DUCKS Student Leadership Programme

We are incredibly proud of the DUCKS leadership programme and are determined to provide opportunities for our children to develop the skills they need to be future leaders, change makers and to understand the importance and privilege that it is to ‘Live Worldwise’.

Pupil voice and student agency are at the very heart of everything we do here in DUCKS and for this reason the roles have been developed collaboratively by the Year 2 children and their teachers. The programme has evolved over the years and we now offer 7 different leadership groups to our Year 2s:

• Global Guardians
• Reading Rockets
• Creative Stars
• Student Council
• House Captains
• Mandarin Monitors
• Techsperts

These roles allow our children to take that first step into the challenging and rewarding world of leadership. Our unit of inquiry ‘people can influence change’ encourages the children to explore the impact significant individuals both past and present have had upon society. We spend time reflecting upon the skills and qualities leaders possess and think about the changes we would like to see in the world and how each and every one of us has the power to make a change. We invite our school leaders to join for assemblies so that they can share their own experiences of leadership with the children.

We warmly invite all children to apply for a position of responsibility. The breadth of roles we offer ensures that there is something that is sure to appeal for anyone thinking of applying.

Each group meets weekly to discuss ideas, plan for change and lead projects that seek to benefit not only our school community but that of the wider world too. Children are given opportunities to develop the tools needed to be problem solvers, critical thinkers and action takers who care deeply about the people and environment around them.

Below is a snap shot of the wonderful opportunities our student leaders have had to help make our school an even better place to be:

• The Reading Rockets and Techsperts have worked alongside our Director of Art and Design to plan, create and unveil an impressive digital mural for our library and create content for our marketing department.
• The Reading Rockets have also worked with the Junior School Creative Ambassadors on a "little libraries ‘’project.
• The Student Councillors have designed new sustainable leadership badges printed in school using our very own laser cutter. They recognised the impact ordering individually plastic wrapped badges was having upon the environment and demanded a change! Most recently, they have been supporting their peers in preparation for the transition new the Junior School by meeting with the Year 3 Student Council.
• The Global Guardians wrote and delivered a speech to represent DUCKS at the launch of EiM's ESG (Environment, Social & Governance) report. They have also visited the school composter and interviewed JLL staff member Ms Rubni to find out more about food waste in school.
• The Mandarin Monitors and House Captains play a vital role in special school events and celebrations by planning and providing activities and challenges for the children to enjoy not only at school but at home too.
• The House Captains have designed house shields for each house on a canvas which is going to be displayed in the DUCKS foyer.
• The Mandarin Monitors have led an assembly for Reception to celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival.
• The Creative Stars are responsible for the upkeep and design of our Creative Space. The children have designed and resourced different zones for children across DUCKS to enjoy.