Student Voice & Leadership

At Ashlyns, we believe that all students have tremendous potential to make a positive difference, not only to benefit themselves, but also their school and wider communities.   The opinions of students are essential to the school’s development, and regular focus groups of students take place to gather their views on a range of issues including  teaching and learning, transition, behaviour, home-learning and safeguarding, as well as school improvement planning. 

Student Voice plays a central part in the life of the school and we encourage our young people to take an active role in the Student Leadership Team and their Houses, as well as many other established ambassadorial and community opportunities.

House System

The school’s four houses are named after significant people in our history.  Congratulations to Bourne who are the reigning 2021/22 House Champions!

The central themes of the house system are student voice, participation, charity and leadership. Heads of Year remain responsible for their whole-year group and weekly Chapel and Hall assemblies are held for each year group.  Each house is vertical in structure, allowing meaningful collaboration between year groups.

Inter-house competitions and activities provide greater opportunities for students to:

  • get involved in all aspects of our school
  • try their hand at new challenges and hobbies
  • forge links across year groups
  • help out in the school and wider communities

Each house is led by a Captain and Deputy: members of the Sixth Form, who are democratically appointed. The House Captains are responsible for running half-termly house assemblies as well as charity and competition events.

The four houses compete for the House Cup. Students win House points through participation in all House activities and events The house structure is also at the centre of our rewards system. Reward points achieved through merits, postcards home and Student of the Week translate into House points. The winners are announced on the final day of term in the Headteacher’s assembly and the winning house has the opportunity to go on the annual achievement trip held in July.

Leadership

We are proud of our student leaders and greatly value their contribution to school life. The student leadership programme comprises several strands:

The Student Leadership Team

Led by the Head Boy and Head Girl, this comprises three representatives from each year group, as well as the four House Captains and their respective deputies. The team is split into three subgroups, each chaired by a member of the Sixth Form Senior Executive: Teaching and Learning, Environment, and Pastoral. Each group meets once every half term to discuss issues raised via student voice and to give feedback on their specific areas. Working closely with the Senior Leadership Team, they are involved in giving feedback across all areas of the school and in reviewing teaching and learning in particular.

Year Councils

Each form elects two representatives to the Year Council, which meet once every term to discuss particular issues pertaining to their own year group. The Year Council feeds back to the Student Leadership Team.

Learning Ambassadors

Our team of dedicated and skilled Learning Ambassadors are from a range of year groups, from Year 7 up to Year 10. Their role is three-fold: they visit our local primary schools to offer lessons in a variety of different subjects, they make up student panels for recruitment interviews, and they are involved in strategic school improvement planning.  Each Learning Ambassador visits at least three primary schools per year and are wholly responsible for delivering their lessons to small groups of primary school children.

Prefects

Students are able to apply to become prefects in Years 10, 11 and the Sixth Form. Prefects play an active role in the running of day to day school events and are regularly involved in the following areas:

  • lower school academic mentoring
  • canteen duty
  • subject leaders
  • technical crew support
  • administrative support

Sixth Form Executive

The Sixth Form also has an active executive which plays a key role in organising and driving Sixth Form events and issues. Recent activities have included the complete re-decoration of the Sixth Form area as well as organising the Christmas Ball. Led by the Head Boy and Head Girl, issues raised in the Sixth Form are discussed by the executive and taken forward to the whole-school student leadership team.

Sports Leaders

Ashlyns School was awarded Leadership Academy Status by Sports Leaders UK and awarded the accolade as their UK Academy of the Year 2017.  Academy status recognises the high commitment the school places on developing leadership within the school community.

Our successful programme comprises Sports Leaders from every year group; they host sport festivals, visit local primary schools to offer specialist PE lessons and help to run primary school sports days. The programme develops confidence and core skills which students will take forward through school and life.

Please contact Miss Holmes with any questions regarding our programme: vholmes@ashlyns.herts.sch.uk