Our Sixth Form Leaders in action
Erin Costello, Head Girl of St Augustine’s Priory, here reports on the conference of school leaders held every summer by the Society of Heads. It is now something of a tradition for our Priory 6 leaders to attend this course and it serves as a valuable time for learning leadership skills, meeting senior prefects from other schools and exploring the roles they will undertake in the forthcoming academic year.
However, this course not only provides our leadership team with invaluable experience for the coming year but also with skills which will stand them in good stead in their future careers, helping to prepare them for life after school and university.
‘During the Summer holidays Mackenzie Parry-Bull, Deputy Head, Seniors, Nicoletta Bencka, House Captain of St Michael and I attended the Society of Heads Senior Prefects’ conference, held this year at Fulneck School, which aims to give aspiring prefects from around the country the chance to learn, develop and practice key skills.
Over this three day residential visit we learnt crucial skills such as safeguarding, forward planning, team dynamics and public speaking. As well as taking part in practical outdoor sessions, which included traditional trust games, the conference also provided prefects with an opportunity to build on their public speaking skills by preparing and delivering a presentation on a chosen topic. The practical side of the course was also fun and tested our ability to work as part of a team and network with other prefects, whilst the classroom sessions helped us to consider different perspectives, especially the child protection session.
The workshops helped me to recognise my strengths, as well as the skills I would like to improve, and increased my confidence in many areas. Towards the end of the course we had the opportunity to ask a panel of teachers from senior leadership teams across the country questions we had about our forthcoming year as senior prefects. This session was followed by an etiquette lesson which prepared us for the formal dinner which allowed us time to socialise and relax with the other prefects with whom we had spent the previous few days. I found it particularly interesting speaking to prefects from other schools and learning about the different ways in which their schools ran; it was a great opportunity to learn ideas that we can bring to our school.
The three days at Fulneck School were extremely insightful and Mackenzie, Nicoletta and I have all returned feeling more confident and prepared for our roles. I would urge future prefects who are given the opportunity to attend this conference and make the most of all that it offers.’
