In St Laurence O'Toole's National School, we understand the importance of listening to and respecting the opinions of the pupils in our school. We value the voice of the child and have created a structure in which communication between pupils, teachers and management can develop. The student council in our school acts as a vehicle to address some of the aims of the S.P.H.E curriculum:

1. To promote personal development and well being
2. To develop in the child a sense of social responsibility, a commitment to active and participative citizenship and an appreciation of the democratic way of life

The role of the St Laurence O'Toole's N.S. student council is:

• To promote friendship and respect among pupils
• To develop school community spirit through improved communication between students, management, staff and parents
• To develop in all students a sense of responsibility
• To give opportunities to develop teamwork and leadership skills
• To encourage students to think about and become aware of our school in terms of making it better for everyone in it – children, teachers, parents

Students from 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th classes are invited to put themselves forward for election and two children from each class are elected onto the Student Council each year. Meetings are held on a monthly basis and ideas for school development are discussed at each meeting. Following on from each meeting, representatives from the Student Council meet with the Principal to discuss their ideas and suggestions