Sixth Form Sixth Form Life Leadership opportunities
Leadership opportunities
Opportunities for leadership are considerable – as prefects, mentors and Heads of House, sports captains, directors of plays or house music groups, initiators of new events, leading the charity committee, NCOs in the Combined Cadet Force, and as managers with the Young Enterprise scheme.
Prefects at Clayesmore
The prefect group is made up of girls and boys who have shown themselves to be ready to play a full part in school events and who are keen to contribute to the school and to have a say in maintaining and promoting the family atmosphere of the school. A prefect is a role model for younger pupils and is expected to conform to the highest standards in appearance and behaviour, as well as performing school duties to assist the staff in maintaining a calm and orderly school. Being a school prefect is an excellent introduction to leadership in a broad sense and the prefects receive thorough training to enable them to meet the challenge. They have a dedicated room in which to meet and discuss business, to work or to relax.
The Head Girl and Head Boy
The Head Girl and Head Boy are the headmaster’s representatives and take their responsibilities very seriously. They meet with the HM weekly and liaise closely with the deputies very day. A responsibility which they particularly enjoy is chairing the Clayesmore School Council.
Heads of House
Heads of House are school prefects, but are expected to play a major role in encouraging and motivating their houses. Every five weeks, they run a house duty team, taking responsibility for the smooth running of the entire school, leading and mentoring teams of younger pupils.
When asked at the end of the year what they most enjoy about being a prefect at Clayesmore, the overwhelming response is that they enjoy being relied upon and trusted by the Headmaster and staff.
The Clayesmore Peer Mentor System
Clayesmore has always been good at making people welcome and comfortable, and the Clayesmore School Council wanted to make sure that this tradition continued even when the school was a little bit bigger. The Head Girl and Head Boy (2006-2007) organised a committee from every age group in the school to discuss how best new pupils could be welcomed and supported by their peers. Having created a model, two lower 6th formers took over the mantle and, during the summer term of 2007, ran a pilot scheme in Devine House and Wolverton House. This enabled them to refine and develop the scheme in consultation with pupils from all year groups, but particularly year 9. In Autumn 2007, the Head Girl and Head Boy and all the heads of houses have implemented the scheme throughout the school. It works in a variety of different ways and year 9 pupils have very much enjoyed the special interest taken in them by the 6th form. What is more, the 6th form have found that in giving time and care to younger pupils, they have made friends too and found abilities to listen and sympathise that they had not been aware of before. The scheme will be reviewed annually and pupils will share their expertise with each other through the school council.