How inspirational ideas from pupils can make a big impact on schools

Looking for a little inspiration for your school We like to participate?

Jeremy Sutcliffe

profiles and ideas for small changes that have a big impact on school life

started a blog on the website inviting students to suggest ideas to help improve your school. Children of primary school Cleobury Mortimer responded with a flurry of proposals ranging from pantomime to go home.

But it was not long before teachers Shropshire began to see a pattern to some of the concerns of children, there was nothing to do in the playground. Yes, there were toys and things for them to play, but the kids wanted to be more creative. A teacher was also an opportunity because they felt that their students are not using their imagination enough class.

Thus, children have the head and had the idea to create a scene in the playground, a castle, a house of three bears, a big boat and several other features they would like see built.

only problem. When the children asked their manager if they could have their new gaming facilities replied: "Only if you have to build yourself." They were horrified.

"I said that I could have, but we would have to order the wood and make it ourselves because we could not a professional company," says Williams Bavita. The project started when he met Bob Williams Green - a real life Bob the Builder -. Who agreed to collaborate with the school at an exceptional price

"Wine supervised and that all was well off. Children made the cut saws and used hammers and nails as well as the appropriate constructor., And they showed that they can.

"I was not surprised. Be aware that children may be challenged and do something if monitoring is and are taught properly. Taking risks is good with children. "

The project, which cost £ 5,000 and was overseen by the charity of health and safety, ROSPA, had a great impact on children, Williams said.

"They use both with respect and in a creative way and that is to improve relations in the yard. 'S also had an impact on the development of language in the classroom. Were allowed to be more creative-writing of history and explain things to each other and improved their verbal responses in class. "

This is just one of the many inspiring projects that schools across the country have developed ideas submitted by students to improve the quality of life of their communities. Desiring to encourage more work of this kind, The Guardian and Zurich Municipal have launched a competition to encourage students and teachers to work together to develop an idea that will benefit the school, sustainable and realistic. We would like to School Contest is open to all schools in the UK and there are three categories - primary, secondary and special - with a first prize of £ 5000 for each category

• many innovative projects have a strong emphasis on improving the school environment, the ideas of sustainable development and environmentally friendly to reduce carbon emissions. An example is the eco-garden club founded by students' school girls in Liverpool Merchant Taylors. Other schools have used links with schools in developing countries to create a school climate based on ethical trade. Cardinal Wiseman School and Language College, Coventry has created and sells its own brand of organic tea called tea Cardinal ("eminently superior ') with proceeds going to support a community in Malawi.
• Blackwood Primary School in Caerphilly, Wales, opened his own fair trade coffee shop after the kids had the idea as an inspiring way to learn about money.

Ideas
also has a project to build a dining room of the 21st century Chorley Southlands High School and an anti-vandalism at school Welling in Kent, who used the savings from the reduction damage caused by vandalism for a wet diaper for students.

but notes that the conclusion is not limited to ideas of physical improvements or support the ethos of a school. They could, for example, proposals for the development of parental involvement and improving links with local primary schools.

A good example is the Year 7 student online interactive brochure and other creative elements developed by students Sweyne Park School in Rayleigh, Essex.

"We asked our year 7s think this could help to improve the transition from elementary school. Decided that we should have a section of webpage much more appropriate details of our program of mentoring, interactive map and answers to questions that have been asked, "says director Andy Hodgkinson.

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