"Give young people a greater voice. They are the future, and they are much wiser than we give them credit for."

- Desmond Tutu

St. Paul’s Academy, we champion the development of leadership qualities in all our students. Our Student Leadership programme encourages students to take on roles that build responsibility, teamwork, and decision-making skills. By participating in leadership roles, students learn to advocate effectively, negotiate, and resolve conflicts, all within the framework of our Catholic values of respect, service, and integrity. These opportunities prepare them for future challenges and leadership roles beyond the school environment.  We are committed to nurturing future leaders who are not only academically accomplished but are also ethical, empathetic, and capable of inspiring change. Join us as we cultivate these young leaders, ready to excel and lead with conviction in all aspects of their lives.

We have a range of leadership roles which you can read about below.

School Councillors

At St Paul’s Academy, students are empowered to express their views freely on matters that affect their lives, confident that their voices will be heard and respected by adults. This aligns with Article 12 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, which upholds every child’s right to be consulted and taken seriously.  

Central to our leadership initiative is the role of School Councillors, who are elected by their peers to represent the student body and contribute positively to our school community.  Becoming a member of the School Council offers students a valuable opportunity to develop leadership, communication, and advocacy skills. It also supports the development of SPA character attributes, fostering a culture of collaboration, excellence, ambition, and abundance.

School Councillors are given the opportunity to engage directly in the governance of the school, providing a voice for their peers in important discussions and decisions. This experience not only enhances their understanding of democratic processes but also empowers them to make a meaningful impact.

School Council representatives will:

• Attend council meetings once every half-term;
• Engage in discussions and debates with fellow members to explore solutions to student concerns;
• Represent and voice issues raised by their tutor or year group;
• Provide feedback to their peers on topics and actions discussed in council meetings.

The School Council aims to:

• Collect and reflect students’ perspectives on various aspects of school life;
• Represent these views to the school’s leadership team, ensuring students have a meaningful role in school development;
• Identify areas for improvement across the school and help shape priorities through discussion and collaboration.

Chaplaincy Team

Our students take an active and passionate role in shaping our chaplaincy life. Over recent years, our Student Chaplaincy Team has grown so much that we’ve divided it into year-group teams. This has allowed team members to develop their service to their own age group, and has also created space for even more team members to get involved. These student leaders serve as ambassadors for our charity initiatives, prepare and deliver liturgies of the Word, and support our outreach work — including visits to local care homes and responding to needs within the wider community. Their enthusiasm and commitment continue to enrich the spiritual life of our school.

EAL Ambassadors

Our students whose first language is not English play an important and valued role in the life of St Paul’s. Our EAL Ambassadors continue to flourish, with students offering their skills and support across a range of activities. Fluent in both English and their home languages, these student leaders serve as guides during Open Mornings and Parents’ Evenings, act as buddies for new starters who share their language, and offer interpreting support whenever needed. Their empathy, communication skills, and commitment help new students and families feel welcomed, understood, and part of our school community.

Wellbeing Ambassadors

Wellbeing Ambassadors have a positive influence on students in the following ways:

• Support their peers in school by providing mentoring;
• Listening and responding to the needs of the students;
• Being role models in the Academy;
• Creating a caring atmosphere;
• Resolve minor problems through mediation;
• Helping on transition day, for new students and year 7s and new students;
• Encourage students to attend school fully, have the highest levels of punctuality, complete homework regularly, behave well in all lessons and achieve academic standards;
• To attend school council meetings when agenda points are raised specific to their role.

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Form Representatives

Form Representatives are trusted student leaders who help maintain a positive and supportive environment within their tutor group. Through their role, they develop confidence, responsibility, and organisational skills while contributing to the wider school community.

All students are given the opportunity to apply to be a form representative. Students will deliver a speech to their form, as to why they should be selected and their peers will vote for who they would like to nominate as Form Rep and Deputy Form Rep. There are two representatives for each form group.

Their responsibilities include:

• Acting as a first point of contact for peers with concerns, and liaising with the form tutor as needed;
• Supporting high standards of uniform, punctuality, equipment, and presentation;
• Encouraging excellent attendance and a culture of achievement;
• Being the key link for student voice between their form class and Head of Year;
• Meeting with their Head of Year to raise issues/ideas from the form group;
• Sharing key school updates and reminders with the form group;
• Supporting the organisation of form-based activities and events;
• Assisting with classroom routines such as distributing or collecting materials;
• Support during PSHE lessons, reading time, and leading tutor-time activities;
• Promoting the school’s values, including respect, diversity, and responsibility;
• Contributing to a positive learning environment and strong school culture.

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Greenwich Young People’s Council (GYPC)

The GYPC is a strategic borough-wide platform that empowers young people aged 11–18 (or up to 25 for young people with SEND) to influence decision-making within Greenwich Council. Through democratic elections, committed young leaders are selected to represent the voices of their peers, participate in campaigns, and engage with borough-wide issues.

We are proud that Fortune and Precious, now in Year 11, were successfully elected to the GYPC after leading thoughtful and impactful campaigns—demonstrating their dedication to youth voice and community impact.

 

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Subject Ambassadors

Subject Ambassadors are passionate advocates for their subject area. They take an active role in enriching the learning experience, supporting their department, and encouraging wider student engagement. Through this role, they develop leadership, teamwork, and mentoring skills while contributing to the academic life of the school.

 

As Subject Ambassadors, students will:

• Demonstrate enthusiasm and deep interest in their subject;
• Encourage peers to engage with and enjoy the subject through positive promotion;
• Help organise or support clubs, events, and activities related to the subject;
• Represent the subject at key events such as Options Evenings, Open Days, and Taster Days;
• Support learning by running or assisting with revision sessions, lunchtime clubs, or peer mentoring groups;
• Provide constructive feedback to subject teachers on students’ experiences and ideas;
• Assist in lessons with routine tasks such as managing resources or supporting group activities;
• Act as positive role models, inspiring others to take pride in their learning;
• Attend School Council meetings when subject-specific topics are discussed.

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Head Student

The Head Student:

• Acts as an ambassador for the school at various events, e.g. Open Days, Presentation Evening, Careers events, school visits;
• Set excellent standards for the rest of the school in terms of appearance, conduct, attitude to work and involvement in school activities;
• Supports the development of positive relationships with pupils and staff;
• Supports the management of the leadership team and school ambassadors;
• Promote a positive school life, learning environment and culture;
• To attend school council meetings when agenda points are raised specific to their role.

Deputy Head Student

As Deputy Head Student, the student will:

• Act as an ambassador for the school at various events such as Open Days, Presentation Evening, Careers, school visits;
• Set excellent standards for the rest of the school in terms of appearance, conduct, attitude to work and involvement in school activities;
• Help to support the organisation of events.
• Promote a positive school life, learning environment and culture;
• Attend school council meetings when agenda points are raised specific to their role.

Student Leadership Team

As part of the Leadership Team, the student will:

• To act as a role model for pupils and promote the ethos of the school;
• To motivate every student to aspire to excellence, to be caring and responsible individuals;
• Provide excellent leadership school-wide;
• Supervise students during key times in school to maintain the highest standards of excellence (break and lunch times);
• Support the organisation and delivery of school events such as Parents’ Evenings, Induction days and Open Days;
• To enable students to play an active role in shaping the future direction of the school and school improvement;
• To give students the opportunity to share their feelings and opinions about issues that affect them, so that the school can respond positively to those views;
• Support the chaplaincy team, assemblies and fundraising;
• Promote a positive school life, learning environment and culture;
• To attend school council meetings when agenda points are raised specific to their role.