Background and aims

As members of the Institute of Leadership, we were consulted on suggestions for a flagship project for the Institute. Knowing that the Institute of Leadership had researched leadership development in children we suggested a project developing leadership in schools. Sally Fagan of Infozyme became a key member of the project team. The project aims were to encourage children to understand what a leader is, know how they can be a leader by starting to understand themselves and their potential, and learn how to take responsibility for themselves, for others, for their actions and for their learning. This fitted in well with the broad aims of the National Curriculum in terms of Citizenship and PSHE (Personal, Social and Health Education). The ultimate aim of the project (called The Leader in You) was to develop distance learning material for schools at both primary and senior level.

Description

Based on the research, the project team designed a programme which encompassed a 4 hour session for all the teachers in the school, a short session of up to one hour with parents, and seminars for the children ranging from around 40 minutes for reception children up to a full half day for the secondary level. The seminar programme was piloted in Gloucestershire and Leicestershire, with Sally Fagan taking responsibility for all the Leicestershire schools. Ten schools were accepted onto the pilot programme in Leicestershire: 2 very small village primary schools, 2 medium sized primary schools, 3 large primary schools and 3 secondary schools. The schools also covered a range of socio-economic areas, ranging from fairly affluent to the school that the Education Authority described as the most socially deprived area in Leicestershire. At the time of writing, the pilot programme is coming to an end and the distance learning material is being developed on the basis of the evaluations received.

Results

The best way that the immediate results can be stated is to use some of the comments that we have received.

Conclusions from a small group of children aged 4 -10 after they had all spent some time in the morning learning about various aspects of leadership:
	It doesn't matter what size you are and it s not about being bossy, just look in your heart and you'll find what you need to care, love, share and be friends. You can all do something and have different things that you are good at. Now put all this together and what are you now? A leader!
From a secondary school pupil aged 12:
	It really made me stop and think about myself.
From parents:
	I was very sceptical when I came to the meeting, but I really enjoyed it. I think it s a wonderful idea and would love to come and help in the school the day of the seminars,
	Please would you come to my house at the weekend and help with my leadership!
From teachers:
	This was real eye-opener! Something that you tend to overlook when too busy thinking of literacy hour etc.
	This project has been very worthwhile. Many of us have little or no self-esteem in the teaching profession .
	I now have a determination to ensure that I consider all children to be leaders! Can we have more of the same?
	It's been wonderful to have time to reflect on our own development, rather than having to do what is prescribed to us.

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