Student Leadership
At Erasmus Darwin Academy, we provide students with many different opportunities to develop their skills as future leaders.
In KS3 in Year 7, 8 and 9, we use students to support Year 6 students with Transition. Our ‘EDA Ambassadors’ programme that focuses on Anti-Bullying roles as well as representing the Academy at events launches from early in Year 7, as we believe that this prepares students for opportunities later on in their school career. Furthermore, our ‘Peer Buddies’ do a great job of making sure that primary visitors and new students feel well supported and happy in the transition process. There are also some opportunities for alumni of local feeder primary school to visit their old school to speak of their experiences at Erasmus Darwin.
In KS4, we appoint Prefects in the Year 10 to serve as positive role models and ambassadors in the Academy community. Prefects will often act as hosts at official functions, be present at Open Evening and support major Academy Events, such as the Annual Production. Our Prefects can be identified by the silver badge that they wear with pride. Many students also become Sports Leaders, supporting primary sports activities and competitions.
When a student moves into our Sixth Form, the opportunities for leadership become more diverse. Our Head Boy and Head Girl represent the pinnacle of the Student Leadership system; they address the students and staff in assemblies, speak publicly for the Academy in events such as Open Evening, and promote the school generally as part of their role. They are supported by Deputies, while other students occupy the roles of House Charity Ambassadors and Sixth Form Student Ambassadors. Every Sixth Form student at the Academy is also responsible for working closely with their tutor, often taking the initiative and leading tutorial tasks in tutor time.
We believe that these opportunities provide students with the framework to look for leadership opportunities beyond the Academy; instilling the confidence needed to speak up for change and to actively contribute in wider forums for the betterment of society. We annually participate in the ‘Make Your Mark’ Youth Parliament campaign and we are also very proud that on the Staffordshire Youth Parliament council, we have had continual representation from our students over the last decade.