How do we encourage and develop pupil leadership at Barrow?
Pupil Leadership Team
Each year our Year 6 pupils are given the opportunity to apply to be part of our senior pupil team. The senior pupil team has many responsibilities around school, including showing perspective parents around our school and reporting at governor meetings. Our Senior Pupils apply for the role are voted for in as part of a whole school democratic process.
Playground Leaders
Our Playground Leaders are a team of KS2 pupils who help support and extend play at playtimes and lunchtimes. They work alongside staff to ensure all pupils have a happy playtime, by leading games, playing with the younger children or just being a friend to chat to.
Club assistants
Our Year 6 children help and support the staff in our after school clubs. Running dance club, helping Reception children in STEM club and helping in cooking club are all part of the role of our Club Assistants.
Junior Job Squad
Each week there are two pupils in each class who have the role of “Junior Job Squad.” These children carry out a specific year group job to help keep our school community tidy and running smoothly.
Our Job Squad Jobs
Reception – Litter picking
Year 1 – Library
Year 2 – Playground equipment
Year 3 – Assembly support
Year 4 – Keeping corridors tidy
Year 5- Lunchtime helpers
Year 6 - Play Ground leaders
Digital Leaders
Our digital leaders are responsible for ensuring all of our IT equipment is in good order and ready for us to deliver our computing curriculum. They are given time to charge devices as well as check them to make sure that they are in good working order. They also enjoy a very special role of supporting our Silver Surfers initiative where elderly members of the community are invited into school for IT support; this could involve using their mobile devices, help using the internet or even learning how to send an email.
Courageous Advocates
The Courageous Advocates is a weekly after school club run by Mrs Bush. It stands for justice in action as demonstrated in the Bible. We give the Advocates a real budget and real power to research, plan and undertake projects in which they partner with local and sometimes national organisations to make change. They practice democracy to make choices and use communication skills to present their findings to others and petition for assistance.
Reception Buddies
When Reception children join our school in September, they are allocated a Year 6 buddy. This buddy helps them to settle into school life at Barrow. The children receive a letter from their buddy introducing themselves and welcoming the children into school. Throughout the year buddies meet for shared reading times, playground games and walks.
Subject Ambassadors
Each curriculum subject area has a pupil Subject Ambassador. These children work alongside staff curriculum leaders to monitor their subject across the school. The children are involved in learning walks, gaining pupil perceptions and regular meetings with the subject leader to discuss current priorities for their subject.
Junior Sports Coaches
The PE department are currently exploring a programme that will see our year 5 & 6 students become “Junior Sports Coaches” with the intention of leading their own sports clubs at lunch times. We are also looking at a Sports & Wellbeing Award, which links various sports with the feel good factors associated with playing and getting involved.
Peer Mentors
Our peer mentoring program is based upon young people supporting each other: matching peer mentors with mentees in a one to one partnership so that they can provide guidance and support serving as positive role models. Through 5 core modules designed in implementing a sustainable peer mentoring programme that works for young people to help ad assist other young people.
