Commissioning Services for Student Leaders

November 2020

Student leadership has always been an important part of Holy Trinity and this year we have launched a further development of this.  We have introduced a tiered system, with student leaders being appointed in every year group, each having their own title and with the vision of growing young leaders through the support and guidance of the older ones.  Sadly, the current Covid restrictions have limited the peer development that we plan, but nevertheless the student leaders in each of our years are taking an invaluable role within their year group bubbles.

In total we have appointed 159 student leaders across the school:

• Year 7    Junior Ambassadors         13 students
• Year 8    Ambassadors                     23 students
• Year 9    Senior Ambassadors         28 students
• Year 10  Prefects                               32 students
• Year 11  Senior Prefects                   42 students
• Year 12  Junior Head Team                9 students
• Year 13  Head Team                          12 students

Each one of these young people have had to apply for their place, explaining what they can offer and how they will serve the school community.  Mrs Clark leads them all and ensures that those appointed to these positions of responsibility fulfil their roles appropriately and always maintain the highest standards.

We recognise that serving their piers in this way is not always easy and this year, for the first time, we held a Commissioning Service in which all our young leaders were acknowledged for volunteering to take on this role and for the work that they are undertaking for the whole school community.  I spoke to them about the concept of ‘Servant Leadership’ – a philosophy in which the main goal of the leader is to serve.  A Servant Leader shares power, puts the needs of others first and helps people develop and perform as highly as possible.  We considered this passage, with me drawing on the example of Jesus who washed the feet of his disciples – even those of Judas who had just betrayed him.

Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going to God, got up from the table, took off his outer robe, and tied a towel around himself. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was tied around him (John 13:3-5)

There was a separate service for each Year Group bubble, led by myself and our Chaplain Mrs Horrocks, with their Year Leader reading the names of all who had been appointed.  It was a joy to be with these young people and to thank them for the service they are giving the school. 

Rev Millwood