The Student Voice is a democratic system run by the students of Sutton Grammar School as a means to voice student opinion, and as a formal body for communication between the

students and staff. 

Section 1: Names and Objective 

1. The name of the organisation shall be the Student Voice.

2. The objective of the organisation shall be: 

   1. To represent the studentship of Sutton Grammar School.

   2. To improve the conditions of the school by proposing suggestions to the Senior Leadership Team and other relevant bodies.

   3. To increase student involvement in the continued development of Sutton Grammar School.

3. In pursuit of these objectives, the organisation shall have the power to:

   1. Propose motions to the senior leadership team and other relevant bodies.

   2. Bid for an annual budget in order to spend on functionality and other decided projects or motions. 

Section 2: Structure and Governance 

1. The executive powers shall be vested in the Chairperson. They shall hold their office for a term of one year with the Vice-Chairperson 

2. The Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson shall be elected via the process set out in Election and Selection Regulations 

3. The executive shall also consist of the Secretary and the Finance Officer. They shall be selected by the Chairperson

4. The Chairperson reserves the right to add additional members to their executive as they please. 

5. The Chairperson reserves the right to form committees 

Section 3: Sessions

1. Sessions shall be the sovereign decision-making body of the organisation

2. Sessions should happen at least once every half-term and representative members have a duty to attend these sessions

3. At least two observer members representing the Senior Leadership Team should be present at any meeting

4. The chairperson can request any member of the School Community to be in attendance at a given session where seen relevant

5. Any normal or representative member of the Student Voice reserves the right to attend a given session 

6. The last Session before the election of the new Chairperson shall be considered the Annual General Meeting of the Student Voice 

7. Sessions shall be ran as per the Session Standing Orders

Section 4: Membership 

1. There shall be the following types of membership:

   1. Representative Members 

   2. Observer Members 

   3. Normal Member 

2. All students of Sutton Grammar School shall be considered normal members of the Student Voice

3. All teachers of Sutton Grammar School shall be considered observer members of the Student Voice 

4. All Form Representatives and members of the Executive should be considered Representative Members of The Student Voice

Section 5: Elections and Selection Regulations

1. The Chairperson of the Student Voice shall be elected by a ballot of all Normal Members. The Chairperson of the Student Voice shall be elected by a plurality of votes cast. 

2. The Vice Chairperson of the Student Voice shall be the candidate that receives the second most amount of votes cast. 

3. Form Representatives shall be selected by each form. This process shall be determined by each Form’s Tutor. 

4. The Senior Leadership Team shall appoint an observer member to serve as Returning Officer at the Annual General Meeting who shall oversee the election of the Chairperson, the Vice Chairperson and the selection of Form Representatives

5. If there is only one candidate, at a deadline set and agreed by the outgoing Chairperson, Vice Chairperson, and the SLT Returning Officer, they shall be elected as Chairperson, automatically. 

6. In that case the Vice Chairperson will be selected by the Chairperson

Section 6: Motion

1. Motions can only be passed at session by two thirds of the present Representative Members 

2. Motions can only be proposed by the Chairperson on behalf of the Student Voice and any relevant committees/members. 

3. The chairperson can hold membership-wide referendums to advise decisions on motions

4. Whilst Observer members cannot vote on motions, they have a role to advise Representative Members on the motions and can propose amendments to motions

5. Representative members can propose amendments to motions 

6. If a motion is passed, it shall be presented to the Senior Leadership Team. 

7. The Senior Leadership Team, if they choose to not accept all/certain recommendations made in a motion, must present a written response to the motion

Section 7: Compliance and Amendments 

1. Any provision of this Constitution shall be considered null and void if it conflicts with ethos and policy of Sutton Grammar School

2. Amendments to these constitutions may be proposed by representative members at sessions. 

3. For an amendment to this constitution to succeed, it must be supported by two thirds of the present Representative Members and be supported by the Senior Leadership Team.

Session Standing Orders 

1. The chairperson shall chair sessions.

2. The chairperson shall work in conjunction with the Senior Leadership Team to, in line with constitution, arrange the location, dates, deadlines and agenda of each session and they should communicate this with all members. 

3. At every session representative members must have the opportunity to pose questions and minor suggestions to the Senior Leadership Team during the period of questioning.

   1. The secretary shall chair periods of questioning.

   2. At any given session, a minimum of 20 minutes shall be allocated to this.

4. At every sessions any member must have the opportunity to pose questions and minor suggestions to the executive during the period of scrutiny

   1. The secretary shall chair periods of questioning.

5. Motions and amendments must be proposed, debated and voted on during a debate. 

   1. The chairperson shall chair debates.

   2. Debates on motions, shall be conducted in the following manner: 

      1. The chairperson shall formally submit the motion to the session. They shall then nominate a representative member as the nominee proposer of the motion on behalf of the chairperson 

      2. The chairperson shall announce the time limits for speakers

      3. The nominee proposer shall introduce the motion 

      4. The motion will be debated. Amendments can be proposed by three or more representative or observer members 

      5. The proposer of each amendment, if any, shall summate the debate on that amendment. If the amendment has not been opposed, the Chairperson may decline to call for a summation on the amendment 

      6. The proposer of the motion, or their nominee, shall summate the debate on the motion 

      7. A vote should be conducted on each amendment, if any, shall be conducted and then a vote on a motion as amended should be conducted

   3. Any member may raise a point of information during a debate if agreed to by the Chairperson except that, during a vote, no point of information shall be taken that does not refer to the conduct of the vote. The chair’s decision on all points of information shall be final. 

6. Minutes of sessions should be taken and should be distributed to all members 

7. Ambiguities in these regulations shall be settled by the ruling of the Chair of the session.

8. A ruling of the chair can be overruled by two thirds of the present Representative Members or by the Senior Leadership Team