Callington Community College Students Take Over

Callington Community College students opted to take over the running of the College on Friday November 11th as part of the annual National Take Over Day which is in its fifth year.

The day was co-ordinated by Jennie Kramer, Head of Citizenship/PSHEE, and Debs Kemp, Director of Student Voice. Thirty-nine students from Years 7 - 13 took on a variety of key roles around the college. Students were engaged with a variety of activities as well as being set a challenge to think about how to solve a problem particular to the role they took on.

There were a huge variety of roles undertaken. Pippa Burden from Year 11 took on the Principal's role for the day, and we had several students volunteering to be Assistant Heads, receptionists, painters, classroom teachers and support staff.

The students presented themselves in a highly professional way, dressing in office wear and operating as any member of staff would be expected to. They were given a staffroom in the new Hambly Centre where they could meet with the other students to share experiences.

The students were highly positive about their experience. Hayley Paynter from Year 11 said, ‘I thought the day was great, it was a real opportunity to find out how the school runs behind the scenes'.

Ruth Wilkes said, ‘I thought it was really interesting and I had loads of fun teaching'.

Staff also felt the value of students taking on their roles for the day. Students were able to come up with fresh solutions to problems and staff felt it was good to share their roles with the students attached to them.

Gary Lobbett, the College's Principal said, ‘It was an excellent demonstration of our students applying their skills and rising to the challenge offered to them'.

‘There was a really positive buzz around the college, it was great to see students dressed in their business suits and taking their roles very seriously. I certainly valued my placement student for the day', Debs Kemp, Director of Student Voice.

In addition to student placements there were also consultation exercises run by Lisa Thomas (Supporting Families and Partnerships) and Vicky Grigsby (from the Youth Service), Tamsyn Strange from Year 13 worked with Dorothy Anderson (Business and Support Manager for Families and Schools). Also two Year 10 students visited County Hall for the day for a consultation exercise.

The college intends to run the event again as students are already asking where to sign up next year.