Student Leadership

At Orchard we want all of our students to become student leaders.  Learning to lead is an integral part of being an Orchard School student, and opportunities to get involved in leadership and shape the school are numerous.

Leadership Groups 

 Anti-Bullying Ambassadors  - Years 7 - 10

Lead anti-bullying activities in school, act as peer mediators and raise awareness. Anti-bullying Ambassadors monitor our adherence to Gold Anti Bullying Award criteria.  The member of staff who supports them is Miss Stockley.

Community Champions  - Years 7 - 10

Our Community Champions plan and carry out activities to raise money for our school charity  - this year we are collecting products for the North Bristol Food Bank. The member of staff who supports them is Ms Alderson.

Curriculum Leaders

Students are able to talk with passion and knowledge about a subject that they love, assisting at Open Evening and being the student representative for that Faculty.

Duke of Edinburgh's Award  - Year 9 and 10 

Students work towards the Bronze Award,  covering skills, volunteering, physical activity and then an overnight expedition. The member of staff who supports them is Mrs Elmansuri.

Eco Leaders - Years 7 - 10

Our Eco Leaders look to lead students in eco-friendly activities and reducing our carbon footprint.  They are working towards the Bronze Eco Schools Award. The member of staff who supports them is Miss Reith.

Rights Respecting Leaders - Years 7 - 10

Our RR Leaders focus on diversity and the rights of all learners.  They have achieved the Bronze UNICEF Rights Respecting School Awards and are working towards the Silver Award.  

Healthy Heroes - Years 7 - 10

Promote healthy eating, healthy lifestyles and work towards the Food for Life Quality Mark.  

House Leaders - Year 11

House Captains, House Vice Captains and House Sports Captains apply in Year 10 to take over in the summer term of Year 10 and through most of Year 11.  Each House Champion supports their team of House Leaders. 

Reading Leaders - Year 7

Help organise the library, write book reviews and make book recommendations for library purchases. The member of staff who supports them is Ms Andrews.

Sports Leaders - Years 7 - 10

 Lead sporting activities, take responsibility for running events for different year groups, and for primary students who visit us. 

Student Coaches - Year 9

Learn how to feed back on lesson activities to teachers.  These students lead on providing student voice to teachers with the aim of supporting excellence in classroom teaching. The member of staff who supports them is Ms Alderson.

Oracy Leaders - Years 7 - 9

Promoting and displaying high proficiency in oracy skills across the school. Oracy Leaders may speak at school events, coach peers and take part in public speaking competitions.

Leadership  - all year groups

 Interview panellists 

Students are invited to sit on interview panels and ask questions to help make decisions regarding who to appoint to the school.

Inclusion Leaders

Students promote inclusion groups and initiatives across the school, such as campaigns and charitable events.

Junior Librarians

Students offer their support and love of books in our school Library, assisting the school Librarian at break and lunchtimes with organising shelves and ensuring the Library is a calm and enjoyable space.

 Sports Team Leaders

Lead sporting teams in school in all sports and across all year groups. 

 Student Ambassadors 

Our ambassadors welcome visitors and lead tours of the school. 

 BEP Student Partnership Board

Orchard School is a founding member of BEP (Bristol Education Partnership) which is a collaboration between 9 schools from both the state and independent sectors, St Brendan's Sixth Form College, University of Bristol, UWE and Bristol City Council - all working together to overcome disadvantage, raise aspirations, broaden young people's experience of education and support school staff - to help make Bristol a world-class city to live, learn and work.

To ensure that student's needs and ideas guide the work of the partnership a student panel has been created with representatives from all of the schools in the partnership.  This group of students meet on a monthly basis to provide guidance on the work of the partnership and are involved in the planning and delivery of its projects. 

BEP Student Leaders

Each year, four Year 10 students volunteer and are subsequently selected to undertake the Bristol Education Partnership (BEP)’s Student Leadership Programme. Across the year the students complete training days at different partner schools, developing skills such as coaching and teamwork, working towards a social action project of their choosing.

Wellbeing Ambassadors

Students will work with the staff in The Grove- our Social, Emotional and Mental Health provision- to promote wellbeing initiatives across the school.

Student Council

 Tutor Representatives to Student Council 

Each year students apply to become a tutor representative, and give a short speech to their tutor group to explain why they should represent them.  Two students are voted in for each tutor group.  These students sit on the Student Council, representing the voice of their tutor group and taking back the summaries of discussions and outcomes of decisions to their peers.

Prefects 

In Year 10 students complete a formal letter of application to become a prefect.  They are interviewed by senior leaders and governors.  Successful applicants become our team of prefects who run the Student Council, support break and lunchtime positive behaviours and activities across the school.  Head Prefects are appointed on application, and they take a lead role in public speaking activities and representing the school in external events.