Can schools create leaders in everyone?

"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world." – Nelson Mandela

Most schools, and certainly those in the independent sector, will wax lyrical on the ambition they have for the pupils in their care. Quite rightly, they will talk about the opportunities those children have across a wide range of academic and co-curricular fields, and extol the virtues of the rounded education they provide. They will also invariably comment on the leadership opportunities that their pupils, particularly at the upper end of their schools, will be able to access.  However, the particular question of how to give pupils experience of leadership is one that often poses schools more issues. What exactly does leadership look like? How can we make sure that every child is really given the opportunity to develop their leadership skills? Are we limited by the number of leadership ‘roles’ we can give out? Most schools would say they want to create ‘change makers’ – people who will go out and make a positive difference to the world. But how?

For many, on the outside looking in, as well as for some on the inside, the opportunities for leadership within a school appear limited to the roles and titles which are often given to older pupils: Head Boy, Girl or Pupil; Prefects; House Captain; Sports Captains, and the list goes on. Conversely, in order to try and make sure no child is left out, often schools can create title after title, position after position, so that every child has a defined ‘role’, but often with no meaning, accountability or guidance in actually furthering them as an effective leader. In either case, the title or role is actually often little more than a badge that gets pinned to a blazer. As with any position, the development and impact of the children in those roles is reliant on guidance, support and oversight, with clear objectives, a job description that is understood and training to ensure the pupils in those roles are fully equipped to carry them out. Whilst this may be possible for the primary roles of Head Pupil or Prefects, it is much harder to ensure this is in place if all pupils are given roles, titles and responsibilities.

The argument, therefore, is that when looking at the impact of schools in developing genuine pupil leadership, we need to move away from a fixation on roles and titles, and look towards the nurturing of leadership characteristics throughout the culture, ethos and curriculum of a school, so that leadership becomes a mindset rather than a position.

One of the most effective ways in which schools have done this is via the ‘Leader in Me’ programme, developed by Stephen R. Covey. This programme works with all the stakeholders in a school, and focuses on making changes to the habits of individuals, helping them become better leaders of themselves. It focuses on cultural change and understanding, from staff, pupils and parents. By understanding themselves better, and being able to model the ‘7 Habits of Successful People’, it has been proven to drive up not just the leadership skills of the pupils, but also their attainment in all areas of the curriculum. By leading themselves better, they have become better learners, sportspeople, musicians, and friends to their peers. In short, they have become leaders, regardless of their position within the school. From there, they can take this learning back to their families and communities, continuing to spread the culture change, and having that positive impact on the world that we aspire for in our pupils.

The evidence would suggest then, that our focus and priority should be on embedding leadership habits and culture throughout a school, from the very youngest age through to the oldest pupils, including all those who work and interact with the school. By doing this, rather than prioritising title or positions, we can truly develop leadership in all our children, preparing them to be ‘change-makers’, no matter what they end up doing in later life.

Phil Richardson, Deputy Head