STUDENT VOICE

At the heart of Tallis Post 16 is Student Voice. Integral to making positive changes happen within our community, Student Voice works hard to be a representative body for the school. We try to represent views on issues in school and more generally in education, meeting to discuss and debate within school and with the wider community. Most recently, Student Voice met with Sir Nicholas Serota, Director of the Tate, to discuss the place of art within the curriculum.

There are many ways in which Student Voice communicates and operates within Tallis Post16:

Democratic elections
Each year we hold Student Voice elections to fill positions that enable students to take a lead role on the body. Each candidate writes a short statement, which is then looked at, discussed, and voted for by each tutor group. Names are removed from the voting form so it is impartial. We want votes for ideas NOT for who you are!

Research
We constantly consult, through tutor groups, the opinions of the student body that we represent. Feedback is really fundamental to improving, not only what we do, but how we do it. There is also a suggestion post box in our Year 13 internet cafe and meetings are open to all. 

Action
Student Voice last year made excellent changes to the provision for Tallis Post 16. These included gaining an additional B (private study slot) for those with over 90% attendance, sixth form only library times,  tea in the sixth form cafe, year 13 study space exclusively in the downstairs library and so on!

Meeting with outside speakers
Student Voice are keen to continue with our exciting 'Tallis Talks' programme which is a chance to meet and discuss topical issues of the day with public intellectuals. Recently we were extremely honoured to have a Q and A with Andrea Arnold after a screening of her re-make of Wuthering Heights. If you know someone who would be interested in meeting with our student body to debate issues of the day, please get in touch!

We are very proud of our achievements so far. If you want to make a difference to Tallis Post 16, please see Ms Astill. We meet fortnightly - check the noticeboard to see when. Come along and be part of Student Voice to shape our constantly evolving sixth form.

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The Team

​Joe - Chair

Man of few words!

​Shyheim - Treasurer

My role in the student voice is treasurer/fundraiser. This involves working with the students and staff to raise money to coordinate events, support charities..etc.I think I am suited for this role because I feel I excel at planning and organising and leading a team. I am very hard working, driven and dedicated, traits that I think are needed in a treasurer/fundraiser. I hope to develop my communication and organisation skills through this position in the student voice and hopefully improve the school in the process.

​Esther - Year 13 Rep

I genuinely care about this year group. I work for you – the students of Tallis (particularly the yr 13s). I will push for your voices to be heard, as I have always been doing in student voice meetings. For example, the topic of bigger planners, more B’s, afterschool clubs specifically aimed at sixth formers etc. As the elected representative, I regularly partake in discussions with students to hear your criticisms and suggestions. I am to be used as a medium, a form of communication, I will pass on your views, big and small issues, EXACTLY as you tell them, without polluting it with personal views. I’m a bubbly character and easy to approach, I’m the 2012 regional champion of the Speak Out competition (public speaking), and I’m also involved in the school debating team and political breakfasts, so I am used to interacting with a range of students, teachers, staff, management etc. in order to easily put across your views confidently.

​Peres - Events Coordinator

After having been in Thomas Tallis for a month I can’t help having noticed the social differences in the school environment. Despite the huge improvements since September I still feel like the internal and external relationships need a little more help.  I also feel that we need to be create more links with lower school. I believe in a school where everyone knows and helps one another. I feel that through being elected as Events Coordinator I can see this vision into a reality. I am keen to plan fun events for Post 16 as well as for the lower school; I believe that this will help bring a strong link between the two. I think that studying in a happy environment or in an environment where you can feel at ease will boost the quality of study and academic work produced. I am a strong advocate of charity work and believe it to be an important part of any school’s ethos. Having received a most charitable award, I will make sure matters regarding charity work are never overlooked and executed to their highest level. As a former member of debate mate I have no problems speaking publicly or in assemblies. I sincerely wish to turn this school into one I and others will remember not for any of it’s shortcomings but for it’s warm and caring atmosphere.

​Zara - Events Co-ordinator

I am really excited about the Events Co-ordinator post; I feel that working together we will be able to create a positive community environment through key events and fundraisers. I am very keen to work alongside the TTRA committee to support and enable them to put on a fantastic end of year celebration that we can all enjoy. I am also keen to work with lower to co-ordinate events and create exciting whole school celebrations such as the Black History Month Extravaganza. I am a really positive person who is well organised, able to work collaboratively and be calm under pressure. I definitely have the skills to co-ordinate events from conception to clean up!

​Sonia - Year 12 Representative

To be heard is to have your views recognised and for appropriate action to be taken. As someone who has a real social conscience, my sense of justice is quite intense. For this reason, my main priority is to have your views heard. Having been a member of school council, I understand the importance of being assertive; speaking up on behalf of people has also taught me that being passive is not always the right thing to do. To be passive is to accept the current circumstances, and not encourage positive change. Being passive in many situations can lead to a lack of change – which in this situation can lead to a lack of positive change that this school needs. I believe that as students, it is our responsibility to ensure that the school environment is the best it can be, and the best way to ensure that this happens is to communicate to those who have the power to change it, through the year twelve representative. If I am to become your year twelve representative, I will see to it that the needs of every student are met by liaising with the appropriate staff. By being persistent, determined and strong-minded, I will ensure that your needs are met. As I was an external pupil, I can offer you a fresh and unique perspective, which is unbiased.

This means that what I have to offer will not be what you have heard before. My personal objective is to become one person who makes a difference in the school community, through student voice. As it stands, I am already an active member of student voice. Whether it is to boost your morale, or your grades, I believe that every opinion counts and I want to make sure you are heard. Whether it means taking a back seat or not, I am a strong advocate of change.

​Will - Media Manager

My role within the Student Voice committee is to be the binding agent between the students and our school's website and overall online presence. I take the issues, questions and suggestions of the students of the Sixth Form that are verbalised at the Student Voice meetings and discuss them with Mr Nicholls - the creator and current editor of our school website. Our school is particularly excellent at being well-presented to the world via technological means which, year by year, is becoming more and more important as humans are starting to totally rely on the superiority of their digital profile. I am simply here to act as the transmitter of your messages so that they can reach the right people who can make the difference.  

​Morgan - Media Manager

Student Voice because I feel as a student who currently studies Media and Film Studies,  I have the required skills needed for this position to represent all students. One of my ideas for the role of media manager is to set up different types of ways of communicating with students, either through websites such as facebook, twitter, tumblr etc. or to help improve the school website for student voice. Through these websites, students will be able to voice their opinions, keep up to date with key student voice events through photos and blogs or plan special events that everyone can be involved in. I feel that Student Voice would benefit from these as nowadays most of you students use some form of social media to and keep up to date and interact with the world and it would be a great way of making more students a part of Student Voice. I’m very experienced in using technical equipment and computers and I will use these to my ability in helping to further publicise Student Voice. I’m approachable and very friendly to anyone who would want to come and talk to me about any problems they would like to mention and will do my best to put these matters to Student Voice. I’m very interested in assisting you as the students to speak your opinion on what matters the most.

Amy and James - TTRA Co-ordinators

We are applying for the post of TTRA coordinator as we have had much experience in organising events both in and outside of school.  In the past we have helped to organise events such as: art exhibitions, NRA, prom, charity events and fundraisers as well as live music events.  We also want to help arrange more fundraisers and events to help raise more money for school projects such as NRA and prom. We aim to help raise as much money as possible to help make the ticket costs for year 13 Prom and NRA as low as possible while also being able to get the best possible venue with the best facilities as possible.

We are applying for the post of NRA coordinator as we feel we are the best candidate for the role. We have had previous experience organising a successful NRA and prom at our previous school as well as helping out last year with the previous NRA which was also extremely successful.

We have already taken time to listen to what the students want from there NRA and we have discovered that many students want a venue in London rather than a boat party.  This shows that we have already started to take it upon ourselves and start organisation of such event so year 13 prom can be the best it can be. We want to create an NRA that the students will remember.  We feel that we can work together to create a successful event as we are in touch with our year group and are not afraid to speak and notify our year group on any additions and changes to the event.  We are very flexible and willing to take on opinions and criticisms and want an event to satisfy all.