2022-23 Head Student
Drew Leonard
I am incredibly grateful for the fantastic opportunity the role of Head Student represents. Being able to represent Barnsley Academy and work to make it even better truly is exciting. In this school, we have cultivated a fantastic culture of hard work and resilience among students with our core values of ambition, determination, and respect at its heart. I sincerely hope that I will persevere with this attitude for years to come, as it has developed my character and will undoubtedly develop the character of all students in the community.
Personally, I have been privileged to be involved in an array of opportunities at Barnsley Academy. I have gained the skills and attributes necessary to deliver speeches at Open Evenings, which has subsequently given me the confidence to go on and join the Barnsley Youth Council, where we work on issues important to young people. I also leapt at the opportunity to take an external qualification in cybersecurity as this is something I would like to explore further in the future, and developing the necessary skills now will really benefit me as I continue my education. I was also encouraged and supported to apply for the Orwell Award at Eton College, for which I was shortlisted out of over 200 applicants! Having the opportunity to work towards this prestigious award was surreal, and the traits I developed during the rigorous application process will serve me well when it comes to applying for study and jobs in the future.
As Head Student, I would especially like to improve the experiences of the student community in all aspects of school life – academic, pastoral, and beyond. I will be working closely with the Head Student committee to ensure that we achieve this goal and continue the promotion of not just a world-class learning environment, but also a well-rounded, welcoming learning environment so that all members of the community enjoy their time at school.
Finally, reflecting on my time at Barnsley Academy, I know that when I leave the school to pursue further study and focus on my A Levels, I will be able to look back on my time here with pride – pride in the school, the school community, and myself.