ABSTRACT
School Councils operate in nearly all schools, but they are not always the best way to hear the opinions and views of pupils. Finding effective ways to hear about and understand the pupils’ experiences of everyday life in school is key to bringing down barriers to reporting abuse. Pupil-led forums can improve cultures of mutual respect, but involvement of the senior leadership is crucial to legitimise the discussion. The most effective way to garner the views of pupils is to use anonymous surveys. Once these views have been understood it is important that schools are prepared to act on what they have learned.
