HIGH-flying students have been developing their leadership skills with the help of the Royal Air Force.
Trinity Academy’s head boy and head girl, house captains and prefects have begun a programme with the RAF to perfect their skills in communication, teamwork and as leaders.
Sergeant Peter Morris , who is based at RAF Linton-on-Ouse, put the group through their paces in the first session, which focused on communication, learning how to be heard and the finer details of planning.
His colleagues will host one more session at the Thorne academy this year, on physical training, and two more on problem solving and teamwork when the students are in Year 13 next year.
Sgt Morris, who is a weapons technician and was part of the London 2012 Olympics security team, said the group included a number of obvious leaders.
“In one of the tests they were the best group I’ve ever had,” he said. “They were organised and calm. They talked over each other in the planning, which is normal, but with this group the messages filtered through better and they executed the task really well.
“Very, very few schools allow us to run a programme of several sessions like this. It’s a great opportunity for us to work with the same group of students and develop their skills over a period of time.”
Head boy Adam Osborne, 16, said he had enjoyed the session. “I learned that you need to be clear in your instructions in trying to get everyone to listen, but you also have to make sure everyone gets their chance to be heard,” he said.
Director of sixth form at Trinity Academy, Gemma Hirst, said the students were already showing signs of strong leadership.
“We wanted to put them in situations they wouldn’t normally come across in school to help them develop their leadership and teamwork skills, which they need to draw on in their senior student roles,” she added.
The sixth formers will be putting their skills to the test at Trinity Academy’s sixth form open evening on Wednesday, October 8, from 6pm-8pm, when prospective students and their parents will be able to meet students and staff and tour the facilities, including the new £1.2m sixth form centre. For more information, tel: 01405 813000.
