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| Head Girls 2009 |
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Left to right: Jenna Shuker - Head of Christian Affairs
Lucy Hobbs - Head Girl, Hayley Minter-Brown -
Deputy Head Girl |
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One of the aims at St Mary’s is to develop the leadership skills and capabilities of all our girls. Our Head Girls are appointed after a thorough, fair and democratic process. All the girls in Grade 12 apply for different mentor positions and then the girls in High School and staff vote for the
Head Girl posts.
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Pupil Leadership
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In an effort to develop the leadership skills and capabilities of all our pupils, and to give all senior girls the opportunity to practise these skills, St Mary’s has embarked on a more inclusive and
broad based structure of leadership in favour of the old “prefect” system.
St Mary’s is committed to servant leadership, leadership that seeks primarily to serve for the good of the school rather than seeking glory and status for the individual. We also recognise that pupil leadership is a vital component in the discipline and management of the school but that people should be given responsibility and status based on their competence and capacity rather than their success in an election process.
In essence, portfolios remain similar to those of the past, but pupils now apply for positions of leadership, opening up wider opportunities for them to stand for office and shoulder responsibility. Teachers are assigned to monitor and guide the process and counsel girls where necessary.
St Mary’s seeks to inspire its girls. A vital component of education and inspiration is the opportunity to shoulder responsibility and take on service and leadership roles in the school. The leadership focus has shifted from the carrying of a badge to the effectiveness with which the job is done. That is a far more effective measure of and preparation for the leadership roles in which our girls are likely to find themselves in later life. This new system will encourage our girls to focus on leadership, not status, on responsibility, not rank.
This is in line with our school motto: Service before self, God before all.
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