Service and Leadership
As our mission statement suggests, Service and Leadership are at the core of a St Edmund’s education.
Opportunities to participate and gain experience abound all areas of life at the College, whether it is academic, religious or co-curricular, from helping deliver tutor group prayers, raising money during our Charity week, visiting local care homes, leading sport and music activities, becoming a wellbeing ambassador or representing their peer groups at Student Council meetings.
Every student is actively challenged to participate and reflect on their contribution and development as they move through the College through our own Service and Leadership Award and external programmes including Faith in Action and the Duke of Edinburgh Award.
In Elements (Year 7) and Rudiments (Year 8), students work towards our Service and Leadership Award, by completing a rotation of activities on Wednesday afternoon. Sessions include Lifesaving and First Aid, bespoke sessions on leadership, participation in a junior choir and teamwork challenges within the Science Department.
In Grammar (Year 9) students will participate in the Combined Cadet Force or our St Edmund’s Award programme completing a range of activities and developing practical teamwork and leadership skills.
In Syntax (Year 10) and Poetry (Year 11) students must choose to continue with at least one Service or Leadership activity and can choose from a range of activities including the CCF, Gardening Club, Eco Society.
In Rhetoric (Year 12 and 13), there are many opportunities for Rhetoric students to both serve and lead within the co-curricular programme drawing on their participation in previous years. Many Rhetoricians participate in the College’s Mentoring Program and receive intensive training on how best to coach and mentor younger pupils during the Michaelmas term. A small group of mentors help deliver the JAS Award (Join in Award Scheme) to a group of Year 5 pupils in the Prep School during the Lent Term, whilst many others assist College staff with the delivery of the activities programme to younger pupils. Towards the end of the year, there are also further opportunities for students to gain work related qualifications, for instance in coaching and umpiring during Enrichment Week.
The recent launch of the Young Enterprise Company Programme is another example, which provides Rhetoric students with the chance to develop real word business skills by setting up and running their own student company, selling to the public through pop up shops and an e-commerce platform Trading Station.