New Prefects announced

One of the values that form the Warwick Way is responsibility, the responsibility to have a positive impact on the world.

One way to have a positive impact is through leadership. At Warwick, we seek to prepare pupils for future leadership by providing a range of opportunities that develop the qualities of character and skills required to be an effective leader.

Every year we take the new cohort of prefects to Thornbridge Outdoors in the Peak District. The purpose of the trip is to bond the group and to prepare them for their new leadership roles. It is always an enjoyable weekend. The prefects perform a series of command tasks before forming two teams and tackling Operation Clockwise, a complicated challenge in which clues must be gathered from all over the surrounding area and puzzles solved. At the end of the trip, we identify the new senior prefect team.

But the programme is about far more than revealing which prefects are best suited to the most senior leadership positions in the school.

The Thornbridge staff encourage the prefects to be more intentional in their leadership by introducing them to John Adair’s leadership model – ‘Action Centred Leadership’.

John Adair, one of the world’s foremost thinkers on leadership, argued that truly effective leaders balance three essential elements:

Task – Defining and achieving clear goals.
Team – Ensuring the group works together harmoniously and productively.
Individual – Supporting and understanding each person’s unique strengths and needs.

Success in leadership comes from managing all three aspects simultaneously. A leader who focuses only on the task may achieve short-term results but risk losing their team. One who prioritises team spirit but lacks direction may struggle to meet objectives. And without individual care, even the most talented group can fall short of its potential.

To guide leaders in their efforts to achieve this balance, Adair identified eight key leadership functions:

Defining the Task – Setting clear, measurable, and achievable objectives.
Planning – Thinking creatively, considering different approaches, and preparing for challenges.
Briefing the Team – Communicating the plan clearly and securing commitment from others.
Controlling Outcomes – Using resources wisely to ensure maximum efficiency.
Evaluating Performance – Reflecting on results and identifying areas for improvement.
Motivating Others – Understanding what drives individuals, using both encouragement and incentives.
Organising Effectively – Managing time, delegating tasks, and ensuring smooth operations.
Leading by Example – Demonstrating the behaviour, values, and standards expected of the team.

The prefects are required to balance the competing demands of task, team and individual by fulfilling these eight functions of leadership. They are also expected to establish and maintain the highest standards of behaviour, attitude and appearance and provide a role model for other pupils. They are expected to commit fully to school life as well as undertaking additional duties and being given responsibility for leading the pupil body in a particular area of school life.

They are selected based on a written application, interview and a vote of their peers and teachers. They are chosen in recognition of their achievements and their potential to have a positive impact on the school community.

In this week’s assembly it was my pleasure to announce the new cohort of prefects who will take up their posts at the start of the summer term.

As always, this year’s prefects encompass many different personality types and styles of leadership, but each of them embodies the school values of curiosity, creativity, courage, perseverance, responsibility, and humility.

Senior Prefects