By Mrs Bezzer (English Teacher)
Are you Ready2Lead? This was the burning question at the start of the Autumn Term, as I addressed a room full of fresh-faced Lower Sixth students about to embark on their A Level and IB studies, all eager to learn of and take up the new opportunities afforded to them as part of the Sixth Form programme here at BGS. Open exclusively to schools across Bedford Borough, up to twelve Lower Sixth students per school are given the chance each year to apply for the Ready2Lead programme.
The programme is a unique chance for Lower Sixth students across Bedford Borough to learn about leadership - both of self and others - in a really meaningful and practical way. Aimed at students who might not have taken on leadership roles previously, or who may have leadership potential but lack a degree of self-confidence and belief, the series of three conference-style sessions provides students with lots of leadership insights, tips, ideas and challenges designed to grow their leadership capacity. There is also the small matter of a project brief that needs to be coordinated, planned, organised and - for the first time ever this year - actually completed within a tight turnaround.
This year’s Ready2Lead cohort have approached the leadership project with enthusiasm and innovation. In alignment with Bedford Borough Council’s plan for ‘Children, Young People and their Families’, the students (working in two groups of six) have been busy coming up with workable ideas to support the aims and objectives of the Council’s plan to improve the local environment for children and young people. The groups are currently in the midst of the planning process, with ideas taking shape to provide opportunities for students both at local primary schools and within the local community to come together and participate in a variety of engaging activities.
We’re looking forward to the highlight of the programme - the ‘marketplace’ event on Wednesday 6th December, when all the groups from the participating schools will have the opportunity to showcase their projects and present their ideas and learnings to a range of local dignitaries as well as other staff and students.
