Being Head Boy of any school is a role which comes with great responsibility. It requires a clear set of goals, an open mind to the views of others, and a real passion for change. Being Head Boy of a school like Knox Academy is definitely no exception.

Since arriving at Knox Academy in the summer of 2005, I have come to appreciate that the school is a special place, an establishment which I am proud to be a part of, and most importantly, a place which I have taken a huge amount from. This is why I feel that the opportunity to be Head Boy is one which I should grasp fully, as being Head Boy would be the ultimate way of giving back to the school, as much as I can, what my time here has given me.

Being a pupil at Knox for such a substantial period of time has also allowed

me to form an opinion on what I feel needs changed within the school community. What I would like to achieve over my final year at the school revolves primarily around the following:

Bringing about a stronger voice for the pupils within the school, and

Promoting the internet as a way to broadcast the work done within the school community.

Firstly, it has occurred to me in recent times that the school is led very much from the front, with decisions being made without fully consulting the pupils which they affect. This is something which I feel needs addressing to ensure that the school reaches its full potential.

The third article of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child

(UNCRC) states that: “Anyone making decisions that affect young people should make young people’s interests a high priority.” Within Knox Academy, the purpose of the school council is to provide a link between the staff and pupils, and vice versa, to give students a voice in decisions which affect them. I have felt over the past few years that decisions have been made which most definitely affected the pupils of the school, without the pupils being consulted in the way which the school council is

designed to make very easy. In the 21st Century, this attitude is not appropriate, and as Head Boy I would strive to ensure that a system is set up to ensure a stronger pupil voice, to be certain the views of the pupils are not overlooked again.

Secondly, the school council within Knox Academy has the potential to be a strong voice within the school community, allowing decisions to be made jointly with the staff and pupils, to get the best deal for both parties. I feel that a strong voice needs a strong method of broadcasting the work that is done by such a group.

If Knox Academy is to be considered a thoroughly modern learning environment, then the way in which the school uses the internet needs reviewing. It is lost on me why the school website has very little pupil generated content on it, when the work the pupils do within the school as a matter of course is of such a high standard. To be the only Secondary school in East Lothian where the homepage is very formally written by the head teacher shows how there is a lack of real community spirit within the school. In this day and age, there is so much more which can easily be done. I would aim to encourage the use of the internet as far as possible, taking advantage of such services offered by the council, and national bodies, such as edubuzz, and Glow. I also feel that the School Council could benefit from a change of the present situation. The work the school council does is of such high importance, and I do not believe that this work is reported on fully to the other pupils, so why not use the web? The internet offers so many options which would ensure the work which goes on in the school gets recognised, and in particular, the work of the School Council. Using the internet in this way, within Knox Academy would be different, and would take some time to get used to, but the benefits it would bring, and the possibilities for promoting the work the school council does are, in my opinion, endless.

I believe that Head Boy is a position which should only be filled by someone who has a clear vision of what they would like to achieve, and by someone who would like to change things for the whole school community, rather than just their year group. Of course, if elected, I would also be more than willing to take on the views of my peers, as ensuring a strong sense of a community within the school is one of my ultimate goals, along with providing a strong voice for the pupils.

I would act on any suggestion in an enthusiastic and positive manner. Being someone who relishes a challenge, who has a real love for working within a

team and who will do my utmost to see a job through to the end, and see it done properly, I think that I am to be considered seriously as a candidate for this post.

These are just some of the ideas I have, and why I feel I am someone to be

considered seriously when voting for Head Boy of 2010/2011. So please, if you think I am a viable candidate, vote Andrew Gilmour for Head Boy this Friday!