STUDENTS have been given a taste of democracy after electing fellow pupils to the adult governing body.

The campaign trail hit Darlington School of Mathematics and Science with a vengeance with two seats up for grabs on the committee.

Five students threw their hats into the ring – Harry Pape, Amy Davies, Rebecca Parkinson, Dominic Fairbridge and Katie Appleyard – in a fiercely contested election.

Eventual winners were Year 7 student Harry Pape, Amy Davies from Year 10.

Harry said: “I only went in for it because my friend did and I couldn’t believe I actually won.”

Amy added: “I am really looking forward to it because it is much easier for students to confide in us then we can pass their views on to the governors.”

Headteacher Calvin Kipling said: “The children took it extremely seriously and ran their own campaign teams. It proved to be a great way of getting the students into politics and for them to see how this operates right down to a local level.”

The governing body meets six times a year and also operates a series of sub-committees. The students’ term of office will last a year after which there will be another election.

Chairman of governors Dr David Hall said: “Having students on the governing body gives us their perspective and keeps us rooted in what they actually want and need.

“It is easy for us to sit there and talk about what school life was like in our day; with the students input we have direct contact with what life is like in school now and what they need to make it better.”