Hustings and discovering the Heart of Leadership

Step recently supported the Head Boy, Head Girl and student leadership hustings at Nicholas Breakspear Catholic School, followed by a leadership morning hosted at Verso.

We listened to 15 candidates deliver thoughtful and courageous speeches, outlining their hopes for the school community if elected. Students spoke passionately about greater support for SEND students, expanding sports spaces and clubs, developing charity weeks, and faithfully being the voice of their peers. The care shown for others and the desire to serve was both clear and encouraging.

Following the hustings, the candidates joined Step for a Leadership Bootcamp, exploring leadership through a Christian lens. Practical challenges - including a scavenger-style team activity, drawing without touching the pen, and building structures from spaghetti and bagels - created space for collaboration, creativity and problem-solving.

The building challenge became a powerful picture of leadership. With limited and imperfect resources, students had to decide how to create something strong, balanced and dependable. Those who succeeded did not rush to take control, but listened, tested ideas, noticed the strengths around them and adapted when things didn’t go to plan. It echoed a key truth of Christian leadership: leaders do not build alone, and influence is shaped by how well we steward what we have been given.

Throughout the morning, students had moments to reflect on Jesus, whose leadership was marked not by status but by service, humility and sacrifice. Candidates were encouraged to name good character in one another, recognise their own limitations, and consider how leadership is expressed in everyday faithfulness, not just visible roles.

Reflecting back to the school was genuinely challenging because the standard across the group was so high. Some students will make excellent Head Boy and Head Girl, while many others will form a strong and balanced leadership team around them. While it is natural to hope for the top roles, Christian leadership reminds us that the body is made of many parts, and that significance is not defined by title.

Our prayer is that every candidate - whether appointed to the most visible positions or not - will recognise the value they bring, continuing to lead with faith, integrity and generosity wherever they are placed.