Leadership plays an important role in the work of a school, as it does in every organisation. Our approach to leadership in the classroom centres around creating an environment in which positive outcomes can be achieved and sustained. We do this through setting realistic targets that stretch students, but which do not daunt them. We aim to generate an atmosphere of motivated enquiry in which students participate actively in their own learning processes.
We encourage them to think independently, to ask questions and to explore ideas. We support and guide our students when needed, but our intention is not to mould them. We want them come to their own understanding of what is being taught. This is the best way to achieve sustained learning and good exam results, and also the best way to develop the independent mindset that will allow students to think critically and objectively about the wider world.
Outside the classroom, every student has the potential to be a leader. This type of leadership is not about being the best or winning or telling people what to do, but about behaving in a way which promotes and supports positive outcomes. An effective leader does not need to have a specified role. A good leader is someone who sets a good example, who treats people the way they would like to be treated, who takes the initiative when it is required, who has the courage to adhere to their own values and who strives to do the right thing in the right way at the right time.
The cumulative effect of many such actions can have a big and lasting effect on a community, and can be a strong force for positive change. Because it is something we can all do every day, this form of leadership is more important than being at the forefront of a movement or organisation. It is about how we live and work, and how we affect those around us.
