An update from the School Council at Didcot Girls' School. This covers the academic year 2012-13 and was produced in June 2013.

1. DGS School Council – Our actions
The School Council has been working hard this year. Here are
some of the things we have been getting up to:

2. General
•Took part in a training day to develop and establish a clear
set of aims, and individual plans for each committee
• Assisted in a large number of tours for guests around the
school
• Been heavily involved in the interview process for a number
of jobs
• Engaged in a consultation with SODC over the new
developments in Edmunds Park, new leisure centre and
Didcot Town Fayre
DGS School Council – Our actions

3. Ethos
The ethos committee are concerned with improving how the school feels. They
have been busy creating the following ideas:
• Takeover Day on the 23rd of November
• Smile Week 13th
- 17th
May – A new video, with new teachers’ jokes and smiles
from teachers all advertised in the Panorama
• Anti-Bullying Week on 19th
– 23rd
November – Awareness Video in PD
• Year 7s to attend primary school visits to act as ambassadors with Mr Irwin
• Merit and credit feedback – improvement next year
Coming up:
• Please and Thank You Week
• Maggies Tea Party and Picnic
DGS School Council – Our actions

4. Environment
The environment committee are looking at ways to improve the school
site, such as trying to improve our sustainability and how the site
looks. Here are their ideas so far:
•Swap Shop – a successful event in which students swapped old items
for different items.
• Lunch time areas – the committee successfully campaigned to have
the lunch time areas at various points of the school.
• Chill Out Zone – has been set up in the Library. We are waiting on
bean bags to make the area complete.
• New trees planted around site
• Posters and Eco-noticeboard
• Percy Penguin light switches – whole school
DGS School Council – Our actions

5. Teaching & Learning
The teaching and learning committee look at improving the quality of teaching
and learning across the school. Their plans for the year ahead are as follows:
•Good teaching and learning – feedback to some staff was given by members of
this committee to improve teaching in the school
•Teaching and learning assemblies – these were given to highlight the
importance of good learning
•The creation and effective implemention of “Learning Detectives” to improve
teaching and learning – student learning detectives have been providing
feedback to Mr Harvey to try to establish activities students like in lessons and
ways to improve their learning. This will also be developed for G&T students
over the next year as this has been taken on by Mrs Ashton.
•Timetables before the summer holidays – this a target of the committee before
the summer.
DGS School Council – Our actions

6. Charity
The charity committee are responsible for raising money and awareness about
a variety of charities throughout the year. Here are some of their ideas so far:
• Assemblies – each non-uniform day we have told students where their money
is going and why it is important. This has seen an increase in the number of
students donating to the various charity causes.
•To decide upon 7 Non-Uniform Days – these have had a focus based around
the following causes: local, women, children, personal, international, national,
current
• Liaise with Helen & Douglas House – we have decided and assisted with
various events/activities and we are looking at undertaking a Santa’s Fun Run
next year!
•We are also looking forward to Maggie’s Tea Party and Picnic which will be
taking place this term, in aid of Maggie’s Cancer Caring Centres.
DGS School Council – Our actions

7. Healthy Schools
The healthy schools committee look at improving healthy lifestyles in school
through a range of aspects such as raising awareness of the benefits of good
exercise to highlighting the dangers of alcohol and drugs.
• Healthy Eating Week – stickers created on healthy products, assemblies ran,
on Healthy options for a week, free fruit with meals, met with Mr Leake
• Improved Salad Bar in canteen with consultation with Mr Leake
• Running assemblies to promote awareness of healthy options.
• Organising better lunch room arrangements through possibly having two lunch
rooms at each end of the school for every year group.
•Regular meetings with Mr Leake – the committee has met with the catering
manager to pass on student feedback about the quality and types of food
available in the canteen
•Sandwich stalls in Cockcroft – we have discussed this with Mr Leake and he is
looking into this but says it will have to be staffed by student volunteers (it
would not be possible until 2013-14)
DGS School Council – Our actions