Classmates became candidates as a Clacton primary school was transformed into a fully functioning polling station with support from Tendring District Council’s (TDC) elections team.

Pupils at St Clare’s Catholic Primary School cast their votes on Thursday (5 November) to choose one child from each class to represent them on the school council.

The election gave pupils a chance to discuss what mattered to them at school and choose who they wanted to take their ideas and concerns forward.

TDC’s elections team helped pupils get to grips with the process, from collecting a ballot paper to marking their choice in a polling booth – and understanding why that choice is theirs to make in private.

Children helped run the polling station and learned how to deal with ballot papers where classmates made mistakes before closing the polling station and counting the votes to find out who had won.

TDC Assistant Director and Deputy Monitoring Officer, Keith Simmons officially declared Lily-Rose, Esmay, Jesse, Max, Ava, Ester, Grace, Naverly-Fern, Jack, Mia, Loui and Niko elected to the school council.

Mr Simmons said: “A school council election gives children a chance to choose who speaks up for them, long before they are old enough to vote in a public election.

“The pupils got stuck into running the poll as well as casting their votes, discovering how much care goes into an election behind the scenes.

“We hope that when their first chance to vote comes along, they will remember this experience and feel ready to have their say.”

Headteacher Jamie Whiteside said the school is always keen to give its pupils a voice as it fits with its core values of honesty, respect and compassion.  

“We are really pleased to work with TDC and hold this election as it gave the children a voice in school in a way that matches real life and how their vote can make a very real difference to your life,” he said.  

“Children are never short of suggestions about school life. We want them to know those ideas are worth sharing, and for them to vote for someone they can turn to who will listen and speak up for them is a fantastic opportunity.

“With help from TDC’s elections team, pupils learned how elections work by having a go themselves, both voting and helping to run the polling station.

“We’re now looking forward to hearing their new school council’s ideas.”

Other schools keen to give their pupils a turn at the ballot box can contact TDC’s election team about running a similar election.