WBHS Admissions

LEADERSHIP

OUR LEADERSHIP MODEL

We are committed to encouraging leadership through a service ethos based on mutual respect, giving each and every one of our pupils the opportunity to maximize their leadership potential. The system we have put in place encourages all our students to take on a degree of responsibility, developing skills which will
equip them to face new challenges in all areas of their lives during and after their time at our school.

This enables our boys to take control of their own lives, driven by the ability to think, be imaginative, work with others, act decisively, be accountable and accept responsibilities.

Our model allows us to:

  •  Give purpose to potential leaders in order to fulfil their leadershop potential.
  • Offer training and practical experience to develop leadership skills
  • Make leadership relevant while working hand-in-hand with our service ethos
  • Focus on leadership through service, promoting the concepts of responsibility, accountability, self-worth and discipline.
  • Allow all our students to experience leadership to empower them and develop them as individuals.

The 4 pillars of leadershIp that we ascribe to are:

  • Law and order
  • Mentorship
  • Service
  • Management

HOW WE IMPLEMENT OUR LEADERSHIP MODEL

Our leadership model is implemented through a few core initiatives, backed by a school-wide focus on developing at every instance.

• A team of approximately 55 Grade 12 learners are chosen to be Student Leaders, forming the core of the leadership system. They are contracted to fulfil duties directed at assisting staff in maintaining a safe and disciplined environment in the school, to lead service delivery through Task Teams, and
to form the core of the school’s mentorship programme.

• All pupils from Grade 8 to Matric are encouraged to get involved in service leadership through the various Task Teams. This allows them to learn and develop the essential skills of planning, leading, controlling and managing.

• All these Student Leaders and Task Team members share the responsibility for helping to manage and lead the school, and setting the example.

• Leadership forms a core component of the Life Orientation curriculum from grades 8 – 11.

WHY WE CHOSE A LEADERSHIP MODEL OVER A PREFECT SYSTEM

The latest research suggests that shared leadership is the most effective way of governing a school. It
expands the number of people involved in making important decisions related to the school’s organization, operation and academics. In general, shared leadership entails the creation of
leadership roles or decision-making opportunities for teachers, staff members, students, parents and
community members.

The prefect system creates a perception that only certain persons are responsible for control. Those
who are not able to “control” are therefore side-lined as potential leaders. There is no development of a sense of collective responsibility. Major aspects of modern leadership, including empowering others,
inspiring others to follow, and leaving behind a sustainable legacy, are excluded from this system.

There is an increasing demand by both business and tertiary education institutions for schools to cover the aspects of leadership through service and empowerment in their testimonials. This does not necessarily mean the type of duty the prefect performed has to be abandoned – it merely suggests that a developmental leadership model must be explored.

In a service leadership model such as the one at WBHS, there is a need for a wide range of personalities and skills, providing the space for various leadership types to fulfil their potential. Everyone from the sport jock to the more culturally or academically-inclined can find a viable leadership role in such a system. The real strength of the system lies in the idea that service leadership supports the notion that “strength comes from diversity” – an ideal central to our Constitution.

STUDENT LEADERS OF 2022

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