Leadership programme at school is giving city pupils 'a louder voice'

An innovative student leadership programme aims to improve the pupils' voices at a Sunderland school.

- by Katy Wheeler

The programme builds on a previous scheme at Venerable Bede CE Academy in Ryhope, where 12 Year 11 pupils have been appointed to leadership positions-four Senior Prefects and eight Deputy Senior Prefects.

It comes as part of improvements at the school.

An Ofsted inspection carried out in January deemed the Academy was providing an inadequate quality of education to its pupils - but the inspectors recognised that improvements had been made after the school was taken over by Northern Lights Learning Trust in 2023.

Following the inspection, three senior leaders were appointed to accelerate improvements at the school.

Now, as part of a programme to amplify students' voices, the Senior Prefects have been assigned specific areas of responsibility - such as Community Enrichment and Pupil Wellbeing.

Each Senior Prefect has two Deputy Senior Prefects working with them.