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Prefect Hustings - 2023
Sophie in Nightingale 2, Rachael in Bronte 2 and Rithik in Nightingale 1 sent this report:
The most prestigious leadership opportunity Invicta has to offer is being part of the Senior Prefect Team. Earlier this year, aspirational Year 12 students began the challenging and fierce competition to land their role on this team. The first part of the Hustings process involved sending in an application letter, stating why they wanted the role, as well as outlining what they have contributed to the school to make them a good candidate. This part of the process was especially hard for applicants who had to pitch themselves without coming across as too self-centred! After all these applications were reviewed, the leadership group decided to progress everyone to the team challenge stage due to the high quality of applications.
Communication is a skill that’s central to being part of any team, and for the Senior Prefect Team that was no different. The first in-person challenge for Hustings revolved around the ability to communicate, and saw multiple groups of anywhere from four to six candidates being formed, accompanied by 1 member of last year’s Senior Prefect Team. Each group were then given questions revolving around aspects of the school that were deemed ‘hot topics’, such as how we can increase the love of reading or the involvement of sports within the school. The applicants had to initially discuss as a group for fifteen minutes whilst being observed by the leadership team and the Prefect in the group. At the end of the fifteen minutes, each group went up one by one to present their ideas to everyone. Two groups having the same topic made it even harder to stand out; a lot of the ideas presented were similar, so we really had to come across as knowledgeable and confident to get noticed.
‘Overall, I think the experience was a really daunting one but it was a good challenge. As scary as standing in front of all my friends and the people I know was, it really prepared me for the speeches later and let me begin to get used to public speaking.’ (Rithik, Nightingale 1)
The day after the group task, the ten Prefects were shortlisted and the weekend was spent swiftly writing speeches for the next stage: the Hustings Assemblies. It was daunting and everyone felt the pressure of giving speeches in front of the different year groups, yet it was an experience that brought the team closer together. The applicants spent many mornings practicing and editing their speeches together, and each candidate delivered an inspiring one minute pitch outlining their strengths and desire to represent the school. The student body was then left with the difficult decision of deciding on two candidates they felt would best represent them and the school as a whole.
"Preparing for Hustings was a concern for me as the thought of making a mistake made me very nervous. However, the experience helped me to develop confidence in myself as well as improving my public speaking skills and ability to write persuasively. I hope to develop those skills further with the rest of the Senior Prefect Team!" (Rachael, Bronte 2)
On Friday, 17 March, each Prefect took part in the final stage of the Hustings process - the interviews. Each applicant was first asked to present their personal pitch, which was a 1 minute summary of why they wanted to be Head Prefect, and why they would be the right candidate for the role. Following this, they were asked to make a three minute presentation on their legacy – an action plan for improving an area of the school, such as Student Voice or RAG week. Finally, each Prefect answered a range of challenging questions posed by the interview panel, consisting of Mrs Harrington, Mrs Giles, and Mrs Skelton. After each interview, the Prefects were quick to reassure each other and offer encouragement, and there was certainly a shared sense of relief and anticipation after all the interviews had concluded.
‘Going through the interview process was quite rigorous; it really pushed us to our limits as we learned public speaking skills and tried to answer difficult questions. All in all, it was a great experience and brought us closer together as a team, one that I can’t wait to work with.’ (Tijesunimi, Austen 1)
After a restless hour of waiting, the Prefects gathered at lunchtime to hear the final verdict. The atmosphere in the meeting room was one of great anticipation and excitement, especially when the applicants discovered that the structure of the Senior Prefect Team had been adapted: in Mrs Giles' words 'in recognition of the interview panel's decision that all ten candidates had the necessary skills and leadership qualities - each one being rightly worthy of a place on the Senior Prefect Team'.
When the results were revealed, the Senior Prefect Team wasted no time in congratulating the new Head and Deputy Head Prefects and celebrating each other’s achievements.
The final Senior Prefect Team are:
Sophie, Nightingale 2 (Head Prefect)
Rachael, Bronte 2 (Deputy Head Prefect)
Rithik, Nightingale 1 (Deputy Head Prefect)
Tijesunimi, Austen 1
Aiya, Austen 2
Megan, Roddick 1
Thea, Roddick 1
Maria, Austen 1
Skyy, Austen 1
Sathushana, Austen 2
‘Being Head Prefect is still very surreal! It is a huge privilege to be leading such a talented and enthusiastic group of people, who I know are really looking forward to making the next year at Invicta the absolute best it can be. The Hustings process certainly wasn’t easy, but it has been very rewarding too, allowing me to reflect on how best to continue the student leadership legacy at Invicta. I’m very proud to be in this role and I can’t wait to get started!’ (Sophie, Nightingale 2)
A very well done to everyone that applied this year, the calibre of applications was so high that the Leadership Group had a difficult decision on their hands! The Senior Prefect Team is looking forward to implementing the new initiatives proposed throughout the Hustings process, and continuing to make Invicta an environment where students can grow, flourish, and make the best of their school experiences.
‘As much as the process has been nerve-wracking, it has also been thrilling. We’ve been able to bond as a tight knit team with new and old friends, and learn a lot of new things from everyone’ (Megan, Roddick 1)
‘The Hustings process has allowed me to gain insight into how to interact with every year group, as well as building my confidence and giving me a deeper understanding of life at Invicta. I’m so excited to be able to get to know more of the student body personally, and work towards making our Invicta lives even better than they already are!’ (Aiya, Austen 2)
