Student Leadership

Rationale

Developing Student Leadership across the Academy is key, as when given the opportunity young people can have a profound impact on their schools.

Involvement in leadership activities can improve students’ learning as well as helping them to develop the skills and traits needed for success outside of the classroom.

Parkside Academies Student Leadership Programme aims to increase the opportunity for Student Leadership across the school and to enhance the input students have with rewards, whole school events and student well-being.

Leadership Roles & Responsibilities

Student Senior Leadership Team:

• To promote academic achievement of all students regardless of ability to increase motivation, resilience and confidence.
• Ensure that all students have excellent communication skills to allow them to access all areas of school life.
• To make sure every child feels safe and welcome in school.
• To support students to feel ready and prepared for secondary school.

Valued Voice & Ambassadors:

• Assistant Head Students each have a strand of LORIC to take ownership of to ensure it is embedded throughout school with a rigorous approach.
• LGBTQ+ ambassador in the school to oversee and ensure an inclusive curriculum throughout.
• Student voice ambassador within the Valued Voice to ensure that all year groups have a voice and their opinions are heard.
• Two student ambassadors from each tutor who have leadership of the student voice of their group. Each week a different question will be given to the ambassadors via the student voice leader and feedback collected and returned to the Valued Voice to act upon
• Fine Arts lead within school to promote creativity and expression with the student as part of our enrichment programme.
• To liaise with each other and increase the role of Student Leadership across school.
• To provide valuable feedback on ‘school life’ including teaching and learning, wellbeing provision, homework and rewards.
• To support the SSLT in their role around school and any whole school events.

What Benefits Can Leadership Provide?

Leadership can provide you with a range of opportunities and help you develop key skills such as communication, both your written and verbal communication skills will develop as Student Leaders are involved in a number of different activities such as presentations. Organisational skills will also be important in a Student Leadership role, and these opportunities will help you to develop your organization skills as you will need to plan and lead upcoming whole school events. Prioritisation, listening and feedback skills are also amongst those you will develop.

Accreditation

Students are working towards SSAT accreditation this year, which will allow our students to showcase their talent and have their skills recognised by a national body of professionals. They are supported through this with student conferences and tutorials as they create a portfolio of their work.

Sports Leadership Opportunities

During the course of the academic year, students across all age groups are giving various opportunities to develop their student leadership skills across a mixture of different settings, which forms part of their overall assessment grade within PE. These opportunities enable students to continually develop their leadership, communication, teamwork and resilience skills which prepare them for life at Parkside and beyond, through effective feedback from PE teachers and external sporting providers. Opportunities include; leading warm-ups and activities within lessons and at a range of enrichment clubs, as well as assisting with the organisation and delivery of several primary and secondary school festivals in a range of sports across the academic year, including Handball, Sportshall Athletics, Football, Rounders, Multi Skills and more. 

During the course of this academic year, we are also trialling the delivery of the UK Level 2 Sports Leaders in the Community Qualification in KS4, with 24 Year 10 Sport Studies students, to help further develop students’ leadership skills and reward them for their hard work and commitment to PE through achieving a prestigious qualification by the end of Year 11. Students will complete 3 units of the course: 1) Developing leadership skills, 2) Planning, leading and evaluating sport/physical activity sessions, and 3) Assisting in planning and leading a sport/physical activity event. These units will provide students with the opportunity to understand the skills and behaviours required to be a successful leader, be able to manage the development of their own leadership skills and develop their ability to be able to lead structured, inclusive and safe sport/physical activity sessions to younger students in primary and secondary school settings across a range of sports.