Why Choose Us?

step 1 of 5

Current, relevant lessons

Our team of qualified teachers creates weekly lessons on the topics that matter most to young people from health & wellbeing to crime, justice & extremism.

We know that some of these topics can be difficult to talk about with young people, which is why everything you need to deliver the lesson is included in an impartial manner.

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PSHE, SMSC, British Values & Prevent curriculum coverage

We provide evidence of full coverage of PSHE, SMSC, British Values, and Prevent curriculum criteria, ensuring that your school meets all necessary standards.

As teachers ourselves, we know how stressful curriculum planning and inspections can be. We don't want that to get in the way of delivering amazing lessons, which is why we do it for you. Full curriculum maps, Ofsted guidance & ongoing support to meet school needs.

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Zero-prep & minimal tech

Trusted by more than 50,000 teachers every week, our resources are delivered straight to your inbox. Using just Powerpoint presentations, literally anyone can deliver the sessions - staff or students!

We also make sure you're covered for relevant awareness days and any breaking news events that may crop up during your subscription.

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National Voting Platform

At the end of each lesson, students vote on the topic at hand, demonstrating British Values live in the classroom.

This not only helps inspire discussion in the classroom, but also allows us to make their voices heard: to share their thoughts with charities, organisations & the Government. From policy changes to influencing new initiatives, our voters are changemakers.

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Easy Integration & Online Support

Our team are on hand at every step of your journey with VotesforSchools. From live online training to constant support, you can reach us by phone, email or video call.

Our simple platform and outstanding customer support allows you to sign up and start using the resources instantly.

What do schools say?

"Votes for Schools is a fantastic tool used skilfully by staff to engage our children in discussions around vital topics such as equality and cohesion... The resources support teachers both with workload and with a 'hook' in to some potentially challenging issues. We love it here!"

Headteacher

Caldmore Primary Academy

What do schools say?

"I haven't had the full Ofsted report shared with me yet which is a shame but PSHE, which a) I am in charge of and b) owes a lot of its content to VfS was rated excellent.... the VfS system is the ONLY weekly opportunity and vehicle by which PSHE is delivered in our school (the rest of PSHE comes down to our enrichment, Respect Day programmes, some aspects of our RE curriculum and assemblies all of which are ad hoc) so I can't really understate its importance: Thank you!"

Deputy Head

Bebington High School

What do schools say?

"I would like to take this moment to say what a fantastic resource VotesforSchools is - it's so invaluable for teaching and informing the children about current affairs."

Senior Leader

Thomas’s Clapham Secondary School

What do schools say?

"The VoteTopics are fun, engaging and really relevant to the young people we teach."

Head of Welfare

EPSOM College

What do schools say?

"Our Year 6 teacher told me they are having the best ever lesson using your anti-bullying resource & that she absolutely loves VotesforSchools. Our drama teacher also emailed me last week saying: "I am not sure I have ever said it but I literally love this website. It is brilliant & such a useful tool.""

Deputy Head

Parkgate Primary School

What do schools say?

"As a result of following the topics, attendance at tutor periods has increased and the feedback from staff and students is positive; they are enjoying discussing topical issues with excellent up-to-date resources."

Assistant Principal

Reigate College

What do schools say?

"VotesforColleges is brilliant. It has enabled me to develop the tutorial provision across the College to promote SMSC issues through the use of the materials, to a group of personal tutors who wouldn’t necessarily have felt equipped to deal with the subject areas ... The use of the materials over this period have proved invaluable and the quality of the resources is excellent… In fact, we had some AOC training in preparation for OFSTED and they specifically fed back on the use of VfC as a big positive!"

Head of Learner Support Services

Guernsey College of Further Education

What do schools say?

"Children punch the air when they find out it's a VfS assembly."

Headteacher

St Chad's Catholic Primary School

What do schools say?

"We love VotesforSchools here, it's a great platform for discussion & debating. We've had Primary schools in, Heads of other schools and UTCs and I've been plugging VotesforSchools to all of them and they're really impressed with how it works."

Head of SMSC

UTC Plymouth

What do schools say?

"My pupils say: "It's my favourite part of the week" and "I really enjoy thinking about the topics and then voting." They are now much more confident discussing each topic."

Class Teacher

Coton C of E Primary School

What do schools say?

"VotesforSchools is such an important part of our week. We display the responses from classes on a board for all to see, and we display the question in the staffroom and encourage responses from the staff!"

ARP Phase Leader and Teacher of the Deaf

Five Elms Primary School

What do schools say?

"VotesforSchools has been great for us to easily expand the areas our students think about and to help them see themselves as part of a bigger world, not just our small school."

Year 11 Teacher

Gryphon School

What do schools say?

"Having access to all the different levels from KS1-16+ allows us to differentiate in our SEN school – it is this flexibility that really works for us."

Upper School Class Teacher

Small Haven School

QHow are the lesson topics chosen?

There are three ways in which we choose our topics:

1. Based on current affairs, as was the case for our Black Lives Matter resources, as well as many of our Coronavirus VoteTopics.

2. Based on the diverse society in which we live and the events or Awareness Days that celebrate different communities. You can find our list of pre-planned topics for 2021/22 by downloading our calendar here.

3. Based on suggestions from voters and teachers on what they would like to see us cover. These are some of our favourite topics to cover as we know we are reflecting issues they find most important back to them!

We always provide voters with further information of who they can talk to or raise any concerns with for any particularly challenging topics, and we always recommend the government Safeguarding best practice policy is followed.

QHow do you make sure topics are accurate and impartial?

At the beginning of each week the team sits down with the proposed VoteTopic question and maps out the most compelling arguments for and against. These form the foundation upon which each lesson is built, with all the activities offering scope to explore both the “Yes” and “No” sides.

When covering specialised topics, we consult experts wherever possible to ensure the information we are providing is from a trusted source and is giving our voters accurate advice and guidance.

Each lesson is carefully checked prior to publication to ensure that it not only takes an objective view of the topic but also offers arguments from a range of sources to reflect press coverage. Where possible we also like to give young people the opportunity to explore any “fake news” surrounding the topic, and all our lessons encourage critical thinking and seek to improve digital literacy.

QHow do I fit this into the school day?

VotesforSchools can be delivered during tutor time, assemblies, or as part of PSHE or Citizenship curriculums. We have also known of subscribers that have had great success in implementing a dedicated VotesforSchools slot in their timetable. There is implementation support from us if needed and lots of sharing of ideas amongst teachers.

QWhat areas of the curriculum do you support with VotesforSchools?

Please see below for guidelines which show how we support British Values, SMSC, Prevent and the draft Ofsted framework (2019) across Primary & Secondary schools and Colleges in England and Wales. Click the links to download the relevant material for your school.

Primary: VotesforSchools Primary Curriculum & Ofsted overview
Secondary: VotesforSchools Secondary Curriculum & Ofsted overview
Colleges: VotesforColleges Curriculum & Ofsted overview

We also provide termly summaries of how we have met SMSC, British Values, Prevent, UNCRC and SDGs through each weekly topic. These are sent out as part of our Christmas, Easter & Summer newsletters.

For our Scottish schools the documents below outline what you can expect from your weekly Curriculum Guides:

Primary: VotesforSchools Primary & Scottish Curriculum
Secondary: VotesforSchools Secondary & Scottish Curriculum
Colleges: VotesforColleges & Scottish Curriculum

We also provide termly summaries of the SHANARRI, UNCRC and SDGs criteria that our VoteTopics have met as well as an overview of the different themes covered.

QCan I use the material with as many different year groups/classes as I want?

Yes!

QHow do I get pupils signed up with their login and password?

There is a simple log in process and we provide clear, easy-to-follow guidance. Our helpline is available during school hours with friendly advice and help if you have any problems: info@votesforschools.com

QWhat access to technology does my school need to be part of VotesforSchools?

We understand that all schools have different approaches and access to technology. We have built maximum flexibility into the platform meaning that students can vote on laptops, tablets, smartphones or in the school computer suite. Teachers can also register their class' votes on the platform and, if tech is not your thing, we provide a ballot box if a school prefers to vote manually rather than online.

QHow do I access the VoteData following the vote?

Schools can access the anonymised data specific to their school and also see the data relating to other schools across the UK. The VoteData will be sent to the lead teacher in your school. A full report on the weekly results as well as user-friendly infographics are also uploaded to our website and social media platforms each week.

QHow can I make sure the votes are anonymous?

VotesforSchools takes the issue of data protection and data privacy extremely seriously and adheres to the highest possible standards. Privacy of data is one of the core principles of our company and we will never sell or commercialise data. Voters have an individualised user login so that all data remains anonymous. Data on your school will be private and unique to you and will under no circumstances be shared with anyone else.

QCan I trial VotesforSchools before buying a subscription?

We know that you will want to give VotesforSchools a try with your school community before you join us. Head to the “Free Downloads” page on our website here to get hold of some outstanding free lessons for you to use and trial in your school.

QI’ve signed up my school to the platform half-way through the year. How will we get a full year’s access?

The VotesforSchools platform runs for a whole year, regardless of sign-up date with VotePacks for every week of the academic year.

If you would like access to any past topics, please get in touch at info@votesforschools.com.

QI want to buy a license to use the VotesforSchools platform. How do I do this?

You can sign up by going to the “Sign Up” page here; email us on info@votesforschools.com, or call us on 07754 862979.

QHow do you use data?

VotesforSchools takes data and privacy very seriously. We are fully compliant with the GDPR measures and ensure that any personal data is fully protected.

The personal data we collect on staff is exclusively used for the running of the VotesforSchools programme. We only collect staff emails; we collect zero identifiable personal data on voters, and we use staff emails to send new resources and allow schools to vote.

No data is shared with third parties unless we are required to do so by law and we will never pass your data to a third party without asking for permission.

If you have any further questions about data use please email info@votesforschools.com to request a copy of our compliance statement.

Why Choose Us?

PSHE | Personal Development | Oracy | SMSC | British Values & Prevent

Why choose VotesforSchools?

We create award-winning weekly lessons & assemblies to help you discuss challenging issues in your classroom. Mapped to multiple areas of the Personal Development curriculum, our resources are zero-prep, Ofsted ready and loved by more than 1,400 schools.

We offer:

What makes us different?

We're not just another educational resource - we're a platform for change. Here's what sets us apart:

step 1 of 5

Current, relevant lessons

step 2 of 5

PSHE, SMSC, British Values & Prevent curriculum coverage

step 3 of 5

Zero-prep & minimal tech

step 4 of 5

National Voting Platform

step 5 of 5

Easy Integration & Online Support

So why choose us? Because we're not just teaching students about the world - we're giving them the tools to change it.

What do schools say?

"Votes for Schools is a fantastic tool used skilfully by staff to engage our children in discussions around vital topics such as equality and cohesion... The resources support teachers both with workload and with a 'hook' in to some potentially challenging issues. We love it here!"

What do schools say?

What do schools say?

"I would like to take this moment to say what a fantastic resource VotesforSchools is - it's so invaluable for teaching and informing the children about current affairs."

What do schools say?

"The VoteTopics are fun, engaging and really relevant to the young people we teach."

What do schools say?

What do schools say?

"As a result of following the topics, attendance at tutor periods has increased and the feedback from staff and students is positive; they are enjoying discussing topical issues with excellent up-to-date resources."

What do schools say?

What do schools say?

"Children punch the air when they find out it's a VfS assembly."

What do schools say?

"We love VotesforSchools here, it's a great platform for discussion & debating. We've had Primary schools in, Heads of other schools and UTCs and I've been plugging VotesforSchools to all of them and they're really impressed with how it works."

What do schools say?

"My pupils say: "It's my favourite part of the week" and "I really enjoy thinking about the topics and then voting." They are now much more confident discussing each topic."

What do schools say?

"VotesforSchools is such an important part of our week. We display the responses from classes on a board for all to see, and we display the question in the staffroom and encourage responses from the staff!"

What do schools say?

"VotesforSchools has been great for us to easily expand the areas our students think about and to help them see themselves as part of a bigger world, not just our small school."

What do schools say?

"Having access to all the different levels from KS1-16+ allows us to differentiate in our SEN school – it is this flexibility that really works for us."

Some of our awards...

Frequently asked questions