The idea emerged from a conference held in Ayr last Saturday, in which senior students from Ayr, Belmont, Carrick and Maybole Academies were afforded a unique face-to-face opportunity to make their views known to councillors, the directorate and the schools inspectorate.

The conference was organised by the South Ayrshire Parents’ Consultative Group, a forum on which the pupils’ group would be modelled.

Thor Frette, a fifth-year pupil at Carrick Academy, delivered a straightforward definition of quality schooling: “Being treated with respect and being listened to are just as important as being able to select the courses you want and being well taught.”