Become School Head Boy or Head Girl

In the British School System Head Boys and Head Girls are selected each year from an institution’s highest class of students. Each academic institution selects or elects a Head Boy and Head Girl in a slightly different manner. The Head Boy and Head Girl are expected to serve as role models to the student body, representatives of the school, and coordinators of student activities. While the roles are accompanied by a myriad of responsibilities, it also provides students with numerous opportunities.

Steps

Applying for the Position

  1. Receive a nomination from a teacher. In order to be considered for the role, your institution may require a teacher to formally nominate you. This may require them to fill out a nomination form or write a recommendation letter on your behalf. Teachers often nominate students that possess the following qualities and skills:
    • Detail oriented
    • Caring
    • Respectful
    • Reliable
    • Strong leader
    • Effective communicator
    • Polished public speaker
    • Involved in school and student life[1]
  2. Nominate yourself for the role. Your institution may allow you to nominate yourself for the position of Head Boy or Head Girl. In order for your nomination to be considered, you may also be required to secure a letter of endorsement from a teacher. When you are seeking a letter of recommendation, always ask your teacher well in advance of the application deadline.
    • Send your teacher a thank you note.[1]
  3. Write a letter of application. In addition to receiving an endorsement from a teacher, your school might require you to write a formal letter of application. Often, schools provide students with detailed instructions on how to format the letter. They may also supply you with required (or strongly suggested) points of discussion. These may include explaining why you are a suitable candidate and detailing your plans to improve the school.[1]
    • Highlight your extracurricular activities, commitment to improving the school, leadership skills, and ability to manage a several responsibilities at once.

Presenting Yourself as a Desirable Candidate

  1. Receive a shortlist notification. After the selection committee has reviewed all of the applicants, they will often narrow down the candidate pool. If you are chosen to move forward in the process, you will be placed on a shortlist. The committee will notify you directly and provide you with details on the next stage.
  2. Give a presentation to the selection committee or student body. The Head Boy and Head Girl are expected to speak at a variety of events. As a shortlisted candidate, you may be asked to showcase your public speaking ability to the selection committee and or the student body. The committee should provide you with a prompt or theme for the speech, as well as a time limit for the presentation.
    • After writing your speech, practice giving the talk in front of a mirror, family member, or friend.
    • Many students create a powerpoint presentation to accompany their speeches.[2]
  3. Be interviewed by the selection committee and or students. Following your presentation, the selection committee and or a small number of students may interview you. Be prepared to:
    • Clarify details or elaborate upon ideas you presented in your speech
    • Speak to your ability as a candidate
    • Provide examples of your commitment to the school, leadership abilities, and work ethic
    • If you are friends with a student that went through the interview process last year, you may wish to ask them what you can expect during the interview.[1]

Being Selected or Elected

  1. Be selected by the committee. After interviewing all of the candidates, the selection committee will deliberate. At your institution, the entire decision may be based on the opinions of the selection committee. Upon reaching their final decision, they will announce who they have selected as Head Boy and Head Girl.[3]
  2. Be elected by the faculty and student body. At your institution, the final decision may not rest in the hands of the selection committee. Instead, your school may hold a formal election in which students and faculty members are each granted one vote. Once the votes are tallied, the winners of the election will be announced.[4]
    • The election process is modeled after British election practices.
  3. Be asked to join elected Head Boy and Head Girl’s support team. At the end of the process, you may not be selected or elected Head Boy or Head Girl. The students that are not selected are often asked to serve the school in other ways. You may have the opportunity to sit on the school committee and support the Head Boy and Head Girl in their duties.[5]

Tips

  • Ask the Head Boy or Head Girl from the previous year for advice!
  • Be very formal. It is most likely that you don't know your Headteacher that well and you should start on the right foot.
  • You must sell yourself, and promote yourself to the Headteacher. It may sound arrogant, but you must do this to show them how good you are!
  • Be yourself! If you put on a front, they will see right through you!
  • During the interview and presentation, stick to the point. Don't ramble on.
  • Tell the teacher that recommends you why you want the position and what you are going to do when you get the role.
  • Be calm if you are interviewed.
  • Always do your homework.
  • Be smart and confident about everything you say.
  • Be confident and positive thinker, because it makes your positive image in front of others.
  • Try to have good grades in school by working hard.
  • Value everyone's ideas, not just your own.
  • Don't be a sore loser when you don't get picked. It can sometimes influence whether you get chosen as somebody else important.

Warnings

  • Be honest. You never know when they may ask you to prove a statement that you have made in your letter and if it proves false, you have no more chances of proceeding.

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 http://www.king-ed.suffolk.sch.uk/pdf/students/hb_and_hg.pdf
  2. ↑ http://paperzz.com/doc/1254851/head-boy-girl-expectations-and-qualities---british-intern…, http://www.king-ed.suffolk.sch.uk/pdf/students/hb_and_hg.pdf
  3. ↑ http://paperzz.com/doc/1254851/head-boy-girl-expectations-and-qualities---british-intern…, http://paperzz.com/doc/1254851/head-boy-girl-expectations-and-qualities---british-intern...
  4. ↑ http://www.bchs.essex.sch.uk/31/head-boy-and-head-girl
  5. ↑ http://paperzz.com/doc/1254851/head-boy-girl-expectations-and-qualities---british-intern…
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