we are always creating new ideas on how to positively help the community when facing Dementia. We strengthen our links with the local committee by attending their meetings where we share our ideas and discuss ways in which the school can become involved.
The committee was set up last year when CCS became official Dementia Friends and signed up to ensuring we raise awareness and understand Dementia so that those living with Dementia can continue to live how they chose to. Last year, we focused on running a logo competition for Madeline’s project, an OAP concert to connect people in our community through music and volunteering at the DFC Day. This year, we hope to expand to PSE dementia awareness sessions, assemblies, more volunteering schemes for pupils to support and continuing the annual OAP concert.
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It is great to be part of such a great cause and it is very inspiring to see the community working together to improve Cowbridge, so we become more Dementia friendly.
www.dementiafriendlyvale.co.uk/dementia-friendly-groups
The Dementia Friendly CCS Buddy Scheme.
The CCS Dementia Friendly Committee have recently started a Buddy Scheme at a local care home for the elderly. Students are working with patients with dementia using the Magic Table.
What is the Magic Table?
The Magic Table is an amazing and innovative piece of technology that is making a massive impact on dementia care around the world. It consists of a series of interactive light animations that are projected
onto a table. Infrared sensors detect movement allowing players to play
with light, which makes the experience truly magical.
Specifically designed for people with mid-to-late stage dementia, it
gently invites players to reach out and engage with the projections,
allowing them to connect with each other, their surroundings and with
those that are supporting the players. As the light animations are based on familiar objects and actions it will spark players to reminisce about the past and start sharing their personal stories with those around them.
Magic Table
Disability Awareness Week at CCS
This sub-group is responsible for organising an important event in the school calendar, Disability awareness Week. We want this event to be enjoyable, informative and raise awareness of important issues within the school and the wider community.
Eco and Environmental Committee
Students
As a student body we realised more needed to be done in school to reduce our and our school’s negative impact on the planet. In the last 4 months we have managed to make sticky back plastic covering of books obsolete and given students the opportunity to buy recyclable Can-O-Water instead of plastic water bottles - which used to be the most convenient option for people. We have also encouraged the canteen to reduce the amount of single use plastic with the use of Vegware wherever possible.
Throughout the year we have created ECO days. These days help us raise awareness of the many issues negatively impacting the planet, especially the #plasticfree.
Staff
As staff our role is to support the fantastic and growing student Eco and Environmental Committee in achieving our main aims for the year: Reduce, Reuse and Recycle plastics in the school environment. Although there are many issues that we and the students wish to pursue in the future, we feel that by keeping our message simple and consistent we will have maximum impact. "Don't be a waster be a saver!"
Mrs Ireland and Mrs Evans
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https://www.bbc.co.uk/search?q=blue+planet - Blue Planet David Attenborough
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/1FlfcGGKPSWv3m7JdfBT5dv/get-involved-with-ocean-conservation- David Attenborough
https://www.valeofglamorgan.gov.uk/en/living/schools/Eco-Schools.aspx
Epilepsy Awareness Day
www.epilepsysociety.org.uk/purpleday
Finance Group
Pupil voice across the school has asked for help with banking, budgeting and personal finance. Senior Prefects will talk to all Key Stage students about ‘how to deal with finances’ through virtual assemblies. The topics discussed are varied according to the age group. Adding to the assemblies, detailed handouts on the finance topics discussed will be sent by email for all students to peruse as and when needed.
Food and Nutrition Committee
The Food and Nutrition Committee review and help create new foods for the school menu; we look at the school food culture within the whole school, and between different age groups, and devise ways to help improve this e.g. undertaking surveys and food tasting sessions.
We are very active in holding themed events which showcasing new foods and dishes and support whole school charitable events such as Children in Need, Sports Relief, British Legion Poppy Appeal and our Harvest Festival collects food that is used by the local food bank to help those in the community who are in need. We collaborate with other groups in the school to help ensure all aims and objectives are met e.g. ECO and Environmental Committee and the drive to reduce single use plastic within the school.
Health and Wellbeing Group
An important part of our proactive projects is the Health and wellbeing group. This group focuses on relevant topics, such as mental health awareness and healthy relationships. Whilst also connecting to other proactive groups, such as food and nutrition and the environmental committee.
https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/campaigns/world-mental-health-day- World Mental Health Day- October
https://www.mind.org.uk/
https://www.mind.org.uk/get-involved/mental-health-awareness-week-2019/- Mental Health Awareness Week -May
https://youngminds.org.uk/
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1VN9xbIkcpiNcuZP0g_DZmnrldSRn-9pEBifIZv-eImM/edit#slide=id.p Health and Wellbeing PPT Mental Health Awareness
Helping at CCS Events Group
Helping with CCS Events is and important group within the Proactive School Community Project as we are responsible for helping with the forthcoming events throughout the year. This group is full of dedicated members and we are aiming to involve all of the students across the school. Some of the current events we have planned are: Children in Need Day, the Christmas Concert, the Christmas Hamper Project, the OAP Christmas Concert, the School Production and Sports Relief Day. Connected to this group is the Expressive Arts Prefect Group. These are Prefects who focus on pupil voice in certain subject areas across the school, art, music and drama.
Human Rights Week/ Day (December)
This sub-group is responsible for organising an important event in the school calendar, Human Rights Week. We want this event to be enjoyable, informative and raise awareness of important issues within the school and the wider community. Our main focus for Human Rights week is children’s rights. The group is led by our Student Ambassadors. These are trained through the Children's Commissioner for Wales team, whose scheme aims to promote young people’s rights and the UNCRC in schools.
https://www.childcomwales.org.uk/our-schemes/secondary-
PSE Lessons Children's Rights PowerPoint
Human Rights Day Cards
Human Right Week2018
Jack Griffiths Memorial Garden
The Jack Griffiths memorial garden maintenance fund was established to raise funds to construct a memorial garden in memory of former pupil Jack Griffiths who died of a rare form of lung cancer in April 2017, aged just 15. All the money raised is being used to to construct a garden in Jacks memory as a place for the school community to reflect on not only Jack's life but that of anyone who they may have lost.
The Jack Griffiths Memorial Garden Update
This week saw the Jack Griffiths Memorial wall completed and the garden used for the first time. During the Remembrance Service, crosses were placed around the garden to remember the fallen.
The Jack Griffiths Memorial Committee would like to thank all the staff, pupils, parents and local community for their help and support with the garden. There will be an official opening in March 2020 once all works have been completed.
Finally, the committee would like to extend their gratitude to Jack’s Mum and family for all their help with creating and building the garden.
Mrs S. Davies, Mrs Taylor-John, Mrs Thomas- Jenkins and The Jack Griffiths Memorial Committee
LRC Committee
Cowbridge School Learning Resource Centre (LRC), aims to take an innovative approach to learning in the coming year. With Sixth Form Students becoming more actively involved with areas such as reading for pleasure and the assistance of students with technology and reading. There is also the availability of personalized reading recommendations, which are accessible through request. Along side this, the LRC will be promoting events throughout the year and working closely with the Student Council and Prefects.
Make Your Mark
www.byc.org.uk/uk/uk-youth-parliament/make-your-mark
Medics Group
The Medic Group was formed to help support and encourage students who are aspiring to study medicine or dentistry. The group meets weekly on Monday lunchtimes in E2D except during exam periods. Students are guided through every aspect of the difficult application process including advice about work experience, admission tests, entry requirements, personal statements and interview preparation by our governor Mr Blamey. The group also benefits from hearing guest speakers talk about careers in medicine and students discuss topical healthcare issues. Former students often return to relate their experiences and how to survive life at medical school! A recent assembly for the younger students was on the importance of sleep. This was requested through pupil voice. Another project we have put forward at CCS is the Sixth Form blood drive. The Medics Group helps in promoting, with the help of the Welsh Blood Service, the Sixth Form students to be tested for their type of blood and to sign up to give blood.
Health and Wellbeing Days and Assemblies
Mental Health Day 2019
Health and Wellbeing Week at CCS November 2019
Websites:
Medical Schools Council - https://www.medschools.ac.uk/
General Medical Council - https://www.gmc-uk.org/
BMA: Becoming a Doctor - https://www.bma.org.uk/advice/career/studying-medicine/becoming-a-doctor/introduction
Dental Schools Council - https://www.dentalschoolscouncil.ac.uk/studying-dentistry/making-an-application/
NHS Careers - https://www.healthcareers.nhs.uk/
UCAT (Admissions Test) - https://www.ucat.ac.uk/ucat/
BMAT (Admissions Test) - https://www.admissionstesting.org/
Medic Portal - https://www.themedicportal.com/
Welsh Blood Service - https://www.welsh-blood.org.uk/
Welsh Blood Service media release 21.11.19
Cowbridge Comprehensive Students and Staff Roll Up Their Sleeves To Help Save Lives
Cowbridge Comprehensive Students and Staff Roll Up Their Sleeves to Help Saves Lives Eng
Headteacher of Cowbridge Comprehensive School, Mrs Thomas, praised the students for their willingness to help others in need: “We are very proud of their commitment to saving others’ lives. Every blood donation made can save up to three lives so collectively our pupils have potentially saved hundreds of lives in Wales today. Since we started our lifesaving journey in 2018 we have made 0ver 100 blood donations and 31 of our students have joined the Bone Marrow Registry. I am immensely proud of the staff and students here for helping us reach these figures.”
Mental Health Awareness
https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/campaigns/world-mental-health-day- World Mental Health Day- October
https://www.mind.org.uk/get-involved/mental-health-awareness-week-2019/- Mental Health Awareness Week -May
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1VN9xbIkcpiNcuZP0g_DZmnrldSRn-9pEBifIZv-eImM/edit#slide=id.p Health and Wellbeing PPT Mental Health Awareness
Poppy Appeal
The school is excited to be supporting the Royal British Legion’s Poppy Appeal once again this November. The Poppy Appeal committee will be responsible for raising awareness, selling poppies and collecting donations going to the Armed Forces community.Our main fundraising events during the Poppy Appeal are all about bringing the school community together to fundraise and enjoy themselves in the process!
The Poppy Appeal at Cowbridge Comprehensive School
Print Magazine
PRINT is the student led school magazine which releases monthly issues on topics of interest, proactive events and personal articles. We work as a small, dedicated team of seven members from KS4 and KS5, including writers, editors and formatters! We strive to make each issue engaging to all pupils and parents, regardless of age or gender, through our diverse subject matter coverage and topical articles.
Rotary Interact Club
The Rotary Interact group organise and run charitable events within the school and the local community. We meet weekly, with the support of Cowbridge Rotary Club, to work towards our Rotary citation and provide opportunities for young people in the community.
Facebook Page
Rotary Youth Night 2019
Rotary Box Scheme 2020
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Safer Internet Day
https://www.saferinternetday.org/en-GB/about
Senior 6th Form Team
The aim of the Senior Team, who includes the Head Boy, Head Girl, Deputies and Senior Prefects is to oversee the School Council and its proactive projects, whilst also making sure that their own projects get completed to help and support the entire school community. The Senior Team also help organise the last day celebrations for Year 13 alongside a yearbook, prom and commemorative hoodies. The group meet regularly to ensure ongoing progress is being made.
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Senior Team projects
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Head Boy-Gethin Poacher Proactive project-Connecting the alumni of the school with the current pupils to aid in super curricular enrichment activities, career development. |
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Head Girl-Seren BURGUM– Anti bullying Mentor Proactive project- The recovery of opportunities after covid-19, through The Cowbridge Pledge. It will allow for fluent communication between all parties in the school, including student voice, staff and governors which will aid in the school’s recovery.
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Student Ambassador Scheme at CCS
The Swallow Project
The Swallow Project - Click for info