Student Leadership

Head Students and Senior Prefects 2024/2025

'Bishop Rawstorne is …. creating opportunities for student voice and effective leadership, enabling them to drive forward genuine improvements across the Academy.' (SIAMS)

Below are our current Head Students and Senior Prefects who have additional responsibilities within the school:

Head Students

Georgia W

My name is Georgia and I am very proud to be the Head Girl at Bishop Rawstorne. Moving to secondary school can be an anxious time but I want to reassure you that from my own experience, it is also an exciting adventure that you should very much look forward to. The start of my journey at Bishop Rawstorne was quite unusual, as I was the only person joining from my primary school. In addition to this, my year group began life at Bishops in bubbles, as covid was still at it’s height. As you can understand, this was quite a daunting experience, but I think it speaks volumes about the warmth of the Bishop’s community that I was able to settle in and make new friends extremely quickly, even though all of my new friends were hidden behind masks for most of our first year!

For all the year 6 pupils joining the school next year, the move to your new school will be made so much easier by the transition days that take place during the summer. I really enjoyed being part of these as a mentor last year, and they are a brilliant opportunity for year 6’s to quickly make new friends and get to know the school. Thinking back to my time in year 7, I remember enjoying having the chance to learn a range of new subjects, and having lots of different teachers. I think that one of the things that makes Bishops so special is the staff. Everyone who works here is really dedicated to what they do, and they will go over and above to make sure that you're supported throughout your time here.

During my time at Bishops, I’ve tried to make the most of the extra-curricular opportunities that the school offers. While I might not remember every lesson I ever did at school, there are certain memories that I know will stay with me for life. For example, I recently had the chance to visit Germany and Belgium on a school trip last summer. One of the most memorable parts of this trip was visiting Menin Gate Memorial and being chosen to lay a wreath at the memorial service. I'm also very lucky that in a few weeks time I'll be visiting Poland as part of the school’s history trip. But you don’t always need to travel far to enjoy these opportunities. In the last few years I’ve also been on fun theatre trips to see the musicals Six and Shrek, completed my bronze Duke of Edinburgh award expedition, and performed in a number of music concerts from which I have gained a school ambassador B for Bishops badge. While Bishops certainly encourages us to have high aspirations to achieve great GCSE results, there are also other things that are very important here, such as developing good character and values, confidence and leadership skills. Last year I was a mentor to year sevens and was able to support those settling into life at Bishops, and build relationships with younger students to ensure they never felt worried or alone. Taking care of others in this way is an important part of the Christian values of our school.

As I begin my final year, it feels like only yesterday that I was sitting where you are now, with no idea about what my new school would be like. I can honestly say that I have loved my time here, and I will be very sad to leave. However I know that when I finally do, I will take with me many happy memories and lasting friendships, and I will always be proud to say I went to Bishop Rawstorne.
 

Sam B

My name is Sam and it is a privilege to be Head Boy at Bishop Rawstorne. I can honestly say I love being part of this wonderful school, from my fellow students and the compassionate, dedicated teachers; I appreciate how lucky I am to be a pupil here and experience all it has to offer. Bishops is a world of opportunities, to get the most out of your time here, it is important to demonstrate a growth mindset. This means being willing to open yourself up to new ideas, new challenges and opportunities. No matter what your skill level, you are able to have fun and develop your creativity in sports, music, art, drama and many more. Each individual moment at Bishops is part of a greater aspect on a larger journey in life.

During your time at Bishops, you are offered a number of different trips – both in this country and abroad. There are trips to France, Germany and Belgium and my favourite, one to Italy.  I attended this trip earlier in the year and it was definitely one of my most amazing moments. Seeing the glistening blue water around the island of Capri and beautiful markets of Sorrento, visiting the ancient city of Pompeii and climbing Mount Vesuvius are some things I will never forget. It was particularly fantastic to be able to do it with my friends. Trips a little nearer to home include the beautiful National Arboretum, Yorkshire Sculpture Park, theatre trips, cathedrals and mosques plus Geography field trips to cities and local beaches.

I would also like to introduce you to an important part of being at Bishop Rawstorne, our Christian values. Hope – having hope allows you to do better at things you thought might not have been possible for you, and win more times that you thought you would, whether that’s in getting good grades or just being hopeful that you make your time in high school as good as possible. Service – giving service can build relationships and provide help for all those who need it, such as friends or family. Service is always appreciated wherever you go, such as just on a day-to-day trip or being inside school, helping someone in need is always a good idea. Compassion – showing compassion really is the best way to make new friends and do well anywhere, especially in school. I’m a firm believer that the kindness you give out to the world will always come back to you when you need it most, so do what you can when you can. Peace – arguably the most important, peace is the start of making your time at school enjoyable. This includes having peace with other students to avoid any conflict, as well as having peace with the staff in school to just make it a better environment overall. Wisdom – wisdom isn’t just knowledge that you will gain in high school, wisdom is what is needed to make the right and positive decisions. We need wisdom in our lives to do what is best for us and everyone else. Fellowship – this is about having the ability to work together with other people, this way we can work faster and have better results. Being inclusive, getting along with other people is an amazing way to find people with the same interests as you and get to know them more. These key values allow students to become role-models for everyone else whilst providing the best results possible for themselves.

So yes, Bishops teaches you the information needed to do well in exams and yes, we sell some of the tastiest food (the cookies being a personal favourite of mine), but it also teaches you the skills needed to succeed outside of school life. Because learning isn’t just about the educational side, it’s about the stepping stones towards a bright and promising future. 
 

Senior Prefects