Youngsters learn what it takes to win the race for school leadership

8:14am Tuesday 3rd June 2008

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APPLICATION forms, rigorous interviews and power-point presentations; sounds like the brief for some high-flying job doesn't it?

Well, in a way it is, only this job doesn't have a salary attached. Plus, you have to face the vote of your peers for selection.

Becoming the head boy or girl at Bishop Perowne CE College in Worcester is no easy task, as the newest batch of recruits will verify.

Fifteen-year-olds Bethan Jones and James Hodgkins have returned from the half term this week to take on the task of representing their peers and the school throughout the next 12 months.

The school has been developing its procedures for selecting the head boy and head girl, as well as the house captains and student leadership team, over the years and has ensured that it is an entirely democratic process.

Gone are the days, as when I was at school, when the headteacher would make the selection.

"I don't have any say in the appointments at all," said headteacher Julie Farr. "It is entirely up to the students who they want to represent them, which is something I think is very important.

"The head boy and head girl are role models for their peers and figureheads for the school. They get involved in every aspect of school life, so it is only right that the application process is tough and filters out the best candidates. Students have to have a great deal of courage to apply in the first instance.

"We also feel that it prepares the students well for life beyond school, when they will need to apply for university and later on jobs."

The application process started in April when the previous head boy and head girl, along with Ms Farr, held an assembly with the year 10 students, encouraging them to apply for the role.

"They talked about the qualities needed for the role and what it actually involved," said James. "It was great to hear them speak and inspired me to apply."

Following the assembly, 13 pupils decided to apply, each having to fill out an application form, detailing why they should be appointed to the role.

"The form was in-depth and we had to write long, essay-style answers about what qualities we have, describing any situations in which we have shown leadership qualities, outlining how we could improve the school and describing a difficult situation we may face and how we would tackle it," said Bethan. "It was really tough."

When the applications were in, each candidate then made a presentation in front of their entire year group.

"The presentations included poems, music and speeches from the heart," Ms Farr said. "They were all fantastic."

Vicki Muston, 15, who was eventually selected as one of the three deputy head girls, said: "It was terrifying standing in front of the whole year group giving a presentation. I was so nervous because you have all of your friends there watching you."

Following the presentations, every student in year 10 plus every member of staff then got the chance to vote for their favoured candidate in special polling booths set up to mimic that of a local or general election. But the lengthy, arduous process didn't end there. Then came the presentation in front of the whole school.

"I found that a lot easier, surprisingly," said deputy head boy Alasdair Wood, 15, who is hoping to become a politician one day. "You knew the whole school wasn't voting, so there was not as much pressure."

This was followed by group interviews of the candidates with the out-going head boy and girl, along with teachers.

"This was the nicest part of the process," said Vicki. "We sat in groups having a discussion about a variety of topics."

Following the interviews the time then came to reveal the successful candidates, who were selected from the student vote and verified by the out-going head boy and girl.

"Waiting to hear was really nerve-wracking," said deputy head boy Chris Collins, 15. "We were all standing outside the head's office wondering who it was going to be."

James and Bethan were selected as the heads, with Chris, Alasdair and Joe Thorpe, all 15, taking the roles of deputy head boys and Vicki Muston, Sophia Haywood, both 15, and Abigail Robbins, 14, taking the roles of deputy head girls.

So why put yourself through such a rigorous process at the age of 15?

"I thought it would be a very good personal opportunity and would certainly look good on my CV," said Chris. "It was also a chance to get my voice heard and be part of the decision-making processes."

Bethan said: "I wanted the chance to represent the students, my friends and the school and I am looking forward to getting stuck in."