Book excerpt: Pupil voice is at the heart of Every Child Matters and is the driving force in acknowledging the rights, voice and choice of children and young people today. This very practical up-to-the-minute book is an invaluable and essential resource for all those working directly with pupils in schools and other educational settings, who wish to strengthen the engagement of pupil voice in their every day practice. This book covers: the origin, concept and principles of pupil voice the rights of children and young people in society today how the latest pupil voice national surveys and reports inform ECM practice at whole school, classroom and community levels effective practical approaches for gathering pupils views and enhancing their participation to inform and influence ECM decision-making evaluating the impact and outcomes of pupil voice on effecting change, in line with OFSTED and other national standards requirements. Featuring helpful checklists, models of good practice, templates and photocopiable resources that can be used in pupil voice developmental work, this accessible user-friendly guide is packed with useful information and advice, as well as offering suggestions for further reading, websites and resources. Those who will find this book useful are leaders and managers of Every Child Matters, trainee and experienced teachers, teaching assistants, learning mentors, leading teachers and co-ordinators for Personalised Learning, PSHE and Citizenship, local authority Children’s Services professionals working directly with schools, and lecturers in higher education. If every child and young people’s views really matter, then every educational setting will value using this book.