The School Council is an important part of our school, giving students a voice and allowing them to participate in decisions concerning every aspect of school life.

It was involved in drawing up last year's Behaviour for Learning initiative, which has proved a great success, and this year has contributed ideas for the design of the new uniform.

The School Council works hard every year, organising fund-raising events and regularly meeting to discuss and resolve any issues occurring in and around school which affect the students.

Each year group has its own council, which elects students to serve on the main School Council, which meets every Thursday lunchtime and occasionally during period five.

During the course of this academic year the council organised several non-uniform days to raise money for chosen charities. Each student pays a small sum for the "privilege" of wearing their own clothes for a day and, to boost the takings even further, council members go around the school during break and lunchtimes encouraging students and staff to throw their change into a bucket.

Wolverley is a particularly generous school, and the amount raised increases every year. In order to decide which charities to support, questionnaires are sent around the school and each student has the opportunity to register their preference. This year, chosen beneficiaries included Cancer Research, Comic Relief and Acorns Children's Hospice.

Another important function of the council is to assist in the induction of new students and they were particularly busy this year as we welcomed our incoming years seven, eight students for two days and the new year nine students for a week.

The aim was to encourage the new students to become involved with the council and to show them the type of issues that are dealt with.

Year nine students were asked for their ideas about fund raising whilst years seven and eight helped to design a questionnaire asking students to describe their "perfect teacher" and "perfect lesson" as, next year, the council will be more involved in contributing ideas to improve the teaching and learning.

The new students responded enthusiastically and came up with some brilliant and mature ideas. Many expressed an interest in joining the council next year and will be made welcome.

To promote awareness of Fairtrade, the year 11 council organised a fashion show.

Students approached People Tree, an outlet for fashionable clothes manufactured according to the exacting standards of Fairtrade.

The students were impressed not only by the beautiful clothes, but by the principles of Fairtrade, which exists to help people in developing countries and the global environment by insisting that all its products are produced by workers who are paid a fair wage and that natural, recycled and biodegradable substances are used where possible.

Although it might be thought that such a worthy cause would produce only "worthy" clothes, the students were delighted by the glamorous, original and wearable garments, and the audience were equally impressed.

The fashion show took place in school on May 10 and was very well supported by staff, students and parents.

The help of the drama department was enlisted to provide moody lighting, a throbbing sound system and a smoke machine - creating a dramatic, lively backdrop.

The audience applauded as one funky outfit after another emerged onto the catwalk, expertly modelled by students and staff.

There was a brief interval to give the models a breathe) during which Sonia Benbow showed off her terpsichorean skills (dancing to those of you who aren't A level English Language students!) to the appreciative audience.

The main organisers, Katie Arens, Jenny Lobley and Helen Mackie, were thrilled by the response.

"Not only did we have a fantastic evening," said Jenny, "but we really raised awareness of the importance of Fairtrade. We handed out catalogues after the show and people were queuing up to get one."

So successful was the evening that the current year 10 council are thinking of organising a similar event next year.

Not only will Wolverley students be the best dressed, they'll also be the most ecologically aware. We're all for saving the planet, and if we can look good at the same time, even better!

By Laura Chamberlain