Why I am proud of our student leaders in Primary at Northbridge

Whilst I was watching and enjoying the different variety of acts it occurred that the traits of creativity, confidence and agency were strong features of the show but were also reflected in our Primary comperes too. Mr. Tim, the Grade 5 leader, had worked with this group of students to develop and co-create the script together. They were then coached in how to speak confidently and ensure that the show worked smoothly. This is one example of the way we create important skills and traits in our students that will prepare them for the future. Whilst not unique to IB schools it is a strong feature of all programmes of the IB and is an articulated and planned-for part of each programme from PYP to DP.

Nord Anglia recently completed a survey of 18 -25 year olds to find out how well they had been prepared for their future roles in study and work by their education. It also focused on what traits they felt were vital to develop to be able to cope with the demands needed in later life. 1 in 2 said being confident is the number 1 skill needed in the workplace and wished they’d learned more about it at school. So it seems that when it comes to having a successful career, having that quiet inner confidence to handle every situation is seen as a must. At NISC, our approach to learning encourages our students to grow in confidence by providing opportunities for leadership in as many ways as possible. As we know, children learn best when they’re happy and confident.

The comperes of the show were all members of our Primary STUCO which is the student council part of the Primary school. They attend weekly meetings with their mentor, Ms Beauty, who encourages their ideas and channels their enthusiasm to both become a voice and a change agent in the Primary school. More information about STUCO was in Ms Beauty’s recent blog. However, this is not the only opportunity for leadership in the Primary school. We have primary representatives on the eco committee who have teamed with Secondary students to further NISC’s efforts to be a green eco-friendly and sustainable school. We have students in the school who are elected as house captains and vice-house captains whose role it is to promote their house team and encourage their houses to work together as a team.

This semester we also provided the opportunity for students to join the action group. Their first job was to work with their mentor, Ms Jill, to promote our sponsored walk initiative. We completed 3620 laps over a four week period which is the equivalent to walking from NISC to Phuket in Thailand! The action group worked hard to monitor and record the number of laps, encourage sponsorship and then presented the final amount to Enfants D’Arsie, a local charity supporting orphaned and impoverished children.

These are small ways that we promote leadership and as a result create more confident and creative students. In semester 2 we will continue to practice this important skill and develop more ways for our students to engage in leadership on multiple levels.

Wishing you a lovely break.