Humphrey Perkins: Leicestershire School of the Year

I recently had the privilege to speak (online) with students of the Junior Leadership Team of Humphrey Perkins School. They told me about their achievements and their ambitions and how they helped their school to be awarded Leicester Live’s School of the Year. It’s a story of moving from failing to winning.

Associate Principal, Della Bartram, said that their winning formula was to listen and improve. She praised all the staff (academic and support) and students at the school for the fantastic way they had embraced change and met high expectations all within a caring and supportive environment alongside their partners at Lionheart Academies Trust. The students of the Junior Leadership Team liaise with their fellow students throughout the school and meet regularly with the staff team. This way ideas flow up, down and around the school with clear lines of communication. The pride this has installed in the students came out in the words of Junior Leadership Team students Megan Bakewell (head girl), Baily Carroll (deputy head boy), Felix Dallow (deputy head boy), Bea Lacey (deputy head girl), and Dominic Walker (head boy).

Baily talked about the pride he feels from being part of the school and part of the change. Knowing that he could come up with ideas that would be listened to and that he was part of a team working to communicate across the school has given him much more self-confidence. Felix believes they have left a social mark on the school which will encourage others to take an active role and believe that they have a voice. Bea reiterated this when she said that they have a positive, powerful contribution to make and, as a leadership team, this encourages others. Head girl and boy, Megan and Dominic, said that they hope to inspire younger, newer students in the school to believe that as they develop through the school, they too will be able to contribute to school life. They feel that they and their team have helped lay a solid foundation so they can leave their best possible legacy to the school.

During our meeting, Zander Dolby Campbell, who will be applying for the job of head boy next year and who is an aspiring journalist, asked his student colleagues what plans they had for the students when the school is finally able to open for face-to-face contact again. A good question. Dominic answered that they haven’t really been able to plan any big events (these take time to plan and nobody knows when they will be out of lockdown) but they will continue with the charity and fundraising work they do and push for more people to join the leadership team. Megan described how, at Christmas, the team came together to collect donations for, and deliver food hampers to, local residents and food banks. Maybe Dominic will be able to make more of the muffins he learned to bake during a lockdown video tutorial from restaurant manager, Carl Davies.


Della Bartram was clearly exceptionally proud of all her students, particularly this team. She is hoping that she will be able to arrange a suitable farewell for them all this summer as they leave the school for the next stage of their lives.


Barrow Voice wishes them all the best for their futures.

Karisa Krcmar