Pupil Leadership

“Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant.” – Matthew 20:26

Pupil leadership is an important part of our Personal Development offer at OLSJ. We believe that every child has the potential to make a positive difference and, following in Jesus’ footsteps, we encourage our pupils to understand that true leadership is rooted in service, kindness, compassion and responsibility. Through leadership opportunities, pupils develop confidence, resilience, communication skills and a strong sense of responsibility towards others, living out our mission: “With Christ at our centre, we love, listen and learn.”

Our leadership roles include Head Boy and Girl and Deputy Head Boy and Girl, House Captains, the Chaplaincy Team, School Council representatives, Wellbeing Ambassadors and Year 5 Travel Ambassadors. These roles provide meaningful opportunities for pupils to have their voices heard, represent others, make decisions, take responsibility and contribute to positive change within our school and wider community.

Head Boys and Girls

Our Head Boy and Girl and Deputy Head Boy and Girl are role models for the whole school community. They are chosen because they demonstrate our Gospel Values through their words, choices and actions and show other pupils what it means to live out our school mission.

They work closely with the school’s leadership team and act as pupil representatives at important events and occasions. They welcome visitors, support whole-school events, represent the views of pupils and help promote the values and expectations of OLSJ. Through their role, they develop confidence, responsibility, communication and leadership skills while learning that leadership is rooted in service to others.

Our Head Boy and Head Girl are expected to lead by example. They demonstrate kindness, respect, compassion, integrity and responsibility and encourage other pupils to make positive choices. Their leadership reflects our belief that our Gospel Values should not simply be learnt about but should be visible in the way we behave, treat others and contribute to our school community.

 

House Captains

Our House Captains work closely with Mr Sands and Mrs Kelly to promote and monitor positive behaviour across the school. They act as positive role models and demonstrate the high expectations we have for behaviour, relationships and conduct at OLSJ.

House Captains encourage pupils to make positive choices, recognise examples of excellent behaviour and help promote a culture in which kindness, respect and responsibility are celebrated. They understand that being a leader means modelling the behaviour they expect to see from others and helping to create a school community where everyone feels safe, respected and valued.

Through this responsibility, House Captains develop leadership, communication and teamwork skills while putting our Gospel Values into action. Their work also supports pupils’ understanding of British Values, particularly the rule of law, mutual respect and individual responsibility. They help children understand why expectations and rules are important, how our choices affect others and how positive behaviour contributes to the common good.

Chaplaincy Team

Led by Mr Sands, our Chaplaincy Team plays an important role in strengthening the Catholic life and mission of OLSJ. The team helps to lead and promote Catholic Social Teaching across the school, encouraging pupils to understand how our faith calls us to serve others, uphold the dignity of every person, care for creation and work for the common good.

Chaplaincy Team members help to plan, prepare and lead prayer and liturgy. They model how to participate prayerfully and reverently and support other pupils to develop their own confidence in prayer and worship. They act as role models both when leading and participating, demonstrating that our faith is something we live out through our words, choices and actions.

Through their leadership, pupils develop a deeper understanding of our Gospel Values and Catholic Social Teaching principles, including human dignity, solidarity, care for creation, participation and the common good. They encourage the whole school community to put faith into action through prayer, service, charitable work and care for others.

School Council

Led by Miss Webber, our School Council strengthens pupil voice and democratic participation across OLSJ. Representatives are given opportunities to listen to the views of their classmates, represent the ideas of others and contribute to discussions and decisions about school life.

Through the School Council, children develop an understanding of how decisions are made and how their opinions can influence positive change. Representatives learn that leadership also brings responsibility. They must listen carefully, represent the views of others fairly, work collaboratively and communicate decisions back to their classes.

This provides a meaningful link to British Values, particularly democracy and the rule of law. Pupils develop their understanding of rules, fairness, responsibility, representation and decision-making. They learn that everyone has a voice but that decisions must also consider the needs, rights and wellbeing of others.

The School Council provides pupils with practical experience of democracy rather than simply learning about it. It helps prepare children to become responsible, respectful and active citizens who understand that they can contribute positively to their school, community and wider society.

Wellbeing Ambassadors

Led by Mrs Rowe, our Wellbeing Ambassadors help to promote kindness, inclusion and positive wellbeing across OLSJ. They provide an important opportunity for pupils to take responsibility for improving the experiences of others and contributing to a caring and inclusive school culture.

Our Wellbeing Ambassadors listen to children’s ideas, help to resolve small problems, contribute to wellbeing projects and share important messages with their classes. They spread kindness throughout the school, support calm and positive playtimes and help ensure that all children feel welcomed, valued and included.

They are encouraged to lead by example by being kind, fair and patient. They understand the importance of being positive role models, working together and spreading positivity throughout our school community.

Their work reflects our Gospel Values and our belief in the dignity of every person. It also develops mutual respect and tolerance by teaching pupils to listen to others, recognise different needs and experiences and ensure that everyone feels a sense of belonging at OLSJ.

 

Year 5 Travel Ambassadors

Led by Mr Cuming, our Year 5 Travel Ambassadors are an excellent example of pupils using their leadership to make a difference beyond the classroom. They work hard throughout the year to campaign for and promote active and sustainable travel as well as raising awareness of the importance of better air quality.

Through this role, pupils develop leadership, teamwork and communication skills while taking responsibility for their environment and wider community. Their work links closely to Catholic Social Teaching through care for creation, participation and the common good. It also enables pupils to understand that they can use their voices and actions to influence others and bring about positive change.

We were delighted to receive our GOLD accreditation for the 2025/26 academic year. OLSJ has now achieved GOLD accreditation, the highest level of recognition from Transport for London (TfL), for four consecutive years. This reflects the hard work of our Travel Ambassadors and the positive impact they have made across our school community.

This year’s Travel Ambassadors have now been selected and are ready to build on the success of previous teams as we work towards achieving our fifth consecutive GOLD accreditation.

Developing Leaders for the Future

Across all of our pupil leadership groups, children are given genuine opportunities to lead, serve, participate and make a difference. Leadership at OLSJ is not simply about holding a title. It is about developing the character, values and skills to use your voice responsibly and positively for the benefit of others.

These opportunities are an important part of Personal Development at OLSJ. They enable pupils to put our Gospel Values, Catholic Social Teaching and British Values into practice through real experiences of democracy, service, responsibility, collaboration, inclusion and active citizenship.

Through pupil leadership, we aim to develop children who are confident, compassionate and responsible, who understand the importance of serving others and who recognise that their actions can make a difference. By bringing together our Catholic faith, Gospel Values, Catholic Social Teaching and British Values, we prepare pupils to contribute positively to life at OLSJ, their local community and modern Britain.