Why Choose Us?

Case Studies

The London Borough of Barking and Dagenham

Barking & Dagenham has one of the highest rates of unemployment and child poverty of all the London boroughs and has struggled with gang and knife crime in the past couple of years. The Council Chief Executive told us they were looking for a cost-effective way of engaging young people in borough issues and for a way of finding out what young people thought.

Launching in all 61 schools in the Schools Improvement Partnership, we set up the voting system so the council could also find out what their young people thought about issues in the area. Since doing so, we have empowered the council to make decisions for young people as a direct result of their feedback.

St Chad's & Ramshaw Primary Schools

St Chad’s RCVA and Ramshaw are two small primary schools in Durham. When they came on board in 2016, both schools were rated as ‘Good’ by Ofsted. The Head of both schools, Dominic Brown, was eager to teach pupils about global issues but was finding it hard to cover them with the pressures on the core curriculum.

Dom and his staff now use the VotesforSchools materials both for weekly assemblies and short circle time sessions. Teachers dive into the detail of topics in circle time and then pupils vote together as a whole school in assemblies. Dom asserts that VotesforSchools has been a brilliant tool and has enabled him to educate pupils about really difficult subjects. This was reflected in St Chad’s 2018 Ofsted report.

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 2020/21 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 in tutor time, Assembly, as a whole school resource, or during a PSHE or Citizenship lesson. 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. 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 through each weekly topic. These are sent out as part of our Christmas, Easter & Summer newsletters.

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 users can vote on laptops, tablets, smartphones or in the school computer suite. 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 country. 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 VoteData is 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.

What teachers and voters say

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

Head of Welfare

EPSOM College

What teachers and voters say

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

Headteacher

St Chad's Catholic Primary School

What teachers and voters 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 teachers and voters 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 teachers and voters 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 teachers and voters 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 teachers and voters 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 teachers and voters 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 teachers and voters 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 teachers and voters 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

What teachers and voters 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 … So, in summary….keep doing what you’re doing as it works great for us!! 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

Case Studies

The London Borough of Barking and Dagenham

St Chad's & Ramshaw Primary Schools

Download Our VoteTopic Calendar

Trusted By

Frequently asked questions

Delivery Partners

Anti-Bullying Alliance

The WOW Show

What teachers and voters say

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

What teachers and voters say

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

What teachers and voters 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 teachers and voters 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 teachers and voters say

What teachers and voters 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 teachers and voters 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 teachers and voters 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 teachers and voters 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 teachers and voters 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."

What teachers and voters say

Why Choose Us?

VotesforSchools is an award-winning voting platform for young people that supports outstanding SMSC, British Values, and Prevent delivery. We strive to make a difference in your school, local community, and the wider world, and highlight the importance of being informed, curious and heard.

Case Studies

The London Borough of Barking and Dagenham

St Chad's & Ramshaw Primary Schools

Download Our VoteTopic Calendar

Trusted By

Frequently asked questions

Delivery Partners

Anti-Bullying Alliance

The WOW Show

What teachers and voters say

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

What teachers and voters say

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

What teachers and voters 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 teachers and voters 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 teachers and voters say

What teachers and voters 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 teachers and voters 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 teachers and voters 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 teachers and voters 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 teachers and voters 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."

What teachers and voters say