“This award will encourage more children to be active during playtimes and promote healthy lifestyles. It gives pupils opportunities to…read more →
Developing active leaders at Harden Primary School
Pupil leadership is something that is growing ever more important in primary schools.
Throughout the day, the pupils explored and practised the six key leadership skills:
Courage, Kindness, Teamwork, Organisation, Enthusiasm, and Reflectiveness.
Despite the bleak weather outside, the children’s positivity shone through. They showed impressive understanding of their duty of care as leaders.
During our initial meeting with Kirsty Jameison (PE Lead), it was clear she had an in-depth understanding of her pupils’ activity levels and needs. Kirsty expressed a desire to both increase opportunities for physical activity and empower the oldest pupils in school to take on greater responsibility.
Together, we developed a plan to deliver a full day of Active Ambassador training for a selected group of Year 5 pupils. The goal was to equip them with leadership skills to run structured, enjoyable lunchtime activities for their peers, helping to improve behaviour and promote wellbeing during less structured parts of the school day.
An additional focus was placed on conflict resolution, ensuring the new ambassadors understood how to keep others both physically and emotionally safe while leading.
Reflecting on the planning stage, Kirsty shared:
“The communication with White Rose was excellent. They were extremely efficient in arranging meetings and ensuring we had all the information we needed about the programme.”
Upon arrival at Harden Primary, our trainers Jake, Charlie, and Dave were warmly welcomed by Kirsty, the staff, and the children.
Thirty-one Year 5 pupils were selected for the training, which ran from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm — a long but rewarding day filled with learning, collaboration, and enthusiasm.
Class teacher Harriet Cotton praised the approach of our coaching team:
“All staff were enthusiastic and quickly built great relationships with the children. The way they learned names and small details about each child made a real difference — it encouraged pupils to step out of their comfort zones with confidence.”
From the very start, the children were engaged, eager, and brimming with ideas for how they could make their school more active.
During the theory-based learning phase, they participated in group discussions and independent tasks, taking ownership of their learning and exploring what it truly means to lead.
Trainer Charlie reflected:
“Right from the start, the children were hungry to learn and asked thoughtful questions about what a leader should look like, say, and do. Their ideas were impressive and showed real maturity — they were determined to make a positive impact on their school.”
Teacher Miss Cotton reflected on the impact of the course:
“This has given children the confidence to see themselves as leaders and recognise the positive role they can play in school. Many are already excited to start their sessions. They’re developing communication skills, learning how to guide their peers, and understanding when to seek adult support — it’s been fantastic for their confidence.”
Kirsty Jameison (PE Lead) added:
“This award will encourage more children to be active during playtimes and promote healthy lifestyles. It gives pupils opportunities to develop confidence and leadership skills in a safe environment. I also hope it will help reduce behaviour issues on the playground, as more children will be actively engaged.”
Lead Coach Jake Duxbury praised the group’s enthusiasm:
“The children at Harden showed a real aptitude for leadership and a clear understanding of how important their role is in improving lunchtimes. Their effort was exceptional, and their ability to lead leaves no doubt they’ll make a positive impact on the whole school.”
Finally, Miss Jameison expressed her gratitude:
“I’d like to thank the team for their excellent coaching skills and for giving our children this incredible opportunity. I’m really looking forward to watching the children develop their leadership further over the next term and seeing the positive impact it will have on the school.”
Testimonials
“This has given children the confidence to see themselves as leaders and recognise the positive role they can play in…read more →
“My brain has worked so hard today and I’m tired! I liked how we could practise what we’d learned straight…read more →
“I used the six leadership skills to show reflection. I knew I’d been kind and courageous in my session, but…read more →
“I enjoyed learning that, as a leader, it’s important to be kind and fair so that everyone feels safe —…read more →
Providing the opportunity for students to take part in a leadership programme can assist in evidencing the effective use of the PE and School Sport Premium as recommended by Ofsted:
Developing young sports leaders in Key Stage 2 as examples of effective use of PE and Sports Premium.”
