Tomorrow's Leaders Conference
Bringing together aspiring and newly elected student leaders from Jersey's secondary schools
Launched in 2021, this conference brings together aspiring and newly elected student leaders from all secondary schools across Jersey, providing a forum for discussing and developing school leadership skills. Our aim is to create a unique community of student leaders who are equipped and empowered to move into their new roles for the next academic year, meeting regularly to share best practices and ideas, and ultimately, delivering the very best in leadership across all of our schools.
The 2023 Tomorrow's Leaders Programme
In 2023 we welcomed student leaders from across Jersey and Guernsey who worked alongside our Victoria College Prefect team throughout the day.
Sessions covered a range of topics including problem solving, public speaking, team roles and safeguarding, each one designed to build the foundation for a core set of skills required in our students’ new roles.
Throughout the day, we were extremely fortunate to welcome guest speakers, Will Golder, (Old Victorian and CEO of Race Nation), Paul Murphy (CEO of Jersey Business), Royston Guest (CEO of Pathways Global), Annabel Mair (outgoing JCG Head Girl) and Eden Powell (outgoing VCJ Head Boy), who each spoke about their experiences of leadership and offered students advice about the lessons they have learned along the way.
Students then met again in December at the Today’s Leaders Conference to discuss the challenges that they are facing in their roles, to discuss potential solutions and share best practices. Each table brought together student leaders from 3 different schools who all shared their individual challenges. Students then spoke with peers from their own school to produce a plan, inclusive of a timeline and actions to overcome the obstacles that they currently face. It was a brilliant day of collaboration that has most certainly equipped and empowered our student leaders to deliver the very best in leadership in our schools.
What's new in 2024?
In 2024, we are delighted to be delivering this conference in collaboration with PwC, whose extensive experience of developing leaders will help support Channel Island student leaders to inspire, innovate and drive positive change in their schools and in their future careers.
This year, we are also fortunate to welcome Serena Kersten, Head of People and Performance at Humanise Solutions, as the conference’s keynote guest. With her experience as a former captain and as current Non-Executive Director of England Netball, Serena is a recognised authority in leadership and unlocking potential.
Session overview
Challenges versus Opportunities in Leadership
Former Victoria College and Jersey College for Girls Prefects will share with delegates their experiences of being a student leader, to include the challenges and opportunities that their role presented them with.
Roundtable Discussions
Deputy Headteacher, Mr Crossley, and Assistant Head Academic, Mrs Palfreyman, will provide delegates with a series of questions and scenarios to consider and discuss in small groups. Delegates will be supported in trying to find answers and solutions.
Carousel of Guidance
This session will see three speakers share with delegates their key pieces of advice for three different aspects of a leadership role. The sub-sessions in this session will be short and sharp, so students should be ready to think about the aspects of each sub-session that you will apply to your day-to-day practice as a student leader.
Public Speaking
Head of Drama, Mr Warburton, will share with you some key considerations for public speaking. This can often be a daunting aspect of school leadership that can be made slightly easier by considering how best to command your audience and deliver your message.
Team Building
Senior Teacher, Teaching and Learning, Mrs Plummer will introduce you to different roles that exist within a team, using the Belbin model. She will then set you a task which will require each member of your team to take on a role, enabling you to reflect upon the role that you took on and the reasons for doing so.
Peer Mediation
This session will be delivered by Ms Kane, Assistant Headteacher, responsible for co-curricular delivery and development at Victoria College. Within her role, she has supported the training and implementation of peer mediators in the school across different year groups. Peer mediation empowers individuals to support the resolution of conflict in a positive and collaborative way, thus maintaining happiness and wellbeing and improving behaviour for learning.
Why should students attend?
This event will provide students with knowledge and skills to approach their leadership role confidently for the 2024/2025 Academic Year. Students will have the opportunity to discuss with other students their ideas and concerns to develop a support network that can be built upon throughout the year.
To support students in accessing and processing the information provided, they will be given a booklet, specifically prepared for them, to fill out during each session with what they have learned. This is designed to be a valuable reminder of what was discussed during the conference that they can keep with them as they move into their leadership roles.