Early May saw 77 Year 12 students write, speak and question for the chance to become one of 19 Subject Ambassadors, 18 Prefects, two Deputy Head or two Heads of School.

Applications took place through 4,000 words individually typed personal statements promoting and expressing the past experiences and traits set for the roles.  CVs were created, qualifications collated, and every word was carefully placed in the first step of the process.

From the week beginning 12 May a single 10-minute interview was allocated to each applicant with four questions to take time to contemplate in their preparations and answer to prove to Mr. Orr the dedication and skills each student contained.  

After two weeks of deliberation and finalisation the decisions were made, the list was released, and the holders of each role were named.  The only question faced was with just over a month to the end of the academic year, how can they hit the ground running?

Inductions for all from Saturday June Open Morning, Prefect Training Day, Induction Day for new Year 7 students, Prize Giving, and the annual Careers Convention coupled with Induction Talk for September’s new Sixth Form cohort.  Open Morning gave the first taste for promoting our respective subjects and leading prospective students around the School grounds for the real feel of OSH life with and without the academics.  Then Training Day consisted of history, safeguarding, team building and conversation all towards the query of how this new Prefect Team can work together to leave their legacy.

Another two weeks passed, and the first official act of duty took place: Year 7 Induction Day.  Pairs and trios of Prefects allocated to each new form group challenged not only to leading the young new students, but also the task of taking the teamwork skills practised into the day with others with no prior experiences.  Perseverance and patience were a lesson both groups learnt throughout the day, the first taste of what’s to come next academic year.