Vision

We believe that SJB should be a community where all students have a voice. Not only are students’ views crucial in developing a school in which they see themselves reflected, but the committees also serve as an important way for students to find and voice their passions and opinions. Through the school committees, SJB can be a community in which everyone can live out the gospel values and make a valuable contribution.

There are nine committees that run across the school. Below is a brief summary of each:

Learning & Teaching

The Learning & Teaching Committee work closely with Miss Cavell and Mrs Belli, and other teachers, to give advice and feedback about their lessons and their learning, sharing what they like and what they think could be changed. Often this advice and feedback is shared with teachers and teaching assistants at their staff meetings and training days. This has led to the development of both the SJB 7 (lesson principles for staff) and the student nominations categories (student SJB 7). The Learning & Teaching Committee also act as student observers during interviews, tour lessons with a particular focus, and chat to teachers from other schools during the school’s many Visitor Days.

Apple Ambassadors

The Apple Ambassadors are a fantastic group of students who work to keep SJB at the forefront of all things digital. As an Apple Distinguished School, the group regularly meets with visitors to tell them about how we use an iPad to enhance their learning and collaborate with local schools. The team are instrumental in the roll-out of iPads to Year 7s and play a pivotal role in their form time training. Examples of projects that we work on include: creating student ‘how to’ videos for the apps we use; conducting a year-long research project on the use of photocopying and printing across the MAT.

Chaplaincy

The SJB Chaplaincy Committee plays a significant role in making SJB unique. It helps support the spiritual life of the school by getting involved in the organisation and execution of liturgies, school masses, reconciliation days and reflection days, ensuring that each event is engaging and relevant for students. In addition, the committee also acts as a representative for SJB at local parish or diocesan events. Alongside this, our Sixth Form members of the committee attend half-termly SPLG meetings where the spiritual life of the school is central to the agenda. They work alongside staff and governors to develop new ideas on how our community can continue to live out the gospel values and reach out to the wider community. Finally, the committee are also given opportunities to enrich their own personal faith with events such as trips to see ‘The Life of Christ’ re-enactment at Wintershall and to attend the annual FLAME conference at Wembley Arena.

Wellbeing

The wellbeing of everyone here at SJB, staff and students, is crucial. We aim to create a safe environment that projects positivity back into those who need it. During our committee meetings, we aim to highlight potential areas of struggles within our community and come up with possible solutions. We look into any changes that we can make as a whole school to make SJB a more enjoyable and happier place to be. One example of this is the ‘raise a smile’ campaign. A simple smile can be the warmth in a world where there is so much coldness. We are also looking at other developments, such as creating a wellbeing newsletter to give students a voice in some of the areas they find challenging; a termly area of support and advice that so many can relate to. We don’t want our community to just be surviving, we want you all to be thriving in the life you chose.

House

Our House system is central to life at SJB with our four houses named after eight key figures (Kolbe & Seacole, Bosco & Pankhurst, King & Stang, Romero & Curie), whose values we wish to see reflected in our community. The House system gives everyone the chance to make sure they are involved, included and celebrated, as well as giving a healthy bit of competition! The House Committee meet regularly to plan House competitions and brainstorm ideas for ways that students can win House Points. Examples of House competitions led by our members include a poetry competition, a dessert competition and a film-making competition! The committee members have also helped lead whole school House assemblies.

Charity

Charity and supporting our local community are very important to us at SJB. The Charity Committee meet regularly to organise events and fundraising initiatives to support both local, national and international charities. Our main areas of responsibility are organising Christmas hamper donations from every form group and distributing them to our selected charities, as well as organising, promoting and encouraging whole school fundraising initiatives for almsgiving during Lent (the committee choose the charities we support from those put forward by staff and students) and the support of SJB Day in the summer term. Throughout the year, we also volunteer our time and support additional charitable campaigns run through the Lighthouse in Woking. It is truly inspiring when we meet our chosen charities and see the incredible difference our students at SJB make to others.

Environment

The aim of the Environment Committee is to increase the awareness of environmental issues across our school community and encourage ownership and action towards a more sustainable society. Three areas we have focused on are: outside environment, energy and waste. Among other things, the committee have led assemblies, helped organise the big dig, met with the Head Caretaker to devise an energy-saving competition, agreed an area to become a wild flower meadow, created thinking green slides which are delivered in form time, and are now designing a marketing campaign to encourage energy saving around the school.

Diversity

The Diversity Committee at SJB was formed to freely discuss all issues of equality, diversity and inclusion for ALL students at SJB, regardless of their race, gender, sexuality or disability. We care passionately about making SJB the most inclusive place possible where everyone feels valued. As a committee, we want to discuss the key issues within our community and make sure that we work with everyone to ensure we can change things for the better. We are always keen to hear from students who wish to be part of the committee so that everyone feels that they have a voice in this aspect of the community.

Anti-Bullying

The Anti-Bullying Committee are working towards reducing bullying at SJB and maintaining the lovely community that it is. Pupils who are involved with the committee this year, will become ambassadors in anti-bullying for the school, eventually offering support to pupils who have become victims of bullying. The committee itself will collect information from students regarding bullying and will then use this to help SJB’s anti-bullying stance become more visible through the design of posters, the organisation of anti-bullying campaigns, and other exciting things.