Trent Leadership

Trent Leadership is a whole school approach to leadership education. It provides real experience of leadership for pupils and students from Year 9 upwards - all Trent pupils receive leadership training and education. Trent Leadership has as its main delivery vehicle the students themselves - Year 13 students take all of the sessions, under the supportive eye of experienced members of staff with particular interest and enthusiasm in leadership issues.

Year 13 students plan, develop, deliver and evaluate weekly training sessions for Years 9, 10, 11, and 12. In Years 9 and 10, Leadership forms part of the compulsory extra-curricular programme whilst from Year 11 onwards pupils can opt into Trent Leadership and begin the path to becoming the leaders of the option in Year 12. This means that during this year nearly 400 pupils will be taught or will be teaching Leadership.

Leadership takes as its core framework the following skills and experiences highlighted by employers' organisations and universities, and then delivers the lessons through a series of innovative, student designed lessons and training times:

• Team work and working together
• Individual responsibility
• Problem solving
• Written, verbal and visual communication forms
• Confidence
• Presentations
• Initiative
• Innovation
• Self evaluation

Trent is also fortunate in having attracted sponsorship from Pricewaterhouse Coopers, the multinational accountancy and management consultancy firm for a special one day business leadership course for all Year 12s. Trent Leadership is also linked to a similar society at Cambridge University.

Trent Leadership thrives on the dynamism, hard work and enjoyment of those involved. It is usually led by two Year 13 students, and they Chair a 'Cabinet' of student leaders who each are responsible for teaching teams delivering the weekly training sessions.

The option is well resourced and has excellent links with the worlds of graduate recruitment and university entrance.