Student Leadership

At Vale of York Academy, there are plenty of opportunities for students to develop and demonstrate their leadership skills, allowing them to make a real difference to not only their own school experience, but to the experience of others around them both now and in the future.

Student Council

Each of our five year groups has a Student Council that is democratically elected by peers within their tutor groups. Each tutor group has two representatives who meet with other representatives from their year group once every half term. A typical meeting consists of:

• A Teaching and Learning discussion where the council can highlight areas of strength in their progress or indeed make suggestions of how Teaching and Learning could be developed to further enhance the classroom experience.
• A main agenda where Mr Orr will bring items to be discussed amongst the council. These can include but are not limited to proposed changes to the pastoral and rewards systems, feedback on school provisions and events and requests by community groups for support and engagement.
• An open forum where the reps can bring up ideas to improve and develop Vale of York Academy further.
• A staff and student recognition section where council members can nominate a person who has had an impact on either themselves or their peers. This is positive message is then communicated to the relevant member of staff or student.

All meetings are minuted and kept on Google Classroom for reps to access and feedback to their tutor groups. The minutes are also shared at the Senior Leadership Team meeting, where ideas and suggestions are discussed and fed back upon. To see some of the changes that have been made as a result of Student Council collaboration, please click here; YOU SAID, WE DID

Other responsibilities for our Student Council Representatives include:

• Being on the panel for school job interviews
• Welcoming and showing around visitors to the school
• Being a voice for the community for agencies such as the police, the local council and youth groups

For further information about the Student Council, please contact Mr Orr – hello@voy.hslt.academy

Prefects

In Year 11, students have the opportunity to give something back to the school by becoming a Prefect. They must write an application, detailing all of their qualities and reasons why they wish to become a Prefect. The successful applicants are then assigned to support their preferred areas both during and after school. Being a Prefect is a very good thing to have on a college or 6th Form application as it demonstrates, amongst other attributes:

• Commitment
• Confidence
• Empathy
• Team work

Alongside their specific roles within the school, all Prefects also:

• Support the new Year 7 pupils
• Support whole school events
• Act as ambassadors for the school in the community

For more information on Prefects, please contact Mr Orr – hello@voy.hslt.academy

Sports Leaders

In 2023, the Level 1 Qualification in Sports Leadership was launched by the PE department for pupils in Key Stage 4. Delivered during Key Stage 4 Core PE lessons and open to anyone with a passion for sport and supporting others, the qualification teaches students all of the skills they require to run events for their peers and younger students. Not only does this support their peers and help Vale of York Academy develop it’s enrichment offer, it is also an excellent addition to any future applications for college, university and jobs. Skills and attributes developed on the course include:

• Leadership
• Organisation
• Planning
• Communication
• Teamwork
• Empathy
• Presentation
• Motivation
• Practical sports delivery

For more information on the Sports Leaders Award, please contact Mr Rampling – hello@voy.hslt.academy

For more information about the qualification, please click here; Sports Leadership | Our Programmes | Leadership Skills Foundation

Duke of Edinburgh Award

The Duke of Edinburgh Award (DofE) is a very popular and highly valued award that is run to an outstanding level by Mr Rampling at Vale of York Academy. The award combines volunteering, outdoor and adventurous activities, developing physical and leadership skills. The Duke of Edinburgh Award is recognised by educational institutions and employers alike as evidence of well rounded, motivated, committed and enthusiastic individuals and is an excellent addition to anyone’s cv. Students partake in a series of theory lessons after school, in combination with volunteering episodes and weekends away where camping, navigating, cooking and bushcraft are enjoyed in and amongst fun social time.

For more information on the Duke of Edinburgh Award, please contact Mr Rampling – hello@voy.hslt.academy and also visit click here DofE – The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award

Library Leaders

We are lucky to have a team of dedicated Library Leaders from across a range of year groups who spend their free time and after school ensuring that our wonderful library is kept up to date, tidy and accessible for all the students at our school. They help their peers with book recommendations, support them with borrowing books and run a tight ship in ensuring their timely return. They really are an asset to Vale of York Academy.

For more information on Library Leaders, please contact Miss Raimes – hello@voy.hslt.academy

Literacy Leaders

In Year 11, we run a programme that see’s Year 11 buddied up with students lower down in the school who find reading that little bit more challenging than others. The Literacy Leaders receive training and deliver their sessions on an afternoon in the comfort of our lovely library. It really is a valuable project that we run, that benefits both the reader and the leader alike.

For more information on Literacy Leaders, please contact Ms Humphries – hello@voy.hslt.academy

Primary Transition Leaders

Due to our close links with our local primary schools, there are lots of opportunities for students to get involved with delivering transition events to Year 5 and 6. Whether it’s in practical subjects like Art, Drama, Sport, Technology or Music or one of the more academic subjects, we offer a range of workshops to the primary schools which our students are vital to their success.

For more information on Primary Transition Leaders, please contact Mr Orr – hello@voy.hslt.academy