Sherborne Girls Voices

MeetournewPrefects

LEADINGFROM THEFRONT MAKINGA DIFFERENCE

Latin students will know that ‘prefect’ comes from the Latin past participle praefectus, which means ‘put in front’ . In March, L6 pupils put themselves ‘in front’ by applying to be school prefects. In so doing they signed up to a selection process like that used by many employers, as Flo Corran, Director of Sixth Form explains.

The process begins with candidates meeting current incumbents to find out about their distinct areas of responsibility. After writing an ‘ expression of interest’ letter, they complete a formal application form explaining what they would bring to the role and the kind of leadership they value. Two senior members of staff interview every applicant and discuss what they hope to achieve in their final four terms.

Anna Cleveland (L6):

“I was overjoyed and relieved to be appointed prefect since there was some tough competition. The prefect application form was very helpful for my CV as it gave me an idea of how to communicate my best traits and connect them to the role I am applying for. The interview was the most daunting part, but it was very good practice. ” Feeling valued is critical to aspiration and wellbeing. At Sherborne Girls, we pride ourselves on the many opportunities for pupils to share their opinions, ask questions and change things for the better.

Diverse Voices Diverse Voices raises awareness of issues affecting pupils and provides a platform to discuss them. We recently explored gender identity, looking at how we can normalise the use of pronouns throughout the School and giving an assembly on LGBT History Month. We have also implemented joint PSHEE days with Sherborne School to allow for more open discussion. In the future, we hope to create a way for younger pupils to get more involved.

Cerys Heard (L6)

Joint Pupil Pastoral Forum Pupils from Sherborne Girls and Sherborne School meet once every half term to debate important pastoral themes. This year, we have considered racism, bullying, gender identity and the effectiveness of listeners. It is a great opportunity to hear the perspectives of others and connect with people who are passionate about contemporary ideas. Our mission is to help our school environments become more open, educated and welcoming.

Congratulations to our new team of school prefects (June 2022-June 2023): Elizabeth Ashford, Emily Purser, Esme Beckly, Anna Cleveland, Kitty Shropshire, Lily Cecil-Wright, Amelia Hope-Hawkins, Annie Xu, Lily Phipps, Selene Corran, Alice Van Moppes, Asha Distelbrink, Emilie Lawrence, Natalie Cheung, Amelize Crozier-Jobber, Carys Leonard, Poppy Evans and Charlotte Wordsworth.

Verity de Pelet (L6)

Pupil Voice As prefects with this remit, we have enjoyed visiting all the houses and bringing concerns from the pupil body to the Senior Leadership Team, bridging the gap between the younger years and the U6. Recent issues raised include academic balance, extracurricular activities, life in house, gym use and socials with the boys. In the future we hope that more U6 will be involved and pupils in the boarding houses will continue to establish a rapport with older years.