Return to Student Life and Leadership

Belonging to #TeamPrenton

A Place Where Everyone Belongs

At Prenton High School, we believe that students thrive when they feel safe, valued, respected and connected to their school community.

A strong sense of belonging provides the foundation for positive relationships, wellbeing, confidence and successful learning. When students feel that they matter, they are better placed to participate in school life, embrace new opportunities and develop the confidence to achieve their potential.

Belonging is at the heart of our #TeamPrenton ethos. We want every student to feel proud of their school, comfortable being themselves and confident that their voice matters.

Guided by our values of Trust, Respect, Integrity, Kindness and Endeavour (TRIKE), we work together to create a welcoming, inclusive community where everyone has opportunities to contribute and succeed.

Our Student Life & Leadership ethos is built around three interconnected principles:

Belong

Creating a welcoming and inclusive school community where every student feels recognised, supported and connected.

Be Heard

Ensuring students have meaningful opportunities to share their views, influence decisions and see how their feedback contributes to school improvement.

Lead

Providing opportunities for students to develop confidence, take responsibility and make a positive difference through leadership, enrichment and community action.

Together, these principles shape how we develop relationships, promote participation and empower students throughout their time at Prenton.

How We Build a Culture of Belonging

Strong Relationships and a Supportive Community

Positive relationships are central to life at Prenton. We want every student to feel known as an individual, supported by trusted adults and connected to their peers. Through our pastoral structure, form tutor relationships, assemblies, Personal Development curriculum and wider school activities, we promote a culture of mutual respect, kindness and positive relationships. Our approach recognises that belonging develops through everyday experiences: being welcomed, having someone to talk to, feeling included and knowing that your contribution is valued. We work in partnership with families to help students feel supported, develop confidence and experience a positive school life.

Student Voice: Every Voice Matters

Students are more likely to feel a sense of ownership and belonging when they know their views are listened to and taken seriously. Our ‘You say, we do!’ approach places student voice at the heart of school improvement.

Through Form Leaders, Prenton Parliamentarians, the Student Senior Leadership Team (SSLT), student surveys and wider consultation, students have opportunities to share their experiences, suggest improvements and influence decisions. Student representatives from Years 7–11 meet fortnightly during Week 2 of the school timetable, supported and led by members of the SSLT. Student voice has already contributed to meaningful changes, including the redesign of our Key Stage 4 Core PE offer following Year 9 feedback, student-selected house competitions and decisions about charitable initiatives. By involving students in decisions that affect them, we help develop a school community where students feel respected, represented and empowered.

Clubs and Enrichment: Finding Your Place

Belonging is strengthened when students have opportunities to connect with others through shared interests and experiences.

Our #TeamPrenton Clubber’s Guide provides a broad range of lunchtime and after-school activities, including sport, STEM, music, creative arts, culture, wellbeing and academic enrichment. We encourage every student to attend at least one extracurricular club, recognising the benefits that participation can bring to friendships, confidence and wellbeing. Clubs are offered at different times, with structured blocks and flexible drop-in opportunities to help reduce barriers to participation. Attendance is recorded through Arbor, with half-termly analysis identifying students who are attending clubs and those who are not yet involved. Form tutors use this information to encourage participation, discuss interests and explore potential barriers.

Our timetabled enrichment programme also provides opportunities during the school day, helping students experience new activities regardless of their ability to attend extracurricular clubs.

Through these experiences, students can:

  • Discover new interests and talents.
  • Build friendships and positive relationships.
  • Develop teamwork and communication skills.
  • Grow in confidence, independence and resilience.
  • Experience success beyond academic achievement.
  • Strengthen their connection to #TeamPrenton.

Our ambition is for every student to find an activity, interest or opportunity that helps them feel part of school life.

Leadership: Everyone Has Something to Contribute

We believe leadership is not limited to holding a formal title or being confident speaking in front of others. Students demonstrate leadership in many ways, including supporting their peers, organising activities, representing others, taking responsibility and contributing to community projects. Our leadership opportunities include:

  • Student Senior Leadership Team (SSLT)
  • Prenton Parliamentarians and Form Leaders
  • Team Thrive and Anti-Bullying Ambassadors
  • Green Team
  • Faith and Culture Champions
  • Student Life Leaders
  • Sports Leaders
  • Transition Leaders
  • Reading Ambassadors
  • Aspire+ leadership opportunities

These varied pathways recognise different strengths and provide opportunities for students to contribute through creativity, teamwork, practical action, communication and supporting others.

Our inclusive approach to student leadership aims to ensure that students from different backgrounds and with different experiences can see leadership as something that is open to them.

Transition: Becoming Part of #TeamPrenton

We recognise that moving to secondary school can be an exciting but sometimes challenging experience. Our transition programme is designed to help new students become familiar with Prenton, develop positive relationships and feel confident as they join our school community. Through transition events, induction activities, pastoral support and opportunities to meet staff and students, we help young people develop a sense of belonging from the beginning of their Prenton journey.

Student leaders also play an important role in welcoming and supporting younger students, helping them navigate new experiences and feel part of school life. Our focus on belonging continues beyond Year 7, recognising that students’ relationships, confidence and support needs can change as they progress through school.

Celebrating Diversity and Inclusion

We are proud of the diversity of our school community and recognise the importance of ensuring every student feels respected, represented and included.

Our approach celebrates different identities, cultures, experiences and perspectives while promoting the shared values that bring us together as #TeamPrenton.

Through Faith and Culture Champions, awareness events, cultural celebrations, wellbeing activities and our wider Personal Development curriculum, students are encouraged to learn from one another and develop understanding, empathy and respect.

Activities such as our student-led Global Snack Shack for European Day of Languages provide opportunities to celebrate cultural diversity while developing practical skills and strengthening connections across the school community.

We recognise that inclusion requires more than offering opportunities. It also means listening to students, identifying barriers and providing appropriate support and adaptations to enable meaningful participation.

Our ambition is for every student to feel that they are valued for who they are and that they have an important place within our school community.

Community, Volunteering and #TeamPrentonTogether

Belonging extends beyond the school gates. We encourage students to recognise their responsibilities to others and understand the positive difference they can make within their local community and beyond. Through our student leadership groups, volunteering opportunities, environmental activities and charitable initiatives, students develop empathy, responsibility and a sense of shared purpose.

Our #TeamPrentonTogether initiative brings student-led fundraising and community action together under a shared identity. Through student voice, students have helped shape fundraising priorities, including support for school improvement projects, charitable causes and the Year 11 Prom. Our approach brings together three important areas of contribution:

  • Community action: volunteering and projects that support local people and organisations.
  • Awareness and advocacy: activities that raise understanding of important social, environmental and wellbeing issues.
  • Fundraising: student-led initiatives supporting agreed school and charitable priorities.

Examples include the Food Bank Donation Station, environmental work with Bedford Drive Primary School and student-led planning for charitable fundraising.

These experiences help students recognise that belonging also means contributing to something bigger than themselves.

By working together, students develop pride in their community and see how their actions can make a positive difference.

A Culture of Belonging

Belonging at Prenton is not simply a statement of intent. It is something we seek to build every day through relationships, opportunities, support, inclusion and student voice.

We want every student to:

  • Feel safe, welcomed and valued.
  • Be confident to express their individuality.
  • Develop positive relationships and friendships.
  • Feel listened to and represented.
  • Discover interests, strengths and talents.
  • Have opportunities to contribute and lead.
  • Celebrate their achievements and those of others.
  • Feel proud to be part of #TeamPrenton.

We recognise that a sense of belonging is not automatic or experienced in the same way by every student. We therefore continue to listen, review participation and respond to students’ needs to strengthen our school community.

Our ambition is for every student to know that they matter, that their voice counts and that they have something valuable to contribute.

Together, we are making a positive difference today to achieve a better tomorrow.

Belong. Be Heard. Lead.