Comhairle na nÓg:

The National

Showcase 2018

Report

2018

JANUARY 2019 UNESCO CHILD & FAMILY RESEARCH CENTRE

NATIONAL UNIVERSTIY OF IRELAND GALWAY

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Copyright © UNESCO Child and Family Research Centre, 2019

UNESCO Child and Family Research Centre

School of Political Science and Sociology

National University of Ireland, Galway

Tel: 00 353 91 495398

E-mail: gillian.browne@nuigalway.ie

Web: www.childandfamilyresearch.ie

The UNESCO Child and Family Research Centre is based in the School of Political Science

and Sociology at the National University of Ireland, Galway, and undertakes research,

education and training in the area of child and family care and welfare.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval

system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying,

recording or otherwise, without the prior permission in writing of the copyright holder.

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this report are those of the authors and not necessarily

those of Comhairle na nÓg or NUI Galway.

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Table of Contents

1. Overview…………………………………………………………...………. 1

2. Summary of Findings……………………………………………...………. 3

Subjects & Subject Choices………..……………………...………………. 3

School Rules………..……………………………………………...………. 10

Extra-Curricular Activities..……………………………………...………. 15

Uniform & Appearance..………………………………………….………. 23

School Management………..………………………………………………. 29

3. Overall Conclusion…………………………………………………………. 35

4. References…………………………………………………………………… 36

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Overview

Comhairle na nÓg National Showcase is a celebration of the work of the 31 Comhairlí

which takes place every two years. The purpose of this event is to present the work and topics

that each Comhairle has been working on over the past two years or more and to showcase this

work to relevant decision makers. Each Comhairle has their own individual stand with display

board to highlight their work and their topic. The day is broken into four distinct parts: the

showcase session in the morning followed by the opening ceremony with input from young

people and the Minister. The afternoon is made up of a workshop session, followed by a

celebratory closing ceremony. 402 young people, aged 12-17 attended the National Showcase,

representing the 31 Comhairles around the country.

As part of the Comhairle na nÓg National Showcase, all young people took part in a

consultation which was designed to contribute to the work of the Comhairle na nÓg National

Executive in developing Guidelines for Student Voice in Secondary Schools. The consultation

methodology was designed by National Executive members and the young people on the

National Showcase Steering Committee. On the day the tables were facilitated by young

people from Comhairle na nÓg. The facilitators were briefed in advance of the day.

The methodology on the day was a world café style consultation across five areas of

discussion:

1. Subjects and Subject Choice

2. School Rules

3. Uniform and Appearance

4. Extra-Curricular Activities

5. School Management

At each table facilitators utilised placemats to record the ideas and opinions of the young

people. On each placemat there were 3 questions for consideration:

1. Do students have a voice in (theme)?

2. What needs to be improved?

3. How can we make these improvements happen?

There were 45 tables in all in the consultation divided into 9 zones of 5 tables resulting in

9 tables discussing each of the themes. All young people had the opportunity to discuss all

themes during the world café consultation.

The report will be used by the Comhairle na nÓg National Executive to inform and support

their work in developing Guidelines for Student Voice in Secondary Schools. The report will

be given to the National Executive for their consideration in pursuing their work programme.

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The aim of this report is to summarise and highlight the opinions shared by the young

people during this world café consultation. This report details the findings from a thematic

analysis of the data collected from young people at the Comhairle na nÓg National Showcase

2018. All the information young people shared on the placemats were transcribed verbatim into

Microsoft Word and analysed using thematic analysis. Thematic analysis consists of reviewing

data, generating codes or categories of data, and developing themes from the codes, to represent

the data (Rice & Ezzy, 1999). Thematic analysis was chosen as the most suitable method of

analysis, as it provides a rich description of the data by enabling the researcher to identify

emerging themes or patterns in the data (Braun & Clarke, 2006).

An overview of all major themes emerging from each of the five topics discussed is

provided in the findings section of this report. These themes will summarise the comments

which were most discussed by the young people in these placemats, and will aim to highlight

where young people proposed similar or different views1. The report will conclude by

providing a brief commentary on the common themes which emerged across the five topics.

1 Due to the nature of the placemat discussions it is difficult to quantify the number of students that endorsed a

particular point. Hence, findings are reported in terms of general patterns or trends.

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Summary of Findings

Subjects & Subject Choice

1. Do Students Have a Voice in School Subjects & Subject Choice?

Notably, although a number of young people across each placemat reported that students do

have a voice in school subject choice (“Yes, the subjects were easily available and of good

quality. We had plenty of choice in what we wanted to do” – Table 22; “In my school, this is

not a problem and everyone has a choice in what they do” – Table 32), the majority of young

people appeared to believe that students’ choices are limited. First, young people suggested

that although students may be able to choose certain subjects, students only have a “small

amount of choice” (Table 37) and “only for some subjects” (Table 30). In particular, young

people argued that students do not have a choice in relation to mandatory subjects and often do

not have a voice in deciding what selection of ‘choice’ subjects are available to students in

schools.

“We can choose options out of provided subjects yet we do not get an

opinion on what subjects we would like to see in school” - Table 7

“They have a say in what subjects they choose but not what subjects are

available” – Table 42

“Students don’t really have a voice in subject choice because there is an

unfair standard set & they can’t excel or focus on the subjects they might be

best at” – Table 2

The young people also noted that there is variability in the level of subject choice

available to students across different schools (“sometimes it depends on the school” - Table

22; “It depends on the school, in some schools yes, in others no” – Table 17). In addition,

young people proposed that students’ subject choice may be further limited by class

restrictions or a lack of resources available in certain schools.

“Some schools don’t have teachers for a lot of choice subjects” - Table 37

“Sometimes it depends on the school, its size and resources and how many

people want to do a subject” - Table 22

“Subjects get grouped making some subjects unavailable” – Table 22

Overall, a large number of young people believed that students do not have a

sufficient voice in school subject choice, arguing that certain “subjects are given to you”

(Table, 42) and that “students don’t have a choice in some schools” (Table 37). These

young people felt that students had “little” or “no input” (Table 22) into the type or range

of subjects available in school, with one student believing that schools “…don’t think it

matters what we think about the subjects we do” (Table 2).

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2. What Needs to Be Improved?

Consideration of Student Voice:

One major theme emerging from students’ placemat discussions is that young people

believe that “students should have more voice” (Table, 32) and “more… influence on subject

choice” (Table 42). Young people argued that “students… have their own opinions and we

should be able to pick what subjects we want to do” (Table 7). Generally, young people felt

that “students opinions need to be listened to and respected” (Table 30) and that “teachers

should look to student voice more and trust the student’s choice” (Table 32).

Range of Subject Choice:

Young people also proposed that there should be a greater range of subject choice available to

students in all schools, and greater freedom to choose any combination of different subjects.

“A broader range of subjects should be introduced to cater to all students

interests” - Table 22

“Have a big variety of subjects and a big combination of subjects” - Table 42

“Have more optional subjects – you should be allowed to pick any subject.

There should be no issue with slots. - Table 30

Notably, a number of young people suggested that “there should be more [subject]

options for different career options” (Table 12) as “different people have different qualities,

and they would like to do different subjects to have the knowledge to have a future” (Table 2).

However, other young people believed that students should simply “be encouraged to pursue

subjects they enjoy instead of what will make them ‘more successful’” (Table 32). Nonetheless,

young people in several different groups proposed that “there should be more variety in

optional subjects” (Table 32) or “more offers of different subjects made available for students”

(Table 7) and noted that students should be able to choose subjects that “allow us to be

creative” (Table 17) or are “more applicable to daily life” (Table 17) or “more hands on”

(Table 7).

“There should be more practical subjects & a bigger emphasis placed on the

practical side of subjects as it is easier to learn by doing” - Table 12

In particular, young people wanted more access to subjects, such as ‘life-skills classes’;

‘Sexual Education’; ‘Woodwork’; ‘Technical Graphics’; ‘Sign Language’; ‘Political

Education’; ‘Non-Traditional languages (e.g. Greek)’; and other arts-based subjects such as

‘Drama’ and ‘Music’. Young people disagreed with the lack of focus placed on these types of

subjects in the current curriculum and queried: “why are some subjects more important than

others?” (Table 7).

“All subjects need to be promoted and showed equal levels of importance

and interest” - Table 2

Freedom of Choice:

A small number of young people also proposed that students should have more freedom to

pick their own subject level (e.g. honours etc.) and that young people should have more

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independence from teachers or parents when making this decision. Similarly, young people

noted that it can be difficult for students to change subjects and identified this as another

issue in need of improvement.

“Students should be able to drop to a lower level subject if they are not

capable of the higher option without the teacher stopping them and asking

for a note from parents. Parents/teacher might not be happy about student

dropping a level” - Table 32

“The main issue is that students aren’t encouraged to try and change subjects”

- Table 17

“Students should be allowed to change their subject choices” - Table 2

Compulsory Subjects:

Interestingly, while most young people appeared to believe that there should be “more

selection and variety” (Table 22) of subjects in schools, there was no consensus among the

young people about whether certain school subjects should be compulsory. On one hand, a

number of students believed that schools should not have any mandatory subjects and

advocated that the mandatory status in the curriculum should be reviewed.

“More subjects that are compulsory should be optional” – Table 32

“Some subjects need to be reconsidered, as not all students want to do them” – Table 42

“Students should be allowed to do whatever subjects they are interested in and

they shouldn’t be made to do subjects they don’t want to do” – Table 37

In contrast, other students felt that certain subjects were important for young people’s culture

or heritage and believed that “there should be a few compulsory subjects” (Table 7). These

young people believed that students can benefit from engaging in compulsory subjects.

“Irish, History and Religion should be compulsory as it has an effect on our culture”

– Table 32

“Keep History as a compulsory subject – vital to promoting our history and

remembering why things are the way they are” – Table 22

“Core subjects are important and are core subjects for a reason. Keep

them. They always benefit you in some shape or form” – Table 30

Gender Equality within Subjects:

In addition to these issues, young people perceived there to be a large gender imbalance in the

type of subjects that are provided in male or female single-sex schools, or the type of optional

subjects that boys and girls are ‘encouraged’ to choose. Across the different placemats young

people proposed that subjects are often gender stereotyped in school and believed that male

and female students do not have the same freedom to choose certain subjects. For example,

young people argued that there is typically no “woodwork in girl’s schools, or home economics

in boys schools” (Table 30), while other young people felt that there can be “pressure to pick

gender stereotypes, such as boys and metalwork” (Table 22). Typically, young people

advocated that there should be more “gender equality” (Table 42) in subject choice.

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“Subjects are very sexist depending on the gender of the school you go to” –

Table 30

“Teachers discriminate by gender, if a female steps into an engineering class he

recommends you go to Home Ec. or Biology” – Table 37

“Single gender schools should give options of subjects that are not

stereotypically associated with them” – Table 32

“All schools should have a variety of subjects no matter the gender” – Table 7

3. How Can We Make These Improvements Happen?

Across each of the nine placemats, young people made a number of suggestions for how

these issues can be improved or for how schools can enhance subject choice for students.

Involving Students:

First, young people in each group recommended that schools should “listen to what students

say” (Table 22) and suggested that schools do this by “asking students what they think more

regularly” (Table 30). More specifically, young people suggested that schools should

implement new strategies, such as surveys or votes, to learn more about student ideas.

“Do surveys in primary schools on what subjects children would be interested

in” – Table 7

“Do surveys or votes on what the students want to do for junior/senior cycle

because it could affect their future career” – Table 17

These young people also recommended various strategies through which students

themselves could share their opinions or advocate for greater inclusion of student voice. In

particular, young people suggested using strategies such as posters, strikes, petitions or

protests to create awareness around the issue.

“Spread awareness by creating posters, videos, campaigns to get the

government/education system to notice & listen to what we’re saying” – Table 2

“Campaign for reform of the Education System” – Table 22

“Peaceful protest toward the school board” – Table 30

“Petition for state legislation to be implemented which directly dictates how

schools are run” – Table 2

Increasing Communication:

A large number of young people emphasised the importance of students (or student councils)

talking to the principal or board of management to try to resolve issues. Some students also

believed that involving other external organisations, such as the Department of Education,

Local TDs or the “Comhairle” (Table 12) may be beneficial.

“Take Problems to the Board of Management” – Table 7

“Talk to principal to put any subjects on that aren’t already what a majority

of students would like” – Table 12

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“Reach out to ministers to make a change to curriculum, speak to school

management” – Table 2

“Talk to town or county council and make a change” – Table 42

Notably, while young people advocated for greater communication between all

individuals involved in the school system (“students, committees, parents, councils, teachers

– all listening to each other” - Table 7), these students placed particular emphasis on the

importance of having better “communication/understanding between teachers and students”

(Table 22). Some young people perceived there to be an issue “with the way teachers treat

students and subjects” (Table 30) and seemed to believe that “the standard of teachers needs

to be at a certain level” (Table 42). Young people proposed numerous suggestions for

cultivating greater communication between teachers and students, and for improving the

quality of teaching.

“Mandatory supervised review of teachers” – Table 42

“App to give feedback about teaching – and take action based on student

opinion” – Table 42

“Tell teachers what you are interested in so they can make

changes/improvements in school” – Table 22

“Have continuous encourage/meetings between student decision makers and

teachers – Table 37

Facilitating Equality in Choice:

Young people proposed that teachers should promote more “neutral subject choice

regardless of gender” (Table 42) and allow students to choose their own subject level.

“Teachers need to remain neutral and allow any student to do anything & give

support for people who pick differently and are being teased for it e.g. a boy

picking art” – Table 22

“Communication between teacher and students about how they are doing in

class and if they think they are capable for the level of education” – Table 32

Enhancing Class/Subject Structure:

Within the majority of groups, young people recommended that schools offer “tasters of

each subject” (Table 12) or “trial runs of choice subjects” (Table 37), so that students “get

to experience each subject properly” (Table 7).

“By letting people have a taste of subjects & picking their favourites & then the

school would realise what the interests of students are” - Table 2

“Let all students trial run all subjects and at the end they will know which one

the like and will be able to choose wisely” – Table 12

“Hold a trial period to help students decide what subjects they want” – Table 37

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Similarly, young people contended that schools should structure classes better, and

ensure that all students can avail of their desired choices, regardless of class restrictions

(“Mix around the times of the classes so two subjects you want to do don’t fall at the same

time” – Table 2; “Have subject offered if few students go for it – might be someone’s

requirement for college” – Table 22; Students should be allowed to move class to another

subject if they feel it is not working out – Table 32). Markedly, one or two students also

proposed coming to a compromise in relation to the place of mandatory subjects within

schools – suggesting that certain subjects do not need to be mandatory for both junior and

senior cycle or that they could be mandatory, but not examined.

“Core subjects should be mandatory, but they don’t necessarily have to be state

examined” – Table 30

“We should have to do all subjects in Junior Cert but after that we should choose

subjects” – Table 30

Improving Resources:

Crucially, despite the number of desired changes advocated by students here, several

students remarked that it may be difficult for schools to enact these proposed changes

without additional funding, help or resources. Generally, these young people proposed that

there is a need for “more investment into capital funding” (Table 22) and “more funding

for a variety of options” (Table 30). Similarly, young people recognised that “more teachers

are needed too” (Table 37), arguing that “the schools need more funding for more

classrooms/teachers so students can do more subjects” (Table 12). Young people voiced

several ideas for how more funding or resources could be gathered:

“The Government should encourage second level education…so more people

do secondary school teaching so we have more variety of teachers” – Table 42

“If the school community comes together and looked for funding to facilitate

these subjects” – Table 12

“Allow schools to have centres in local areas to avail of subjects that aren’t

available in school…Train teachers to teach more than one subject” - Table 7

“Have more grants…don’t keep them all in Dublin” – Table 27

4. Conclusion

In sum, while a number of young people felt that students do have a voice in subject

choice in school, the majority of young people seemed to believe that students’ choices are

limited. The variability in the level of student choice, or the array of subjects offered to

students, across different schools were commonly noted by young people. Several young

people also discussed how student choice may be further limited due to class size restrictions

or lack of available (skilled) teachers. Across each of the nine placemats, young people

voiced their discontent with the perceived gender imbalance in the type of subjects offered

to boys and girls in schools. In general, young people appeared to believe that there should

be a wider selection of school subjects available to students and that students should have

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more of a voice in subject selection. Young people seemed to promote the implementation

and regulation of more ‘non-traditional’ subjects, such as woodwork, sexual education, and

technical graphics, across all schools. However, these young people appeared to disagree

somewhat over whether certain subjects should be mandatory for students, with some young

people believing certain compulsory subjects should be optional, while others saw a value

in retaining certain core elements. Overall, students advocated for better communication

between students, teachers, board of management and principals and better platforms to

voice their opinions. Young people recommended that schools allow students to trial a

number of subjects for a period of time, before they are required to select their subjects.

Young people believed that greater school funding for more teachers and resources is

necessary in order to allow students to avail of a large subject selection.

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School Rules

1. Do Students Have a Voice in School Rules

In general, the majority of young people believed that not only do students not have a say in

their school rules, but that “teachers/principals don’t care about our opinions” (Table 41).

Moreover, a lot of students felt that it was difficult to challenge or disagree with rules. Although

it should be noted that one or two young people did not feel that it was necessary to have more

student input into rules: “they’re basic enough, no need to have a voice as they’re not too

restrictive” (Table 26).

“Not really, the school/education system hasn’t asked our opinion. They

follow their own views on how to regulate conduct” – Table 1

“Students have very little say in rules, the rules are set and students can’t

disagree” – Table 36

“…And if they challenge the teachers they get in trouble” – Table 11

“They don’t really care how the rules affect us” – Table 31

Conversely, a small number of young people believed that students do have a voice in their

school rules (“In our school, yes” – Table 41; “Yes, because they ask the students before they

make new rules” – Table 21), with a couple of students discussing how their school took active

steps to seek out student opinions in relation to school rules (“My school did a survey to see

what rules we wanted to get rid of and which ones we wanted to keep” – Table 31).

Nonetheless, most of these young people seemed to believe that the role of student voice was

minor or may only be heard if the school has an active student council.

“The student council has a minor voice but has no ability to make a large

difference” – Table 31

“Depends on how minor/major decision is. No say if it’s major” – Table 16

“In my school they do but it’s limited” – Table 6

“Only if they have an active school council” – Table 26

2. What Needs to Be Improved?

Student Input in School Rules:

Generally, young people wanted students to have more input into the school rules: (“Students

should be allowed to voice their ideas” – Table 41; “We just need to be listened to. Nobody

listens to students’ opinions on rules” – Table 26; “Students need to be consulted before

something is decided upon” – Table 6). More specifically, young people felt that schools

should consult students more about their opinions on rules and have a more open environment

that encourages students to voice their agreement, or disagreement, with the current

regulations.

“We need to be listened to… and we should not be afraid to talk to teachers.

We can’t talk to the teacher/principal to get things changed” – Table 26

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“Teachers need to trust students more. They don’t trust us with the rules we

think should be improved. They should listen to our ideas & rules that we also

feel is fair and right for us and them” – Table 1

“Students are seen only as troublemaking teenagers unable to make school

rules because if they did make the rules, the rules would be loose and useless,

which isn’t true because we students won’t tolerate certain things in our

schools” – Table 6

In one placemat, however, it was suggested that “students need to be reasonable too” and that

they “should show/prove why they should be listened to” (Table 26).

Communication between Staff, Students, & Student Councils:

Some students proposed that the student council should be more involved in decision making

(“student council should have more power over rules”- Table 26), whereas other students

believed that the role of the student council should be more limited, as they did not feel they

represented the voice of the whole student body (“Rules should not be run by student councils”

– Table 36; “Not just student councils, all students voices need to be heard” – Table 31).

Overall, the majority of young people believed that greater communication and respect between

all members of the school environment was required.

“Student-teacher (vice versa) respect/communication. Greater Student Council

communication to students” - Table 21

“Discussion & sharing ideas between students and teachers. A sense of

understanding and trust is fundamental” – Table 1

“The respect teachers have for their students – some teachers are very

respectful, others are not at all. Students and teachers need to discuss the rules

and make sure everyone accepts them” – Table 1

‘Strictness’ of Rules:

Although one young person argued that “in some cases rules need to be stricter (Table 16), a

lot of students appeared to feel that some school rules (and the punishments for breaking those

rules) are “too strict” (Table 6). Students contended that schools should show greater leniency

with certain rules, such as those relating to appearance, or abolish “outdated rules” altogether.

A small number of young people also proposed that rules need to be communicated more

clearly to students and enforced equally by all teachers, for all students, in all schools.

“Rules should be relevant and if stated, followed… some people get away

with breaking the rules” – Table 16

“The rules need to be streamlined, cut out the ones that are inefficient and

unnecessary, such as rules against clothing & other extra items of approval” –

Table 11

“All teachers need to be equal and enforce together, no laid back or strict

teachers” - Table 16

“School rules need to be less strict and more inclusive” - Table 21

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3. How Can We Make These Improvements Happen?

Young people offered numerous suggestions for how to establish greater student

involvement in school rules.

Creating Awareness:

Young people recommended that student’s themselves should create awareness around this

issue (“Make people aware of the problem via social media” – Table 31; “Be a system to

challenge rules you don’t agree with” – Table 41; “Make more complaints” – Table 26) and

suggested that young people engage in specific activities, such as strikes, petitions,

campaigns and protests in order to create awareness (“Students have a petition” – Table 16;

“Create a campaign showing how great the divide is between students and teachers” – Table

11; “Send a petition to the Government” – Table 1).

Increased Communication & Consultation:

Young people emphasised the importance of facilitating greater open communication

between students and school staff/management (“Promote better communication and

understanding between teachers and students” – Table 21; “Have more communication

between students and the Board of Management” – Table 16; “Have more connections

between students, teachers or staff before rules are passed.” – Table 21; “Staff and students

need to communicate in a mature manner” – Table 6). Young people recommended that

students seeking to have their opinions about school rules heard should discuss the matter

with their teacher or principal. Some young people recommended that students should

contact people in higher authority, such as local TDs or the Department of Education, to

have their opinions heard.

“Relations between teachers and students need to improve in order to

make students feel as though they can speak up” – Table 36

“Complain to the town/county council about unequal treatments in

schools, protest, or try to talk to the principal… Meet and talk with local

counsellors & people in authority and make an issue of” – Table 41

“Email people higher than the principals and deputy principals. They don’t

listen to students so go to the people they will listen to, e.g. Department of

Education” – Table 16

“Talk to the management. Students can meet with the principal and staff

and discuss …changes we need” – Table 11

Similarly, young people suggested that in order for students to become more involved

in the school rules, “people in authority” need to engage in greater consultation with

students. In particular, young people proposed that schools should seek students’ opinions

on matters, such as school rules, and be open to listening to their ideas (“Consult young

people, ask, and take into account what students say. Don’t wait ‘til students come to you,

come to the students.” – Table 21). Young people recommended a variety of strategies (e.g.

surveys, suggestion/complaints boxes) that schools could use to seek out student opinion

(“Have an anonymous student suggestion box to give the teachers your opinion on certain

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rules” – Table 1; “Have an anonymous survey on student’s opinions of school rules” – Table

36; “Do polls and votes with the students to get their input” – Table 26).

Reaching a Compromise:

Some students suggested that other democratic solutions need to be found (“There should

be compromise about the rules between students and teachers so it can suit both of them” –

Table 16; “Take a democratic approach – discuss school rules with students and compromise

– Table 41; “Teachers and principal need to be more flexible so they can adapt [rules] to

suit both teachers and students” – Table 16) and recommended implementing more active

strategies, to ensure that all members of the school environment have a voice in both

establishing school rules and deciding suitable reprimands for rule infringements. For

example, young people recommended having students on the board of management or

having parents to also review rules before they are implemented.

“Have a student and parent charter…Create rules about what punishments

are suitable for what actions” – Table 41

“The school community needs to get together and negotiate with the

board” – Table 11

“Problems/complaints with rules should not only be taken to principal

directly, but also to a board of students.” – Table 6

“Have an honour council where it is made of staff & students. Like court

where what is the reason for punishment and then the council decides suitable

punishment” – Table 1

Establishing School-wide Policy or Legislation:

Young people appeared to believe that involving wider institutions, such as the Department

of Education, would be beneficial and proposed a need for more unifying legislation on

school rules across all schools.

“Have an overall government policy from the Department of Education on school

rules and legislation” – Table 21

Review of School Rules:

Finally, a small number of young people suggested that schools should regularly review and

update their rules, in consultation with students, to ensure “that they don’t become outdated”

(Table 36). A small number of young people also recommended that schools should create

greater awareness of existing rules within the student body and rationalise or “explain rules

for us” or have equal rules for students and teachers.

“There should be a demonstrating rule system incorporating the voice of the

students” – Table 6

“Have a set of guidelines highlighting equality between management &

students” – Table 21

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4. Conclusion

Overall, young people appeared to feel that students have a limited say in creating

or changing the rules within their schools and contended that greater young people voice in

this area is needed. Most young people believed that schools/school staff do not value their

opinion in this area and seemed discontent with the enforcement of a number of rules, which

they felt were either ‘too strict’ or ‘outdated’. Young people felt that clearer communication

of the rules to students would be beneficial and asked for schools to provide an explanation

for why certain rules are implemented. The majority of young people appeared to believe

that students should create awareness of these issues and that greater communication

between students, teachers, principals, parents, the board of management and other

regulatory bodies was needed in order to resolve these issues. Some young people

recommended that both students and staff need to respect each other’s opinions and solve

these issues on school rules through compromise.

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Extra-Curricular Activities

1. Do Students Have a Voice in School Extra-Curricular Activities?

In general, the level of input students felt they had in the running of their school based extra-

curricular activities appeared to vary. Markedly, a number of students voiced positive

opinions about their school’s range of extra-curricular activities, as well as students’

involvement in choosing those extracurricular activities (“Yes, students are able to establish

clubs in my school” – Table 34; “In my school students are given choices in different

activities” – Table 19; “I feel like my school is quite open to new activities” – Table 14).

However, these students appeared to be aware that this may not be the case for students in

other schools.

“Very few schools allow it but there are a few that will let the student have a

voice” – Table 39

“In my school yes, however, in other schools they don’t” – Table 24

Indeed, several young people countered that they felt that students have little, or no, voice in

either the selection of the type of extra-curricular activities that are available in schools or

the scheduling/running of those activities.

“Students don’t have a choice in any extra-curricular activities” – Table 14

“They don’t care about what we think we should do for extra-curricular activities,

they pick the activities for us and don’t let us choose them” – Table 4

“There’s no student voice on activity or scheduling” – Table 44

Other students argued that while some schools may offer students a choice in extra-curricular

activities – the choice is restrictive. In particular, young people felt that their voices may only

be heard if they were “part of a committee” (Table 10) or a member of the “student council

or class rep” (Table 44). Additionally, young people reported that there are frequently “not

enough extra-curricular activities” to choose from (Table 34), with some students noting that

even if schools allow students to propose new school clubs/activities it is “always the teachers

who decide in the end” (Table 44).

“You are given set options and told to choose from that” – Table 10

“Students can set up clubs but only if teachers approve” – Table 39

“We’re allowed to start clubs, but there aren’t opportunities or support, which

makes it hard to start one” – Table 4

Some young people also believed that students’ ability to set up new clubs/activities may be

further restricted by both the availability of teachers/resources to accommodate the activity or

a potential lack of interest from other students.

“Sometimes there’s not enough teachers to facilitate sports or not enough

interest” – Table 44

“Teachers do listen to the students, but it depends on how many students

want to do it” – Table 39

16 | P a g e

2. What Needs to Be Improved?

Range of Choice & Level of Student Involvement:

Overall, most young people believed that students “need a bigger voice” (Table 10) in picking

the types of extra-curricular activities that are available in schools and that schools need to

offer a “wider variety” of extra-curricular activities “that students are actually interested in”

(Table 44). Several young people noted that they would like students to have more opportunity

to get involved in the decision-making process and to have more student independence in the

running and management of extra-curricular clubs/societies/activities. Notably, a few students

advised that schools should “trust in students to make good choices and be good leaders”

(Table 4) and to place more “value on students’ opinions” (Table 9).

“Let us speak our opinions on the activities that we want to do rather than the

ones that are chosen for us” – Table 19

“More students getting involved in decision making situations such as

setting up or getting rid of clubs” – Table 39

“More activities organised and run by the students” – Table 24

Focus on Sport:

Across the nine placemats, young people’s discussions centred predominantly around two key

issues; the lack of focus on non-sports based extra-curricular activities in schools and a lack

of equality between male and female centred activities. First, a large number of young people

believed that schools are “too focused on sport” (Table 44) and do not provide enough access

to “non-sporty extra-curricular activities” (Table 34) or “encouragement for other skills”

(Table 4). In particular, young people wanted greater inclusion of more “creative” or “arts”

based clubs/activities, such as “drama”; “music”; “film”; “chess”; “reading” “self-

defence”, “green schools” and “drawing”.

“Not everyone likes/picks sports. There should be more options for people

who don’t succeed at sports” – Table 39

“Sports is more generalised and given more of an option whereas other

subjects involving more creative or academic activities are not offered” –

Table 4

“More activities for students who are less sporty so more musical and

creative students can thrive” – Table 44

Indeed, some students noted that sports were the only extra-curricular activities

available to students in certain schools (“there are no activities except for sport” – Table 14).

Moreover, a small number of students felt that “sports may be given higher priority” (Table

19), as school personnel are becoming more concerned about obtaining achievements, like

“trophies”, or “other material items that show someone’s success in an area” (Table 14), than

on catering to individual interest (“teachers focus too much on clubs with achievements only,

not the ones students have interest in” – Table 19). Conversely, a handful of other students

seemed to feel that schools needed to focus more on sports. More specifically, these students

argued that schools did not provide a wide enough selection of sports for students to choose

17 | P a g e

from, or that some sports activities/teams are not inclusive enough – advocating that schools

should have “more teams for people who aren’t great at sport… have more sports that include

everyone…” (Table 14) and should “create new clubs to facilitate all types of people and skill

levels” (Table 9).

“Only students who done [sports] before are encouraged to join – it should be

more inclusive” –Table 39

“Give students a choice in what sports there are - huge demand for football

(soccer) but school refuse” – Table 24

“The major sports like hockey, tennis, always take precedence while a lot of

other sports and clubs are ignored” – Table 39

Gender Imbalance in Sporting Activities:

Additionally, a large number of young people perceived there to be a “gender imbalance in

opportunities” (Table 44) in relation to boys’ and girls’ sport. In general, young people

expressed unhappiness with the perceived “lack of gender equality” (Table 39) and believed

that there was less value placed on girls sporting activities than boys. Several young people

remarked that there is “more emphasis on male sport” (Table 19) and that “girls aren’t

pushed to pursue sports as easily as [boys] are” (Table 14). Markedly, young people felt

that “there’s more funding for boys sport” and that “some teachers don’t care or support

the girls sport” (Table 34). Young people proposed that because of the “sexist”, “gender

stereotypes” (Table 14) adopted in schools, girls interested in sport do not have the same

opportunities as their male counterparts.

“In sports girls are held to a different standard… girls never get welcome home

celebrations” – Table 44

“Boys sports teams get more attention than girls” – Table 19

“They underestimate girls with sports and only pick ‘neat’ sports for them” –

Table 4

Level of ‘Encouragement’:

Some young people felt that there is “a lot pressure” (Table 14), or even “too much

pressure” (Table 4) from teachers to join certain extra-curricular clubs/activities. On the

other hand, a few students thought that “teachers should be encouraging more students to

take part in extra-curricular activities” (Table 24).

“Students who play sport out of school are expected/pressured to play for the

school & students who have never played the sport before who want to try it

and do it for the school are looked down on if they want to go” – Table 4

“Stop trying to force students to take part, if they say no, it’s a no, or stop giving

students rewards for taking part” – Table 44

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Availability of Extra-Curricular Activities:

Other students contended that there was not enough time set aside by schools for extra-

curricular activities (“There is no time setting for sports” – Table 34; “They should have

assigned times for extra classes for fun stuff” – Table 19). Young people felt that schools

needed to be more flexible in the scheduling of activities (“Need more clubs at lunchtime”

– Table 44; “Have times that suit the student” – Table 27) and that there should be more

activities available to students in all years (“Some modules are only available in TY” – Table

39; “Activities have to be open to people of all ages” – Table 4). One or two young people

noted that students do not have enough time to engage in extra-curricular activities due to

the extent of the academic commitments placed on them by the school, arguing that

“homework doesn’t allow time for extra-curricular activities” (Table 34) and “some people

are…too busy to do any extra-curricular activities usually” (Table 19).

Lack of Funding & Resources:

A number of students took issue with the lack of resources and lack of facilitators available

for school based extra-curricular activities. Several young people remarked that sometimes

extra-curricular activities cannot be facilitated due to a lack of available teachers, or not

having “enough teachers willing to facilitate extra-curricular activities” (Table 4). Some

young people proposed that teachers may be reluctant to volunteer to facilitate these

activities, due to the ‘unpaid’ nature of the work.

“My school has no extra-curricular activities and no teachers will volunteer to

take control or supervise” – Table 4

“Outside sports get cancelled if teacher is too tired to continue training” – Table 24

“Depends on teachers who volunteer their time. Many teachers don’t want to

as they’re not getting paid” – Table 19

However, a couple of students countered that there needs to be “increased teacher

support” (Table 10) and “more teachers” (Table 14), as they felt that “teachers have enough

on and should not have to give up their free time. They (teachers) should only do extra-

curricular activities if they feel they want to” (Table 24). Several students believed that the

lack of funding or resources provided to schools was an issue, stating that there needs to be

“more funding in schools” (Table 9), “more resources” (Table 24) and “better equipment

for all clubs” (Table 27).

“Lack of educational clubs in the areas that would take ‘too much funding’ to man

in the school but could actually help with future careers or grades” – Table 14

“The school needs to be financially supported so they can provide the equipment

for certain school activities” – Table 34

19 | P a g e

Lack of Student Interest:

A small number of students cited a lack of interest in extra-curricular activities by other

students as another important issue, which needs to be addressed. For example, one student

noted that there is a “lack of interest in Comhairle in my school from both teachers and

students” (Table 4), while others proposed that sometimes there needs to be “more

enthusiasm from peers and more effort” (Table 14). Indeed, when discussing the topic of

using student voice to increase the variety of school extra-curricular activities offered, one

student queried “but does it matter? Would students even take part?” (Table 24), while

another questioned “Are you going to fight for more extra-curricular activities that no one

will attend?” (Table 19)

3. How Can We Make These Improvements Happen?

Young people provided several suggestions for how to improve these issues, which appeared

to centre on establishing greater communication between students and staff, generating

greater knowledge of student interests, creating greater awareness/interest in extra-curricular

clubs/activities, and improving resources.

Strategies for Sharing Student Opinion:

Young people proposed that both students and staff should be more active in seeking student

feedback/recommendations in relation to the management of extra-curricular activities in

school. Young people recommended that schools should establish “a clear, standardised

process for students to voice their opinions” (Table 24) and listen more to student ideas.

“Do surveys/ polls to gauge student interest to see if it’s worth doing the

activity” – Table 39

“Have meetings with the students, know what they’re interested in” – Table 34

“Ask students if they have any issues with the lack of facilities/extra-

curricular activities… for example, questionnaires on extra-curricular

activities or suggestion boxes to give ideas” – Table 24

Young people proposed that students could also voice their issues/ideas through other

diverse means, such as “campaigns” (Table 27), “petitions” (Table 19), a “suggestions box”

(Table 9), or “striking together and getting a voice” (Table 10) and strongly advised students

to “come together as one to show how important this is” (Table 39).

Opportunities for Communication:

Young people recommended having better communication between students about their own

interests and what activities are available. For example, some young people suggested having

more “advertisements to start extra-curricular clubs” (Table 9).

“Have a student based note board so people can inform others about

clubs and activities they’re organising by themselves” – Table 4

“Advertise clubs more; Have a club board and have club leaders” – Table 27

20 | P a g e

It was also commonly suggested that there should be “more communication between

teachers and students” (Table 4). Some students suggested that teachers should allow

students to “present an argument as to why clubs are needed instead of shutting them down

right away” (Table 27). A couple of students thought that greater consultation with CSPE

teachers or guidance counsellors (Table 19), in particular, may be beneficial. Moreover, a

small number of students recommended having a specific “teacher designated” to

overseeing extra-curricular activities with students would also be useful (Table 39).

Similarly, students proposed that there needs to be “better communication between students

and [other] staff” (Table 27), such as principals and the board of management: “have more

opportunities to get involved with board of management and senior managements” (Table

10).

Interestingly, young people suggested that students could present their ideas to the

principal (“present something to the principal with valid points, facts & statistics about the

issue – Table 44) or discuss issues with the board of management/Department of Education

(“write a letter to the department” – Table 34; “Talk to the principal or the board” – Table

39). Some young people suggested more innovative solutions to these communication issues,

such as having “a kind of open night so anyone interested in extra-curricular activities can

come with parents and discuss” (Table 24), organising “staff/student meetings” (Table 27)

or having more “consultations with students, constant updates from teachers to students

about what’s going on in the school” (Table 4).

Utilising the Student Council:

While some students believed that the student council should “have more of a voice” (Table

44) and represent students in discussions with the board of management or

“principals/teachers” (Table 19), several students expressed a lack faith in the student

council and did not believe they represented students’ voices.

“Student councils need to listen to student ideas more” – Table 27

“Student council should be interviewed by the teacher and not chosen by

students as that just makes it a popularity contest” – Table 44

Increasing Facilitation:

In relation to issues regarding the lack of facilitation, some young people proposed that

teachers should “try to be more involved with the different extra-curricular activities” (Table

4) or that schools should get “more staff to run clubs” (Table 14), while others suggested

that it may be beneficial to allow other students to manage their own clubs/activities, if it is

not feasible for teachers to volunteer.

“Let individual students organise and manage their own extra-curricular clubs” – Table 4

“Some seniors should run activities so younger students can enjoy more extra-

curricular” – Table 24

“Allow 18+ students to facilitate that are Garda vetted” – Table 44

21 | P a g e

Other students discussed the importance of seeking support from the local

community in relation to facilitation (“Involve the local community more and not just the

school” – Table 4; “Maybe have an active community to help manage extra-curriculars” –

Table 24”). Young people believed that schools would benefit from “getting more people

behind these after school activities (Table 27) and advised that schools/students should “talk

to the community and see what they think (Table 14). In particular, young people suggested

that members of the local community may be able to volunteer their time or expertise, which

could enable schools to facilitate more extra-curricular activities for students.

“Ask locals who are experts on certain topics to come in and teach their skills.

Have a proposal and info to back it up” – Table 27

“Partner up with sports clubs to provide extra-curricular activities” – Table 24

“Contact local clubs or organisations to see if they can come in and give

training to the students for free or for a small fee; Therefore, this could influence

funders to keep up the sports club” – Table 19

Funding:

Finally, young people proposed that seeking additional funding for resources/facilitators for

these extra-curricular activities should be a priority for schools and staff (“More funds need

to be put into after school activities” - Table 24; “Improve funding/grants for school

facilities” – Table 9). Young people suggested that additional funding could be sought from

a variety of sources, such as government grants, local sponsors or other fundraising events.

“Give schools more grants so they’ll become more encouraged to offer loads of

options” – Table 4

“Sports organisations like GAA or FAI could provide improved funding to

build the future of their sports” – Table 24

“More funding through the government of education or through money

raising activities, i.e. book club” – Table 14

“Schools could do more fundraising” - Table 27

Although, it should be noted that students emphasised the importance of sharing the funding

equally between all activities.

Promoting Mixed-Gender Sport:

Some young people proposed having more “mixed teams” to ensure better gender equality

(Table 9) and ensuring that male and female sports are equally funded and promoted.

“When raising money, it should not just be for balls for football, but for instruments or

games for all extra-curricular activities” – Table 44

“More funding for non-athletic as well as athletic clubs in schools” – Table 10

22 | P a g e

“Make sure boys, girls and anyone are given the same opportunities” – Table 14

“In mixed schools allow mixed clubs e.g. basketball or soccer instead of

stereotyping sports specifically” – Table 9

4. Conclusion

To summarise, although several young people felt that students should have more

say in the range and variety of extra-curricular activities that are available in schools,

students recognised that some schools have limited access to resources and funding, which

may impede their ability to cater to a wider range of interests. Nonetheless, most young

people believed that greater communication between students and staff would be beneficial

and there should be more consideration given to the opinions of (all) students. Young people

raised issues with what they perceived as a lack of focus on non-sports related extra-

curricular activities, the prioritisation of male sport over female sport, the lack of

funding/resources available for students’ extra-curricular activities, and the lack of interest

from teachers/other students. Young people suggested that schools could secure greater

funding for a wider variety of activities, through grants, sponsorships, or fundraising, or

allow students or non-staff members to facilitate more extra-curricular activities.

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School Uniforms

1. Do Students Have a Voice in School Uniforms?

Markedly, within the context of school uniforms, only a handful of students appeared to feel

they had a voice, or freedom of expression, in this area (“We have a lot of freedom, the

student council has a say” – Table 23; “Yes, all clothes are excepted and all body features”

– Table 33; “I have a voice in my school and I am listened too” – Table 18). In contrast, the

vast majority of young people expressed a lack of satisfaction with their current school

uniform/dress code policy and believed that students, typically, “do not get a voice in this

area” (Table 43) and that schools “do not listen to students” (Table 20).

“No students are rarely asked about uniform and when we are, we’re mostly

ignored” – Table 23

“I feel like in my school I am just a number” – Table 20

“The uniform is set and it is not open for discussion” – Table 3

“Nope. No self-expression. No individuality. No choice whatsoever” – Table 38

2. What Needs to Be Improved?

The young people in these groups identified several issues in relation to school uniform/dress

code policy, which they believe need to be improved.

Compulsory Nature of School Uniforms:

Several young people discussed the mandatory nature of student uniforms. Notably, several

young people argued that there should be “no uniform” (Table 33) in schools and that

students should be allowed to “wear what they want within reason” (Table 43; Table 38).

Indeed, a couple of young people appeared to feel quite passionately about this subject,

believing that uniforms repress young people’s individuality:

“I feel there is NO reason for uniforms to be an item in school. Nobody is

allowed to be unique and when we look at each other we see the same dull

colour” - Table 28

“You can say what you want about bullying or whatever but stripping rights and

freedom from the people has never fixed society’s problems. Clothes are not

the problem” - Table 3

“We should be allowed to express our individuality, which we are told

everyday but aren’t allowed to do due to uniform policy” – Table 43

On the other hand, a number of young people proposed that having a “school uniform is a

good idea” (Table 33) and believed that schools should “not get rid of school uniforms”

(Table X1).

“We should have a uniform so that people won’t have trouble picking clothes for

school” – Table 8

“School uniform is a good idea as it does not distinguish between those with

expensive or cheap clothes” – Table 33

“Without uniforms bullying and isolation will become a problem” – Table 33

24 | P a g e

Cost, Comfort & Practicality of School Uniforms:

Several students argued that “uniforms are uncomfortable and expensive” (Table 33). Young

people believed that schools value “appearance over comfort” (Table 43) and were of the

opinion that uniforms are “scratchy” (Table 23), “ugly and uncomfortable” (Table 3),

“never fit well” (Table 18) and, overall, are “not practical for different seasons” (Table 18).

“Uniforms should be more practical e.g. coats should actually be warm to

account for the weather” - Table 33

“Comfort of uniform should be prioritised over its appearance” – Table 38

Young people also claimed that “uniforms are awfully expensive” (Table 28) and that they

may in fact be “too expensive for some families” (Table 33). Young people argued that

“uniforms should be more convenient and cheaper” (Table 18) as “often uniforms and other

school supplies are expensive and a burden on parents and guardians” (Table 38).

“In my school you are forced to wear a school jacket which costs an extra €60”

– Table X1

“If we can’t afford the school jacket, we’re not allowed to wear any jacket at

all” – Table 43

“People can’t always afford the certain uniforms and then get in trouble for

it” – Table 3

Strictness of School Uniform & Appearance Rules:

Students generally agreed that current rules in relation to uniforms or appearance are “too

strict” (Table 33). More specifically, most students felt that certain rules in relation to

uniform dress code are unreasonable and that punishments for small infringements in the

dress code are too severe, citing that schools have “strict rules and even stricter

punishments” (Table 38) and overly “harsh punishments for simple rule breaking” (Table

23). Young people gave numerous examples of dress code rules which they thought were

unfair or too strict:

“If we’re cold we aren’t allowed to wear a jumper over our uniform” – Table 43

“Our school is very strict, and they send anyone who has the tiniest bit of

white on their shoes home” – Table 38

“Warm - not allowed to take off jumper;

Cold – not allowed to put on a jacket” – Table 28

“Not allowed to wear half-zips in school even though they’re tops from

school teams” – Table 18

Similarly, the majority of young people took issue with the strictness of rules in

relation to “appearance”, which they felt were prevalent in most schools. In particular, most

young people appeared to disagree with rules that do not allow students to “express

themselves with hair colour or piercings” (Table 43) or other similar rules restricting young

people’s physical appearance, such as rules on tattoos, make-up, facial hair etc. Young people

25 | P a g e

contended that these rules stop young people from “being able to express ourselves” (Table

38) or feeling “free or unique” (Table 28), and “takes away individuality” (Table 33).

“Students should be allowed to wear as many piercings as they want and have

their hair whatever colour they want, because it doesn’t have an effect on their

education; Students should be allowed to have facial hair - it doesn’t affect their

learning” – Table 38

“It’s too judgmental. What harm is it to have piercings and tattoos if it’s them being

themselves? – Table 23

“Uniform is a good idea, but we should be allowed to change our appearance

the way we want, such as hair dye and piercings” – Table 33

Gender Inequality in School Dress Code:

Furthermore, young people voiced their concerns in relation to perceived gender inequalities

in the school’s uniform/dress code policies, arguing that there are “different rules for boys

and girls” (Table 23) and that “boys and girls don’t have the same rights” (Table 43).

Typically, young people called for more “equality between boys’ and girls’ uniform both in

cost and look” (Table X1) and less gendered dress code policies.

“Lads have to have short hair, but girls don’t; Boys are not allowed to wear

earrings, but girls are” – Table 23

“Sexist: girls have to wear skirts, boys have to wear trousers” – Table 33

“If you don’t identify as a female it’s unfair to be forced to wear a skirt, or

trousers, and conform to gender norms” - Table 8

3. How Can We Make These Improvements Happen?

Young people provided a number of recommendations and suggestions for improving

student input and satisfaction with school uniform/dress code policy.

Open Communication Channels:

Generally, young people proposed that having “more communication between students and

staff” (Table 43) would be beneficial and that “consulting young people should be a staple

of every school” (Table 23). Young people suggested schools could create more open

communication channels by having “meetings with the teachers” (Table 43) so “teachers

listen to students more” (Table 38), letting students “talk to the Department of Education”

(Table 33) or “principal about changes to uniform” (Table X1) or establishing “members

of the student body in the Board of Management” (Table 18). Young people also discussed

involving wider organisations, such as liaising with the parent’s council, the Comhairle, or

local TDs, and suggested gathering more information about students’ opinions and creating

more awareness about their issues through practices such as “surveys”, “petitions” and

“protests”.

26 | P a g e

“Form a group and go to teachers, parent’s council and board of management

and request change” - Table 43

“Talk to the parents and they bring it to the school” - Table 23

“Write a letter to the President; Go to Local TDs or Minister for Education” - Table 18

“Have surveys to decide student opinions on uniform & matters of that nature” –

Table 38

Student Council Involvement:

A number of young people believed that the student council may be useful in propelling

change in this area and advised that students should “form a good student council” (Table

43) and “talk about it more often with the student council” (Table 8). A number of young

people proposed that the student council “should be encouraged to tackle uniform issues”

(Table X1) and may be able to negotiate changes to uniform policy on students’ behalf

(“Student council should communicate more with teachers” – Table 23; “Student councils

have a sit with the principal, Vice-principal etc. and have a discussion” – Table 33). Notably,

however, a couple of students emphasised that the “student council should listen to everyone,

not just their friends” (Table 20).

School Guidelines & Legislation:

Some young people proposed that establishing guidelines or “new legislation” (Table 43) in

relation to school uniform policy may help to bring about desired changes.

“The Board of Management or Comhairle could supply guidelines with

Department of Education endorsement” – Table 3

“Government petition and legislation which tell public schools how to be run” –

Table 3

“Have guidelines across all public schools…Make changes to the school rules

mandatory” – Table 8

“Go to the Department of Education and get them to bring in uniform regulations”

– Table 18

Increased Student Input:

In terms of the desired changes to the school uniform policy, which they would like to see,

young people recommended that schools (who have uniforms) allow students to have more

of “a say in how it is designed” (Table 38) or to compromise be offering students “more

non-uniform days” (Table 8).

“Give schools less control over uniform choice; if not, have a range of uniforms

to choose from” – Table 43

“Students should get a chance to suggest ideas for formal but convenient

uniforms to the teachers” – Table 23

“Just get rid of uniforms please, please, please or at least have a non-uniform

day ONCE a week like every Friday… which is usually a short day” – Table 28

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Less Strict Rules:

Young people also recommended making some small, practical changes to the uniform,

suggesting that a “more relaxed uniform policy” (Table 8), such as letting students wear

their “own clothes in PE” (Table X1) or “own jacket” may enable students to feel more

comfortable in school.

“Let students come in in their PE clothes and go home too” – Table 38

“When schools get half-zips/jumpers with the crest we should be allowed to wear it

as part of the uniform” – Table 33

“Allow more leniency with uniform e.g. can wear own coat etc.” – Table 38

“Have a choice in what type of jacket you can wear…Shoes, socks and tights

shouldn’t matter” – Table X1

Gender Neutral Uniforms & Dress Codes:

Furthermore, young people suggested that schools introduce a “more gender fluid” (Table

23) or “common uniform – skirts or trousers for both genders” (Table 8), with a number of

young people suggesting that there should be “equal uniforms for all boys and girls. Pants

and skirts should be equal and allowed to be worn in all boys and all girls’ schools, as well

as mixed schools” (Table 3). Similarly, young people proposed that schools should ensure

that there is greater “parity in rules on haircuts/piercings between boys/girls” (Table 23)

and suggested that schools should become more lenient in their appearance rules more

generally.

“Have schools seeing their students and trying to make little lenient changes” –

Table 33

“Lighten the rules on extras such as number of piercings, dyed hair etc.” – Table 28

“Change rules with board of management regarding restrictions on piercings, hair

colour skirt lengths” – Table X1

Reducing Uniform Expense:

Young people commonly recommended that schools should try to make uniforms

“cheaper” and “more affordable” (Table 33). Young people suggested several different

strategies in which this could be achieved:

“Schools could buy uniforms in bulk and sell cheaply” – Table X1

“Allow more generic requirement such as plain shirt and jumpers” – Table 38

“Donate old school jumpers and coats for low income families” – Table 18

“Reduce the cost by reducing expensive accessories… or have option to

buy second hand” – Table 33

“Schools should be aware of people’s financial state…school should

support families for cost of uniforms and services in the school” – Table 23

“Lower the prices of school uniforms a grant to be passed like the no tax on

children’s shoes, so no tax… or reductions to school uniforms” – Table 18

28 | P a g e

4. Conclusion

Typically, young people did not seem content with their schools’ uniform/dress code

policies and did not appear to believe students’ opinions are taken into consideration in this

matter. In general, young people argued that uniforms are expensive and should be more

comfortable and practical. Young people believed that rules in relation to uniform dress

code and appearance were often too strict in schools and as a result restricted young people’s

ability to engage in self-expression and showcase their individuality. Young people also

contended that uniform rules were not equal for both genders. Overall, young people

recommended that schools listen to students’ opinions regarding uniform/appearance policy

more and that there should be greater communication between students and school

personnel. Young people provided numerous suggestions for how the cost of uniforms could

be reduced and recommended that schools become more lenient in their dress code policies.

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School Management

1. Do Students Have a Voice in School Management?

In relation to the topic of student voice in school management, most students felt that the

extent to which student voice is heard “depends” on a variety of factors. For example, young

people suggested that having young people’s opinions heard may depend on the extent to

which “the student council actually gets involved” (Table 5). Similarly, some students

proposed that it also “depends on the school and the determination” of students (Table 15),

or “who you go to” (Table X2), or even just “depends on the situation…sometimes the

school ignores students on the important issues” (Table X2). Overall, young people

appeared to believe that the student voice is limited to making “small changes” (Table 29),

that their “voices can only go so far” (Table 35), and that students are (typically) not

“included in decision making situations or involved in meetings where pressing issues are

being discussed” (Table 40).

“Depends because if the management does not agree with the opinion it

won’t happen” – Table 45

“Students only have a voice if the teachers like what they are saying” – Table 35

“It depends, you can’t complain unless you do it to a teacher that actually

cares” – Table 5

Additionally, several young people noted their opinion that young people are simply “not

involved as much as they should be” (Table 15) and voiced their discontent with the

perceived lack of consideration given to student opinions in this area, sharing their belief

that “students are not trusted by teachers” (Table 35).

“The management only does what they like and if they are happy they think

students are” – Table 45

“We’re not treated like we should be, by not allowing us to speak our mind

when it comes to important issues” – Table 40

Notably, however, a small number of young people were found to be of the opinion that

students do have a voice, or a “fair chance to share [their] opinion” (Table 29) in this area

(“If you have a problem you can go to the office and it will be at least looked at” – Table 40;

“In my school we are involved in most of the decisions that our school decides” – Table X2).

2. What Needs to Be Improved?

Student Involvement in Decision-Making:

In general, the young people in these groups believed that students ought to be more

involved in the decision making process and that there needs to be both more

“consideration” and “more action” (Table 15) in relation to the student voice (“Actually

take students suggestions into account and do something about it instead of making

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excuses” – Table 45; “Students need to see an impact from their voice. Principals need to

do more than just listen, there needs to be change” - Table 40). In particular, young people

believed that schools/teachers need to place greater “trust in their students’ opinions”

(Table 35) and create a more open “environment where students feel comfortable expressing

their opinions” (Table X2) and ideas with staff.

“Teachers need to learn to trust a student’s opinion and appreciate what they

have to say” – Table 40

“Sometimes they don’t trust that we can make competent decisions” – Table 45

“’Young Adults’ – Treat us as such” – Table 29

“Give students’ confidence to stand up for themselves and others... Allow pupils

to freely express their views without fear of being yelled at for it” – Table 5

Staff-Student Communication Problems:

In order to create a more inclusive environment, young people proposed that greater

communication and understanding between students and staff was paramount, citing “the

way teachers and students listen to each other” (Table 45) and “the relationship between

students and the Board of Management” (Table 15) and other “people in authority” (Table

45) as major issues in need of improvement. Indeed, one young person commented:

“students in my school don’t feel comfortable talking to staff” (Table X2).

“Have better communication between students and the school management. I

don’t even know who the school management is” – Table 45

“Relations between teachers/staff and pupils must be improved & they must be

able to discuss things” – Table X2

“The only way of communication with BOM is through principal which

he/she might forget about” – Table 15

Student Representation & Student Councils:

A small number of young people argued that “equal representation from the whole student

body” (Table 15) was required, while a couple of young people hinted that there may

sometimes be issues in relation to communication between students.

“Other students need to take it seriously, not just teachers” – Table 45

“Every student, if they want to, should have a voice in how a school runs” –

Table 15

“The different committees in school, more than just the student council, should

have input on decisions made and others should have voices heard” – Table 29

Notably, the issue which was most commonly discussed by students, throughout all

nine placemats, pertained to the role of the student council. On one hand, several students

thought that the “student council should be taken more seriously” (Table 15) and that

schools should “give more power and responsibility to the student council” (Table X2).

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These young people believed that the student council should advocate for students’ opinions

and act as representatives of the student’s voices in meetings with staff/management - with

staff giving greater consideration to the issues presented by the student council (“teachers

actually take the student council on board and listen” – Table 35)

“The student council should have to be called on for everything to do with

change in the school AND the student council should introduce new

changes every now and again” - Table 29

“If schools were more interested in having a student council and listening to

their students’ opinions both the students and staff could benefit” – Table 5

“Don’t have student council as token image, listen to opinions brought forth by

student council” – Table 40

“The council should be able to put their ideas into action” – Table X2

On the other hand, several students expressed reservations about the utility of the

student council, arguing that “student councils are flawed” (Table 40) or that the “student

council is unfair” (Table 35) as it “does not listen to student opinion” (Table 45). A number

of students shared their opinion that the student council is a “popularity contest” (Table 15)

and “just for show” (Table 35) as “student councils are picked not by who’s interested by

whoever is popular” (Table 40). These young people argued that student councils may be

unmotivated to tackle issues that are important to other students and that the council,

typically, represents the opinions of a select few, rather than those of the entire student body.

As a result, these young people felt that “the whole school needs to be able to voice their

opinions not just the council” (Table 29).

“Student councils…are chosen by popular vote which makes popular people

win just to get out of class” - Table 45

“Student council say they take staff on board but they don’t…. student council

are more of a courtesy than for them to be able to sort out the problems” –

Table 5

“Not all the students [have a voice] – sometimes it can be only the council, and

the student council don’t even listen” – Table 15

3. How Can We Make These Improvements Happen?

Opportunities for Student Involvement:

Young people recommended that schools provide “more opportunities [for students] to

voice their opinions” (Table 29), by “informing students how they can request a change in

the school” (Table 35) or by establishing “better platforms to let students have a voice”

(Table 15). In particular, young people suggested that strategies such as surveys and

suggestion boxes or discussions at ‘assemblies’ could be employed as a means of seeking

student input/opinion. However, a couple of young people emphasised that “the teachers

need to help the students, not the other way round” (Table 29) and “teachers/principal

should reach out to students first as students may be shy” (Table 40).

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“Getting equal weight of voice for both staff and students by getting staff to do

surveys and give them to students to see what they would like to change” – Table 5

“Have suggestion boxes that should actually be used” – Table 40

It was also suggested that young people themselves could generate greater awareness of this

issue by engaging in “strikes” (Table 45), “campaigning” (Table 15), “peaceful protests”

(Table 29), or “petitions” (Table 40).

Staff-Student Communication:

Young people encouraged students to discuss their issues with staff and other figures of

authority (“Talk to the school” – Table 15; “Just bring them issues up to the board of

management or education” – Table 29; “Talk to the teachers about issues you think are

important” – Table 35; “Talk with the deputy principal as they generally interact more with

students than principals” – Table 40).

More specifically, young people suggested employing new strategies that could help

foster more communication between students and staff, such as ensuring “youth

representation on the board of management” (Table 35), having “more regular meetings

between staff and pupils to discuss topics” (Table 29) or creating new policy (“Have

government policy on how many Board of Management meetings and who should attend” –

Table X2)

“Make sure all ideas are run past a body of students. Idea should not be passed

unless majority are in favour. Make it mandatory that schools include it in their

policies. It’s an issue that will affect us, so we should have final say” – Table 45

“Students should sit on the board of management, they are as important in the

school community as other shareholders” - Table X2

“Have management meetings with elected year heads and principals in

order for them to hear our voice” – Table 29

A number of young people also made specific recommendations for how to “improve the

bond of respect and trust among teachers and students” (Table 5). For example, by asking

teachers to consult with students directly about their opinions, providing better

workshops/training for teachers, or training students to be more confident in voicing their

opinions.

“Teachers should find a way to speak to less outgoing students who

wouldn’t directly complain” - Table 15

“Circle time? Growing more confident with yourself & others using one

class a week to talk about how you are” – Table 45

“Hold workshops for teachers to make them more open minded towards the

idea of young people’s opinions and how valuable they are” - Table 5

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Involvement of Other Organisations:

Additionally, a couple of young people recommended involving other agencies or

organisations. In particular, young people proposed that students could work together with

the parent’s council in order to help increase student voice in this area (e.g. “Try to get the

parent committee to talk to the board” – Table 15), or seek guidance and input from the

Comhairle or those involved with Comhairle. In fact one young person proposed that

“students who are members of Comhairle only talk to management” (Table X2).

“Comhairle should share their views and research with the schools to show

them exactly how students feel” – Table 5

“Instead of having meetings just between parent council & teachers include

students” – Table 45

“Comhairle policy should be implemented in schools by Department of

Education” – Table 15

“Students need to be represented at parent council meetings and need to

work together” – Table 40

Improved Student Councils:

Finally, young people made several recommendations for how to improve the role of the

student council. Namely, young people advocated having “an improved student election

process” (Table 40), so that “people and students who are truly interested don’t feel self-

conscious or pressure on joining/signing up” (Table X2). In general, young people

suggested having more “student council interviews” (Table 35) or involving “teacher

nominations” (Table 40) as part of the election process

“Implement formal voting for student councils that mirror adult councils” – Table 40

“Student councils shouldn’t be voted on by students because it’s a popularity

contest” - Table 15

“Students who are interested in it should be interviewed by a teacher and

teacher choose who they think will try to make a proper change” – Table 45

“Engage more students to try get interest going instead of electing people onto

student council through popularity” – Table 5

Moreover, young people recommended having more communication between the student

councils and other students, and ensuring that there is transparency and accountability in the

councils’ agenda/activities.

“Inspectors should evaluate the quality of student councils and ensure

students have a vote” – Table X2

“Have a progress board where other people can see what they are doing” –

Table 29

“Have someone check what way the student council is in schools and add

more rules that makes sure the student council is taken seriously” - Table 45

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However, while some young people proposed that student councils should have

more independence and operate outside of adult involvement (“Student council should be

independent from principal” – Table 15; Student council should be more open with no adults

in the room – Table 45), others thought that more adult involvement in the student council

would be beneficial (“Student councils should have a teacher who is interested in the

meetings- Table X2; “Student councils should have more consistent meetings with an adult

facilitator” – Table 29; ”There should be more than one teacher or adult on the student

council” – Table 35). Nonetheless, most young people appeared to agree that better training

for student council members should be implemented (“Get proper student council training”

– Table 35; “Train teachers and students improve and promote image of SC for wider appeal

and host fun events” – Table 40; “Have better training about school management & student

management” – Table 45; “Teach them how to file improvements suggestion that won’t just

get thrown out”- Table 35). Notably, some students still recommended having “more than

just the student council to be a voice in school management, because one group can’t

solve/help all problems” (Table 45).

“Maybe hold a meeting so that any students can come and discuss what

usually discussed at school management meetings beside student

council” – Table 45

“Involve students other than student council reps to attend some council

meetings” – Table 40

4. Conclusions

The majority of students in these groups believed that student voice in student management

is restricted and proposed that greater inclusion of student opinions in this area was

necessary. Young people shared their thoughts in relation to a number of perceived

communication issues between staff and students and between students and the student

council. While some young people proposed that the student council should have more

power and input into school decision making, others expressed reservations about the

representativeness of the council and the validation given to the council by schools. Young

people recommended making several changes to the student council selection process in

order to increase its utility and outlined several strategies for encouraging more

communication between students and school personnel.

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Overall Conclusions

In conclusion, across the 45 individual placemat discussions, young people attending the

Comhairle na nÓg National showcase expressed a series of important opinions and ideas in

relation to five topic areas: Subjects & Subject Choice; School Rules; Uniform and

Appearance; Extra-Curricular Activities; and School Management. In particular, across

each topic, young people voiced concerns about the lack of inclusion of the student voice in

the decision-making process in schools and continuously requested that teachers, principals,

and boards of management place further trust in students to make ‘good’ decisions that can

benefit the whole school community. Additionally, across each of the five topics, young

people identified issues with the way in which students and staff communicate with each

other in schools. Young people typically recommended that school staff should engage in

more active consultations with students and employ a variety of strategies to seek the

opinions and voices of all students. Two other common issues, which were frequently

discussed by students, across the majority of these topics, related to the role of the student

council and gender equality within school policies. In general, young people called for

changes in the structure of the student council to allow for more power and better student

representation, and for greater gender equality across all schools. Notably, although these

young people commonly advocated for schools to make more active changes to guidelines

or procedures, based on student opinion, young people typically acknowledged that schools

may also be limited by wider policy and/or the availability of resources. Overall, young

people in these group discussions appeared to strongly believe that incorporating greater

student voice into the school system and giving greater consideration to students’

opinions/suggestions would have a positive impact on student life and well-being.

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References

Braun, V. & Clarke, V. (2006) ‘Using thematic analysis in psychology’, Qualitative Research

in Psychology, 3(2), 77–101.

Rice, P.L. & Ezzy, D. (1999) Qualitative Research Methods: A Health Focus. Melbourne,

Australia: Oxford University Press.