Positive Relationships: Consulting - I say!

Children's thoughts and ideas are valued at one Dorset nursery where a committee of children meet to discuss their likes and dislikes and ways the setting could be improved.

The children's committee at Moonacre Montessori School in Wimborne, Dorset, part of Casterbridge Nurseries, is made up of five to six children who meet with the nursery's principal to discuss issues that are important to them.

Meetings take place at least once a term or spontaneously when topics arise. They are held in the nursery classroom, in the conservatory, or outdoors when the weather is nice. They can last anything from ten to 20 minutes depending on the dynamics of the group, the children's interests and the topics being discussed.

Staff try to recreate what an adult meeting is like and give each child a clipboard, pen, paper and glass of water. Some of the children are also given different responsibilities, such as pouring the water into the glasses.

'The children love to mimic what adults do and we give them the freedom to do it,' explains the nursery's principal, Rhona McAdam, who chairs the committee.

The children, aged two-and-a-half to four, take turns to be in the committee. Each term they are asked whether they would like to be a committee member and are told what the role would involve.

Loose Agenda

Staff set a loose agenda for each meeting but encourage the children to lead and open up the discussion. They can talk about anything they like, such as what they think of the food served at the nursery, whether they want additional equipment and when and where they want to go on an outing.

During Halloween the children had an impromptu meeting to discuss what meals the chef could make from the two large pumpkins the nursery was given.

Ms McAdam says, 'The nursery chef had made soup using the pumpkin but everyone had started to get a bit bored with it, so we decided to ask the children whether they had any ideas. They were really excited and all wanted to take part in the committee meeting.'

The nursery's principal asked the children to write down all their ideas about what foods they thought would go with pumpkin. The conclusion of the meeting was that chicken would taste best with the pumpkin and so the nursery chef made a chicken and pumpkin casserole with rice that the children thoroughly enjoyed.

This term the children will be discussing what costumes they would wear for their Christmas concert.

Some topics have proved not to be as popular as others with the children. When the principal asked the children for their thoughts on wearing uniforms, they were very against the idea.

'The children like wearing their own clothes and to show off when they have a new outfit,' says Ms McAdam. As a compromise the children suggested that the girls could dress as princesses and the boys as Spiderman.

'The children tell us exactly what they want and are very clear about it,' Ms McAdam explains. 'They are very good with their language and understand that they have to listen and take turns to speak. This time we decided not to take on board the children's suggestions, as we felt it would create a lot of competition.'

More Confidence

Staff have reported that the children who take part in the committee become a lot more confident, and because they are encouraged to speak to their peers about their ideas and suggestions they are able to build on their social relationships.

The committee also helps build the relationship between parents and the nursery. Pictures of the children are placed on the nursery's noticeboard along with details of the next committee meeting for parents to see. This encourages them to join in discussion with their child.

All the children's thoughts and ideas are considered and many of their suggestions have been implemented, including increasing the number of scooters available to play on, cooking their favourite meals and introducing different crudites and fruits to the snack bar.

One of the children's more unusual requests, following a visit from a travelling farm, has been to keep a pot-bellied pig as a pet. As a compromise the staff brought some unhatched baby chicks into the nursery.

The nursery school is now looking to hold more impromptu meetings and is considering increasing meetings to at least every two months.

'The children's committee has proved to be very successful and helped further develop the nursery school,' says Ms McAdam. 'Being able to chair the meetings has meant that I have had more opportunity to interact with the children and learn what they want.'