IT'S not just the adults at Churchfields School who make all the decisions.

The thriving school council makes sure all the students have a voice when big decisions are made.

And as the current council members come to the end of term they are all hoping to get re-elected in September.

There are nine pupils on the council. They meet twice a month and each time someone new is asked to chair the meeting.

And every time they get together a heated debate gets under way on various topics.

"It's great being on the council," said Daryl Hayton, 14.

"We have made loads of important decisions and we discuss any problems that come up in the school."

One of the biggest decisions the council has been involved in lately is hiring a new catering company for school meals.

"We wanted something that was going to be good value, healthy but nice," said 15-year-old Jamar Bradford.

"We spent five hours interviewing three different companies and trying their food.

"The company that we eventually hired didn't bring food on the day so we told them to come back with some."

Kelly Benfield, 15, added: "I think it's brilliant that we got the chance to talk to the companies because it's the students who will eat the food."

And they made sure everyone in the school got their say by asking members of each tutor group to fill in questionnaires.

The council extended its interviewing technique further when they quizzed potential new teachers.

"We wanted to find out what they were like and see who would be best for the school," said Jade Lucas, 13.

Pupils will re-elect the next council in September.

And each member will be hoping to gain enough votes to hang on to their seat.

"Being in the council gives us more responsibility and confidence for the future," said one of the councillors, 12-year-old Kristian King.