Student Leadership

Student Leadership is an important part of our ASPIRE culture at the academy and has been "reborn" post COVID. At SRWA Student leadership is divided into two strands: Student Leadership and Student Voice.

Student Leadership

There are various student leadership roles that students can volunteer for in all year groups and students are encouraged to participate in as many of these programmes as they can. Some programmes give one-off experiences and others require more long term, sustained commitment. All of them aim to develop leadership skills and confidence and promote our six ASPIRE attributes: Ambitious, Self Regulating, Present, Independent, Resilient, Excellent. 

Some detail on the various programmes are detailed below.  

Head Students and Deputy Head Students
Every year, at least one head student is selected from the W6 cohort to represent the academy and the entire student leadership programme. The head student is the most prestigious student leadership position at SRWA and the role is a very important one. The Head student is not only the primary representative of the academy but is responsible for ensuring the whole student leadership programme functions. 

Year 11 Prefects 
Our Year 11 prefects (pictured above) are our top students. They wear gold ties and are responsible for leading and co-ordinating the wider student leadership programme. Year 11 prefects represent the school at public events, support visits and events within the school and also support our pastoral teams and students lower down the school. Year 11 prefects will need to demonstrate excellent commitment to learning and excellent potential for leadership. 

Year 10 Face2Face
Peer councillors, attached to year 7 tutor groups provide help and support to younger students that may be finding life tough. Face2Face students have three years of experience at secondary school and are trained in listening and supporting with peer related issues and work closely with the school chaplain to provide a support mechanism to students that may not wish to speak to a fellow student before they speak to adults. 

Year 10 Community Ambassadors
Community Ambassadors are responsible for organising and participating in school-based and external community events, such as fundraising drives, charity collections, and local outreach programmes. They also act as positive role models for younger students, assisting with school tours, open evenings, and supporting various initiatives across the school.

To be a Community Ambassador, students must demonstrate a strong sense of responsibility, excellent interpersonal skills, and a clear enthusiasm for making a positive difference within and outside the school gates. They are dedicated to upholding the school's values and strengthening our ties with the wider community.

Student Voice

Student Voice is a very important part of our student leadership programme and forms the elected strand of the programme. All members of student voice programmes are elected by their peers. 

SRWA Student Council 
The SRWA student council is made up of two students from each year group that are elected from the Year Group Councils to represent the year group at the whole school level.  The student council will meet termly to discuss issues relating to school life and will make recommendations to the school's senior leadership team and Academy Council (Governing Body) . 

The SRWA student council will deal with all matters relating to student's experience of school.  From the more simple and straightforward such as feeding back on the food in the canteen and submitting ideas for charity events to the more complex such as helping to inform and shape school policies.  Recently for example, the SRWA Student Council has been involved in advising the school leadership team in developing the anti-bullying policy and procedures.

The SRWA student council is led by the Head Student and the Deputy Head students.  

Our Student Leadership Vision
Student leadership at SRWA is not just about holding a title; it's about being a catalyst for positive change. Our student leaders are dedicated to embodying the school’s core values and creating a vibrant, supportive, and successful community for every student. We want to redefine leadership at our school, Student leadership must never be a popularity contest or an exercise in tokenism. We celebrate from the quietly brilliant to the outwardly bold - to see themselves as capable of making change.

This year, our focus is on three key objectives:

1. Cultivating Proactive Leaders
We believe that true leadership goes beyond simply following instructions. Our goal is to empower student leaders to take initiative, identify school-wide needs, and develop their own projects and solutions. This approach helps them move from being passive participants to becoming innovative thinkers and problem-solvers. We encourage our leaders to be entrepreneurial in their approach, and we provide them with the support and autonomy needed to bring their ideas to life.

2. Building Resilient and Accountable Individuals
We teach our student leaders that their roles come with significant responsibility. Through their work, they will learn the importance of accountability for their actions and commitments. By navigating challenges and setbacks, they will develop the resilience and maturity needed to succeed in any future endeavor. We create a supportive environment where mistakes are seen as learning opportunities, not failures.

3. Enhancing Collaboration and Communication
Effective communication and teamwork are at the heart of our leadership program. We will create more opportunities for student leaders to work across different year levels and with staff. This includes working on cross-curricular projects, participating in a student-led newsletter or blog, and hosting informal meetings like "Coffee with a Leader" sessions. These initiatives help them develop the crucial interpersonal and collaborative skills needed for their future.

Student Leadership in Action

Our student leaders are actively involved in a wide range of initiatives that make a real difference in the school community. Some of the projects they lead include:

 • Student-Led Events: Organizing school-wide charity events and social activities.
 • Well-being Initiatives: Running mental health awareness campaigns and creating a peer-to-peer support network.
 • Sustainability Projects: Leading school-wide recycling initiatives and establishing a school garden.
 • Academic Support: Organising and leading revision workshops for younger students.
 • School Communications: Running a student-led newsletter or blog to keep the community informed.

By empowering our students to lead, we are not just preparing them for a single event but for a lifetime of leadership and positive impact.