Student Leadership at King's College

For more than a century, King's has employed a traditional prefect system, with authority and responsibility vested in selected senior students. Increasingly, the shortcomings and educational limitations of focusing on a small group of leaders have become apparent, and we believe this system of management is misaligned with both the values of the College, and also with current trends in wider society, into which our students will move.

King's has therefore broadened its leadership group by developing its prefectorial body further to include three groups of prefects, School Prefects, Gold Badge Prefects (who also have school responsibilities) and House Prefects. These three groups together, account for over eighty Year 13 students, which is approximately one third of the total year group. King's has therefore broadened its leadership group by developing noted carry considerable status in the school and are expected to exercise leadership within their own peer group (frequently the most difficult task), and beyond it in the wider context of the school. However, there are also many other leadership opportunities for our seniors and we hope that the right opportunity exists for each student, whether it be in the Chapel, on the cultural front, on the sports field or in community service.

Our aim is to make leadership at King's more inclusive, which will enable all Year 13 students to develop their leadership potential. This stems from an acute understanding of our responsibility to equip all King's students for life in the modern world. The reality and challenges of the future are unpredictable, but the certainty is that it will continue to be dynamic, that people will need to take control of their own lives, and that success will involve the capacity to think, to be imaginative, to work with others, to act decisively, to be accountable and to accept responsibility, all within a framework of clearly acknowledged principles. Wherever Old Collegians may find themselves, and in varied facets of their lives, these skills will be in increasing demand.

We endeavour to provide the training and experiences which will create opportunities for individual growth and best prepare our students in respect to these imperatives. Our concept of effective leadership is based on three main principles: - Leadership begins with an inside-out process which is founded on personal leadership, whereby individuals have the capacity to lead their own lives and consistently make wise choices based on sound values. Effective leadership can be learned through developing both the character and competence of our students and by providing them with training and opportunities to exercise leadership responsibilities. The concept of service to those who follow our lead and service to the community and culture that King's represents and values. Until the 1970's, the majority of student leadership training at King's came through the Cadet Corp, experience of captaining various sports teams, and individual Housemaster initiatives.

More recently, leadership training has begun in the junior years with programmes having seen development in all years through to Year 13.

The concept "to lead is to serve" has continued to develop rapidly both within the school and in our local community. Student leaders realise, more than ever, that they have been appointed to serve the school and its students, rather than vice versa, which may have been thought the case by some student leaders in the past.

The transition in recent years from the fagging to the mentoring system is a classic example, whereby Year 13 students have the opportunity to assist a younger student in their overall progress within the school. Students from all year groups are involved in community service with over 400 students visiting Womens Refuge, Mangere Refugee Centre, staffing reception at Middlemore Hospital, helping at KidzFirst Hospital, visiting Otara Spinal Unit, and tutoring refugee students. As well as this, all Year 10 students take part in a reading programme at three local primary schools. No matter at what level within the school or what area of school activities one considers, effective student leaders will "walk the talk", and will personify the values they wish to encourage in others. They will not necessarily seek popularity, but they will seek respect for the person, which is gained through boldness, courage, consistency, empathy, energy and service. In conclusion, the task of leadership is to bring about within a school community, a desire to know the good, desire the good, and do the good. (Lickona, 1996)