The Big Conversation Thursday 22nd

November 2012

Why do we have The Big Conversation?

What did we say at our last Big Conversation?

We talked about the kind of things we would like to have in our indoor courtyard space instead of this:

What did we say?Your ideas came under the following categories:•A quiet, peaceful space for people to go and sit or walk alone or with friends•An outdoor classroom / topic area (with recycled furniture etc)•A place for class of the week or trusted lunch club to go•Somewhere to grow flowers and plants, like a ‘secret garden’ or wildlife / nature area•Somewhere to play games•Somewhere beautiful to make you feel happy•A guinea pig paradise or pets’ corner•Somewhere to go when you feel worried •Somewhere to play music or create art•Somewhere for a wishing tree or wishing well•Somewhere we can be proud of•Somewhere to go for special occasions•A maze

What will happen next?

Mrs Phillips has asked a company to come in and look atthe courtyard to tell us how much it would cost to start creating a space that would have all those things in it – thesespaces are usually called ‘sensory gardens’.

Then she talk to the School Governors and agree howmuch we can spend on changing the courtyard.

Then the School Council will help to make a ‘shopping list’ for ‘sensory garden’ and will ask you to vote on the things you like best.

• Some people who wanted another basketball pitch or

football pitch or another climbing frame / playground / field / vegetable patch might be disappointed, but we already have those things and lots of other people had different ideas.

• Other people who wanted a swimming pool or acomputer games / suite or a disco / party room /

bigger children’s kitchen might also be disappointed because we do not have enough money in our budget for those things and also that area will not support a roof.

1) What’s working well about our behaviour system in class and around school? (smileys, time outs, trusted lunch club, awards etc)

2) How could we make it even better?

What is Today’s Topic?

3) How can we make our lunch and playtime behaviour system even clearer and fairer, so that we can always be happy and feel safe outside as well?

• After the Big Conversation, you will all have a chance to fill in a questionnaire about what you think should happen if someone breaks our school rules at lunchtime.

• Lunchtime staff, teachers and Learning Mentors will collect your ideas and then make decisions about how to make our lunchtimes even clearer and fairer, based on what you have said.

What will happen as a result of today’s Big

Conversation?

Ground rules

• Take turns and listen • Give good listening signals• Respect other people’s ideas and

feelings• Help each other• Everyone take part