Service - Leadership

Service

“The point … is that there is a great joy in leading with authority, which is serving others by meeting their legitimate needs. And it is this joy that will sustain us on our journey… Loving, serving, and extending ourselves for others forces us out of our self-centredness… Loving others helps us to grow up.”  James Hunter The Servant

We look at our VI Formers as leaders of the school in partnership with all The Laurels staff, in helping to ensure the smooth running of a friendly, informal but disciplined community.

Everyone gets the chance to lead and discover the joy of giving. Each student is expected to contribute to school life and beyond, which will give them the opportunity to develop vital skills needed to thrive in a world full of possibilities and challenges.

Volunteering in the School Community

Each VI Former is expected to spend a 30-minute slot each week contributing their talents and skills for the betterment of the lower school community. This is decided at the beginning of each term and can take on many forms such as:

• One-to-one tutoring or mentoring in maths.
• Imparting a Character Development session on a particular virtue or life skill.
• Helping a small group of pupils with their literacy skills.
• Encouraging a Year 7 pupil in the learning of a new musical instrument.
• Accompanying a year group to hone cooking skills.
• Practising Spanish or French conversation with younger pupils
• Assisting as a Sound or Light technician for GCSE Drama and school productions

The sense of achievement and reward this brings to students also increases their feelings of self-worth and confidence. It is great work experience too!

Volunteering in the Wider Community

All students take part in service projects outside school such as volunteering in local primary schools helping children with reading and maths. They also perform music to for our local primary school children.

Innovating and Running Clubs and Societies

All our VI Formers are expected to be fully involved in the clubs and societies which can most help them to develop their talents, passions and interests. There is a long list of clubs and alongside the established ones, the freedom to innovate is prized at The Laurels.

Prefects and the Class Council

One of the best ways VI Formers at The Laurels can learn about service-leadership is to be chosen to become a prefect.

Prefects are assigned a form and work closely with the Form Teacher. They give up their time to run the Class Council and help to promote The Laurels values of mutual respect, positivity and responsibility. Their standard of behaviour must be exemplary at all times, as they are role models for the class they serve. Prefects also help in organising the class charity events.

To be a prefect is to be given a wonderful opportunity to acquire key attributes for success in the working world such as:

• learning how to run meetings
• listening to others
• communicating well
• delegating
• acquiring the skill of consensus building

School Ambassadors

Our VI Formers are frequently given the opportunity to represent the school at different events. This calls upon our students to embody qualities such as respect, consideration, courtesy and elegance of manner in their interactions with others at all times.

The Laurels VI Formers develop a self-assurance, poise and ‘savoir faire’, which are all part of knowing how to be with people in different social settings – an essential social skill.

Some of the ways our VI Formers have represented the school have been:

• Representing the school at a Thanksgiving Service for Stephen Hawking at Westminster Abbey
• Hosting the visit of Tamara Rojo, Artistic Director of the English National Ballet
• Guiding visitors to the school and presenting the different aspects of school life at The Laurels