Leadership Challenges for the

“Empower to Aspire” student

leadership project

building essential SECRET skills at level 4 and 5

© Dan Buckley – please share and reuse under creative commons ensuring to link references to the author and/or to www.learningbyladders.com

What is this scheme for?

This scheme helps you to improve your leadership skills

In SocietyYour community, your country and the world need great leaders. The United Nations placed ethical leadership skills at the top of their list in terms of what nations need to be sustainable and effective.

CommerciallyCompanies pay those with leadership skills their highest salaries and when asked, they place leadership skills as those which are most important to the success of their company.

What do I need to do to get involved?

Step 1 – Choose a level 4 leadership challenge and complete it. See a list Here.

Step 2 - Collect evidence as you complete the challenge. Make your evidence into a 2 minute PowerPoint (PPT). If you’re new to the scheme, email register@EmpowerToAspire.co.uk stating your name, age, school and country.

Step 3 – Choose one of our scheduled online meetings (see details) to talk about your evidence and get it assessed. Exactly 1 day BEFORE this meeting, visit the meeting room where someone will help you upload your evidence and practice.

Step 4 – If you pass then record this success (see blank grid and completed example ) When you have passed 6, make a 2 minute summary PPT. Upload this like in steps 2 and 3 so you can show you are a level 4 leader. Continue to level 5 challenges if you wish.

What is meant by ‘Level 4 Leadership’?

Levels 1-4. These are challenges for people who really need a teacher or leader to set up for them. Your teacher can download a PowerPoint here which helps them provide these for you.

Level 4 leadership – These are challenges that can be set up for you and you can have as much help as you like BEFORE you start but no help at all from teachers once you have started. You are showing you can do level 4 by taking the lead and the initiative yourself. If you need help during a challenge you can still use it as evidence of level 3. It is fine to work in teams as long as you lead it.

Level 5 leadership – This is a challenge that you set up and run independently. You put together a team and you deliver the challenge. You make sure all of the people who work in your team achieve level 4 leadership because you coach them and show leadership by example.

Level 6,7,8 and 9 leadership – You can see examples of these online. 9 is the highest possible

Dates and location of the assessment panels

Click here to go to our online meeting room

• West Group Meet #1- May 14th

• East Group Meet #1- May 28th • West Group Meet #2- June 12th

• East Group Meet #1- June 26th • West Group - July 8th

• East Group - July 22nd Further meetings TBA

You can join any of these meetings.

There are two times, one that suits leaders in the Eastern Hemisphere and one to suit those in Western

See the next two slides to show time zones roughly – please check in an hour before and after the first time just to be certain

Practice and upload sessions are EXACTLY one day (24hrs) BEFORE these times

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How to prepare for your assessment

BEFORE the meeting – 1. Make a Powerpoint that shows all your evidence.

• Photos ?, Quotes from people ?

2. Practice to make sure your presentation takes no more than 2 minutes

3. If you are not confident speaking in English then you can have someone else present your evidence for you

4. Look up the time of the next meeting and check you will be available both for the meeting and for the uploading (exactly 24hrs before)

5. Exactly 1 day before the meeting, go to the meeting room where someone will help you upload your PowerPoint and practice.

How to do your assessmentDURING the meeting – 1. The Moderator will ask for a list of people who want to be assessed. Turn

your flag blue to show you wish to present.2. The moderator will ask you to ‘unmute your mic and say hi’ this means you

turn your microphone on and say ‘hello’, wait until the moderator has heard you and then mute your microphone again.

3. Listen to the other presenters until it is your turn4. When it is your turn, the moderator will bring up your Powerpoint and ask

you to present. You have exactly 2 minutes.5. After your 2 minutes, the 3 members of the panel will each ask you a

question. Keep your answers short and precise like in an interview.6. The panel will then be asked to decide if they think you have passed.

Who is on the panel? 1. The panel is usually 3 leaders, not from your school, who have passed level 4

AND passed the level 5 challenge required to be an assessor. (If you are being assessed for level 5 then clearly the panel will be level 6 leaders – basically someone 1 level above you)

2. Each panel member should ask you a question after your presentation

3. If there are no level 4 assessors available then the panel can be just one level 6 leader. If this happens they will either ask all 3 questions themselves or ask others on the call for questions. (if you are being assessed for level 5 then one level 7 assessor can be the panel and so on – basically someone 2 levels above)

4. Click here if you are already a level 4 leader and want to be an assessor.

How do I progress through the levels?You must complete and pass 6 leadership challenges to gain a level 4 leadership certificate.

There are 6 skills required of a leader. Your 6 challenges must be drawn from at least 3 different skill areas. The skills are known as the SECRET skills. Each letter of SECRET means…

• Self management – how you motivate and organise yourself to be reliable.

• Ethical Engagement – how you get involved with local issues and play your part

• Creativity – how you use good ideas to solve difficult problems in new ways

• Reflective – how well you take advice from others and learn from your mistakes

• Enquiry – how much you use evidence and balanced arguments to support your decisions

• Team work – how well you work collaboratively with others

How to Record Your SuccessesSkill Focus Level 4 Project 1

(Date I passed)Level 4 Project 2 (Date I passed)

Level 4 Project 3 (Date I passed)

Summary produced

Date Level 4 achieved

Self Management

Ethical Participation

Creative Thinking

Reflective Learning

Enquiry

Team Work

How to Record Your Successes (Completed Example)

Skill Focus Level 4 Project 1 (Date I passed)

Level 4 Project 2 (Date I passed)

Level 4 Project 3 (Date I passed)

Summary produced

Date Level 4 achieved

Self ManagementVideo dictionary (Passed 3rd May)Link to evidence

Taught a lesson (Passed 20th June)Link to evidence

Passed 6 challenges covering 4 skill areas. My summary was uploaded on 18th July Link to evidence

20th July Achieved Level 4 Leadership

Ethical ParticipationCharity run (Passed 26th May) Link to evidence

Creative Thinking

Reflective Learning

EnquiryTook part in debate (Passed 5th June) Link to evidence

Team WorkLitter team (Passed 8th July) Link to evidence

Example Challenges

1. For ready made examples of level 4 leadership challenges you can start work on straight away, click here

2. To build your own level 4 leadership challenges click for each one of the S E C R E T skills

3. For ready made level 5 leadership challenges click here

4. To build your own level 5 challenges click for each S E C R E T skill

Examples of level 4 leadership challenges you can trySECRET Skill Kind of activity Level 4 Example 1 Level 4 Example 2 Level 4 Example 3

Self ManagerWork on difficult tasks with challenging deadlines. Ideas

Create one word in a video dictionary (more info…) and Rubric

3 minute presentation Do a gruelling walk

Engaged Participator

Get involved in an ethical issue or campaign. Ideas

Taking action to help others (more info…) and Rubric

Run a cake sale to raise money

Do a poster display board covering an issue

Creative Thinker

Create resources, stories or solutions to problems. Ideas

School improvement challenge (more info…) and Rubric

Take a lesson powerpoint and improve it

You construct your own website

Reflective Learner

Present to peers, invite feedback to help plan improvements. Ideas

Taking part in a review day (more info…) and Rubric

Give feedback on a lesson You learn to juggle

EnquirerConduct research and consider both sides of an argument. Ideas

You take part in a debating competition (more info…) and Rubric

Write a news report for a paper or site

You make a new online network

Team workerWork in self directed teams to provide an outcome. Ideas

Litter collection team (more info…) and Rubric

Keeping a room open at lunchtimes

Reception duty

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Level 4 Self Management Challenges: Examples

1. Create one word of a video dictionary.• Time allowed = 2 weeks, at least 4 people in the video, exactly 1 minute long

2. Do a two or three minute presentation on any topic• Prep time = 1 week, audience at least 10, topic you have never covered before• You can use your presentation to the assessment panel as evidence of this

3. Take part in a stamina challenge lasting more than 4 hours• A 4hr mountain walk, marathon, maths marathon etc, at least 2 training

sessions

4. Take part in a patience challenge• Construct 30 seconds of stop gap animation, transitions must be smooth• Do a stop gap animation of you constructing a house of cards or dominoes

Remember:- You must not receive

help with the organisation of the task

- It must be something you have not done before

- There must be a risk of failure

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Design your own Self Manager Challenge L4What to prove Statement

I can go for it and finish it

I have stuck with a hard problem or project till it was solved which took at least two hours. At least once, I wasn’t enjoying it and so I had to steel myself up. I

used methods like stopping for breaks, giving myself rewards and trying to think about how it would feel to finish.

I can manage my emotions

I congratulate myself when I have done something well. When something goes wrong I admit it to myself. I can think of times when I was down and I found ways

to make myself positive again. I didn’t ignore the feelings that were making me feel down but found ways to make them less important.

I am organised

I did a project from start to finish. I needed to set deadlines and keep to them. I had to organise other people and make sure they took part. I had to keep to my

timetable and manage the time I took.

I can manage risks

I have volunteered to try a new activity and seen it through although I was nervous or apprehensive. I thought of the risks and the advice and I decided I

would try it.

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1 minute video project – Self Managing Leader L4 What to prove Statement Examples to look for in the ‘1 minute video project

I can go for it and finish it

I have stuck with a hard problem or project till it was solved which took at least two hours. At least once, I

wasn’t enjoying it and so I had to steel myself up. I used methods like stopping for breaks, giving myself rewards

and trying to think about how it would feel to finish.

From the quality of the video it is clear that the leader spent

over 2 hours of their own directed time on this. There is a pride and finishing touches. All criteria set in the task have

been covered.

I can manage my emotions

I congratulate myself when I have done something well. When something goes wrong I admit it to myself. I can

think of times when I was down and I found ways to make myself positive again. I didn’t ignore the feelings

that were making me feel down but found ways to make them less important.

At no point did you hear any negative comments or complaints. When questioned, the leader is positive

and can realistically praise themselves and others involved.

I am organisedI did a project from start to finish. I needed to set

deadlines and keep to them. I had to organise other people and make sure they took part. I had to keep to

my timetable and manage the time I took.

The leader was given a tough timescale for the work and none of this was set out for them in lesson time or directed time. They are able to show you evidence of their planning and how they stayed on track. They met all deadlines set

I can manage risks

I have volunteered to try a new activity and seen it through although I was nervous or apprehensive. I thought of the risks and the advice and I decided I

would try it.

The task was set up in a way that allowed the leader to opt out without pressure. They genuinely volunteered of their

own accord and can give reasons such as wanting to improve their leadership skills

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Level 4 Ethical / Engaged Challenges: Examples

1. Do a poster display board that explains a local or global issue.• Minimum size 1m x 1m, truthful, why you support the issue, who else

does

2. Raise money for a local issue or charity you care about• Donation from at least 10 people/sources, why you care about it, led by

you

3. Give your time to a campaign or cause you care about• At least 4hrs of voluntary work with no direct payment or benefit to you

4. Create support for a project and get others signed up• Recruit at least 10 people to action on a cause you feel strongly about

Remember:- It must be an issue

you feel strongly about and want to help

- It must be something you chose to do and did not HAVE TO DO

- There must be an actual benefit to someone else

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Design your own Engaged Ethical Leader challenge L4To prove Statement

I can identify issues

I can ask the people around me about issues like global warming or cruelty to animals and find out what is the issue most people have feelings about. I can describe which issues matter most to the people around me and give examples

I get involvedSome people complain and are slow to get involved. I am positive and show other people by example. For example I may do karaoke even though I can’t sing. If people become negative I can help them be more positive without criticising them.

I can persuade others

I can give examples of when a decision has been hard to make and I have thought about each choice and worked out which one would be best. For example if I couldn’t decide to go on a school trip I could write out the reasons FOR going and the reasons for NOT going to help me decide.

I can find solutions

I have solved a problem that needed lots of different resources and people. For example if we were creating a poster display quickly we would need someone to agree the space, someone to find paper and materials, someone to decide content etc. This needs a quick plan and everyone needs clear jobs.

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Support Project – Engaged Ethical Leader L4What to prove Statement Examples to look for in the ‘support’ project

I can identify issues

I can ask the people around me about issues like global warming or cruelty to animals and find out what is the issue most people have feelings about. I can describe which issues matter most to the people around me and give examples

Your report can be in any form: written, video, interview, powerpoint, blog or anything. In your report you make it clear how you chose the issue and how you know it is also important to other people.

I get involved

Some people complain and are slow to get involved. I am positive and show other people by example. For example I may do karaoke even though I can’t sing. If people become negative I can help them be more positive without criticising them.

The report shows lots of examples of things you actually did. It shows that you were the most active person in the project. It may not even be an issue you are passionate about but you certainly got involved fully in it and gave it lots of energy.

I can persuade

others

I can give examples of when a decision has been hard to make and I have thought about each choice and worked out which one would be best. For example if I couldn’t decide to go on a school trip I could write out the reasons FOR going and the reasons for NOT going to help me decide.

You now need other people to get involved because you can get more done and have a bigger impact. Your report makes it clear how you managed to motivate people and get them involved in the project. You may have given them reasons FOR and AGAINST your project so they could make up their mind and be committed because they wanted to be.

I can find solutions

I have solved a problem that needed lots of different resources and people. For example if we were creating a poster display quickly we would need someone to agree the space, someone to find paper and materials, someone to decide content etc. This needs a quick plan and everyone needs clear jobs.

In my report it shows how I thought about the issue and tried out different ideas. The solution I actually used was ambitious. I needed to involve other people, planned what we needed to do then gave people their jobs to do. Maybe you made a poster campaign and others helped you make the posters or maybe cleared someone’s litter as a team for example.

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Level 4 Creative Problem Challenges: Examples

1. Take a teaching resource like a PPT and improve it.• Agree with a teacher, resource must then be used to teach a class

2. Suggest new, low cost ways to improve your school• Must be original ideas, must go to senior team, must be possible

3. Construct a website or app based on a new idea• At least 5 pages, site navigation, inc. original designs or artwork

4. Written a book or film review that takes an original angle perhaps comical or suggesting links to other work• Readership at least 30 (newsletter?),

Remember:- You need to include

the views of other people

- You must make it clear which ideas inspired you / ideas you built on

- The ideas must be original, imaginative and new or a new slant on an old idea

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Design your own Creative Leader challenge L4 To prove Statement

I can question assumptions

I ask myself why I think something even if others think the same. As evidence of this I could tape or video a conversation where I ask lots of questions to make someone consider a new way of looking at something

I can make links

I can use metaphor. For example I could say my town is a HIVE of activity. It isn’t really a bee hive but it helps you imagine the town with lots of busy people moving around like bees in a hive. For evidence I could try writing / telling a story with metaphors in. The metaphors would help to make the story easier to imagine.

I can use my imagination

I can use someone else’s ideas and add to them. For example I can read a book and write a new ending that I thought up or imagine a TV character in a different story.

I can take creative risks

I’ve taken part in an exhibition or production of my work along with that of others for people outside my class (or school) to see.

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School improvement challenge: Creative Leader L4 To prove Statement Examples to look for in school improvement project

I can question assumptions

I ask myself why I think something even if others think the same. As evidence of this I could tape or video a conversation where I ask lots of questions to make someone consider a new way of looking at something

There is a genuinely new look at the school from scratch, asking some new questions and suggesting some new ideas. You considered ideas that challenge boundaries.

I can make links

I can use metaphor. For example I could say my town is a HIVE of activity. It isn’t really a bee hive but it helps you imagine the town with lots of busy people moving around like bees in a hive. For evidence I could try writing / telling a story with metaphors in. The metaphors would help to make the story easier to imagine.

They use language and either verbal or physical metaphors to make a strong case for the new vision of the school area they have chosen. For example some architects describe spaces as ‘caves’ if they are cosy spaces for personal thought, ‘camp fires’ as spaces for small groups to talk and ‘watering holes’ for areas designed to bring people together in large groups

I can use my imagination

I can use someone else’s ideas and add to them. For example I can read a book and write a new ending that I thought up or imagine a TV character in a different story.

You can investigate other ideas people have had before you. You can build on these ideas and bring them together with your ideas. You can provide options and maybe colour schemes. You put together ‘expensive options’ and ‘cheap options’ so even if there is no money available you can still plan improvements.

I can take creative risks

I have taken part in an exhibition or production in which my work was included along with that of others for people outside my class (or school) to see.

Presents their ideas in an imaginary way to an audience. Maybe a ‘dragon’s den’ presentation or presenting the plans to the leadership team of the school or architects

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Level 4 Reflective Leader Challenges: Examples

1. Present a self review to parents and a teacher.• Present for 2 mins, what you are doing well, what you will improve

2. Respond to feedback from teacher, parent or peers• Set yourself a challenge, get feedback, act on the feedback and then get

feedback again, three times around the cycle as a minimum

3. Improve your evidence to a challenge• Improve a challenge that was assessed as a fail and present it again so

that it passes, show how you responded to the feedback.

4. Produce a project plan, carry it out and review it• Include deadlines, dates, tasks, who does which job, outcomes and

evaluate how you would have done it differently after you finish

Remember:- You must show you

are setting yourself challenging but realistic targets

- You must invite and act on feedback from others

- You must not just set targets but do plans, carry out these plans and be honest about how well you did

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Design your own Reflective Leader challenge L4To prove Statement

I can set myself challenges

I can tell what I’m good at and what I am not. I’ve chosen one of the things I’m not good at and have decided to challenge myself to make it better. I have some ideas about why I don’t have confidence already and how the challenge will help me

I can invite feedback

When I give feedback to other people I am positive, truthful and helpful. I ask for feedback from other people and whatever they tell me I respect their opinion and thank them. I don’t argue with them. Evidence could be video clip of me getting feedback or giving feedback

I can plan, do and review

Last week I learnt something new or a new skill all by myself. When I decided to do it, I made a plan with dates and times on it. I kept a diary to show how I stuck to my plan and how I improved it during the week. I could use this diary as evidence.

I can share my learning

I can show I learn from my mistakes. For evidence I could make a short training film or PowerPoint teaching others how to do what I have done but without the mistakes. For example if I organised a sleep-over badly I could say what went wrong and how it could be better next time.

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Taking part in a Review Day – Reflective Leader L4To prove Statement Examples to look at a Self Review Cycle

I can set myself challenges

I can tell what I am good at and what I am not. I’ve chosen one of the things I’m not good at and have decided to challenge myself to make it better. I have some ideas about why I don’t have confidence already and how the challenge will help me

A group or a class come together in a circle and people take it in turns to both give and receive feedback from the others.You talk openly about all your school subjects, what you feel you are good at and what you are currently working on improving. The challenges you are planning to set yourself are hard but achievable.

I can invite feedback

When I give feedback to other people I am positive, truthful and helpful. I ask for feedback from other people and whatever they tell me I respect their opinion and thank them. I don’t argue with them. Evidence could be video clip of me getting feedback or giving feedback

You have told the group your areas of strength, and challenges you want to set yourself. Now you invite them to comment; what do they agree with and what don’t they. You genuinely take their comments positively and don’t argue with them? You, in turn are able to give feedback to others that was truthful, positive and helpful. You may collect in comments about you from all your teachers as well.

I can plan, do and review

Last week I learnt something new or a new skill all by myself. When I decided to do it, I made a plan with dates and times on it. I kept a diary to show how I stuck to my plan and how I improved it during the week. I could use this diary as evidence.

After you have done all your own reflection into your strengths and weaknesses and after you have collected in the views of others especially your teachers, you put together a plan for how you are going to make improvements. You plan is detailed and includes the challenges you’ve set yourself to achieve. You put your plan into action for at least a month before reviewing it to see if it made a difference.

I can share my learning

I can show I learn from my mistakes. For evidence I could make a short training film or PowerPoint teaching others how to do what I have done but without the mistakes. For example if I organised a sleep-over badly I could say what went wrong and how it could be better next time.

At the end of this project you present what you have learned and what you have managed to improve. The project started with you describing what you are good at and setting yourself challenges to improve. You then invited feedback on your ideas and planned your improvements. Finally now you get to explain this learning journey you have just been on and how you would do it differently next time

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Level 4 Enquiry Challenges: Examples

1. Conduct a Scientific Investigation.• Your question, your theory, your method, your risk assessment, your

results and your conclusion to your original question.

2. Take part in a debate taking the side you don’t agree with• You win the vote at an event organised by others, you must quote

evidence in the debate, all facts must be from reliable sources

3. Contact people in other countries to check cultural facts• Find a contradiction about a country, contact nationals to collect views

4. Do a true/false challenge with another school• Post news of 2 real and 2 false events to another school, they post 4 to

you. You correctly spot 2 fakes & get 1 fake past the other team

Remember:- You must consider

arguments FOR and AGAINST an idea or theory

- You must name your sources and use more than three

- You must remain objective and fair

- You must think up your own questions to ask or investigate

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Design your own Enquiring Leader challenge L4What to prove Statement

I can evaluate evidence

I collect information although some of it is not relevant. From all this information I can choose pieces that help me answer the questions in my project. I can explain why I didn’t use some of the information if it is not obvious

I can explore a question

I have found out information about a topic that nobody else I know has studied. I started by asking different questions like ‘how’.’ what…’ and ‘why…”.

I can reach conclusions

My project started with questions I wanted to know the answer to. Now I have finished my project I have found answers to some of my questions. If other people looked at my project they could see how I found these answers too.

I stay objectiveWhen I am exploring a question in a project where there are at least two different opinions I spend the same time on each one. For example some people think we should eat meat and other people think we should not. I would explore both views equally.

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Debate challenge: Enquiring/questioning Leader L4What to prove Statement Examples to look for in the Debate Challenge

I can evaluate evidence

I collect information although some of it is not relevant. From all this information I can choose pieces that help me answer the questions in my project. I can explain why I didn’t use some of the information if it is not obvious

You use lots of different sources of information. You look up answers for and against and choose information from the web that is relevant and useful

I can explore a question

I have found out information about a topic that nobody else I know has studied. I started by asking different questions like ‘how’.’ what…’ and ‘why…”.

You come up with questions for your debate partner and you try to predict the questions they will ask you. You want to win the debate so you need strong arguments for and against

I can reach conclusions

My project started with questions I wanted to know the answer to. Now I have finished my project I have found answers to some of my questions. If other people looked at my project they could see how I found these answers too.

You have good and well thought out answers to all of the topics that are likely to come up in your debate. You are clear on what you believe and why.

I stay objective

When I am exploring a question in a project where there are at least two different opinions I spend the same time on each one. For example some people think we should eat meat and other people think we should not. I would explore both views equally.

You are really respectful of the other argument from yours in the debate. You don’t put them down. You have arguments in your debate that show you understand both sides and you can bring up both sides in the debate to help show yours as the logical choice. You have sources for your quotes.

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Level 4 Team Leader Challenges: Examples

1. Litter collection team, keeps an area free from litter• Good service for at least 10 days, normally lots of litter, safely done

2. Manage a room or facility normally requiring paid staff• E.g. Tutor base, ICT room, Art studio. Assessed by staff each day for at

least 20 days

3. End to end, visitor hosting and reporting team leader• Interview visitors before and after visit, organise tour and post them an

edited video diary of their visit at the end. Letter of thanks.

4. Run an activity for other students that was designed for you• Your team must work together to deliver two hours in total, of activities

or coaching sessions under watching supervision of a teacher

Remember:- You must be the

leader of a team of at least 4 people

- You must provide a service to others reliably on a number of occasions

- You must be self managing without any intervention

- An independent person should verify the quality of service you provide

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Design your own Team Leader challenge L4To prove Statement

I can take responsibility

I have led in a team where I have a daily role. I have remembered to do my job every day and sometimes when someone else in the team is away I have done their job without being told to. My team and I decided on the different roles and who should do them. We change roles sometimes.

I can manage the team

I make sure that everyone in our team knows what our team targets are. I keep the group on task. For evidence I could let you see a plan I have made that shows who is supposed to do what and by when OR a video/ audio of me getting the team working

I can build team strengths

For level 4 you need evidence that you can put yourself in other people’s position and see THE SAME argument from two different sides. When two people are arguing can you understand both points of view. For evidence you could re-enact or explain when you used this skill to solve an argument in your team.

I can evaluate the team

When someone in my team has a complaint about me, I listen to what they have to say, make lots of eye contact and see if I can agree with anything. I thank them and don't get cross. I praise each person in my team very specifically (say exactly how and what they did well) and am honest and open about exactly what I have done well and badly.

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Litter challenge– Team Leader L4To prove Statement Examples to look for in the litter challenge

I can take responsibility

I have led in a team where I have a daily role. I have remembered to do my job every day and sometimes when someone else in the team is away I have done their job without being told to. My team and I decided on the different roles and who should do them. We change roles sometimes.

The area the team is responsible remains clear of litter every day for two weeks without fail even though sometimes people from the team may be absent.

I can manage the team

I make sure that everyone in our team knows what our team targets are. I keep the group on task. For evidence I could let you see a plan I have made that shows who is supposed to do what and by when OR a video/ audio of me getting the team working

The whole team are involved during the two weeks. They always know when they are on duty and what you require them to do. They are always in pairs to allow for any problems.

I can build team strengths

For level 4 you need evidence that you can put yourself in other people’s position and see THE SAME argument from two different sides. When two people are arguing can you understand both points of view. For evidence you could re-enact or explain when you used this skill to solve an argument in your team.

If there are arguments in the team about who is doing what, you settle these. The team feel you have been fair and have not asked others to do what you were not willing to do.

I can evaluate the team

When someone in my team has a complaint about me, I listen to what they have to say, make lots of eye contact and see if I can agree with anything. I thank them and don't get cross. I praise each person in my team very specifically (say exactly how and what they did well) and am honest and open about exactly what I have done well and badly.

In your report you describe what the team did well and what could have been improved. You have found ways to praise everyone in your team for the role they have played in allowing you all to be successful.

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Examples of level 5 leadership challenges you can trySECRET Skill Kind of activity Level 5 Example 1 Level 5 Example 2 Level 5 Example 3

Self ManagerHigh risk of rejection, failure and need for resilience. Ideas

Organising an event with a risk assessment

Run a talent show 2 day orienteering walk

Engaged Participator

Get involved in an ethical issue or campaign. Ideas

Run a campaign Conduct a representative survey

Stand up and be counted

Creative Thinker

Create resources, stories or solutions to problems. Ideas

Produce a guidance video I can direct a team to improve lesson resources

Create a poster linking two school subjects

Reflective Learner

Present to peers, invite feedback to help plan improvements. Ideas

Become an assessor for level 4 leaders (more info…)

20 hour self planned course of study

Run a workshop

EnquirerConduct research and consider both sides of an argument. Ideas

Skype mystery classroom I can research how ICT helps learning

I can do research requested by staff

Team workerWork in self directed teams to provide an outcome. Ideas

Run an assessment panel Provide 4x level 4 Team opportunities

Provide a help desk or tech team

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Level 5 Self Management Challenges: Examples

1. Two day overnight expedition.• You produce the risk assessment and organise your team, 5hrs per day

trek minimum, adult oversight organised by you and your team.

2. Organising a talent show• Risk assessment, management, posters, staff permission, venue, tickets

3. Organise a student leadership conference• Student leaders presenting their work, venue, risk assessment

4. Take part in a patience challenge• Organise a team to construct 2 minutes of stop gap animation

Remember:- The challenge takes

you well outside of your comfort zone

- Your other school work must not be disrupted by doing this challenge

- There must be a high risk of failure

- Although challenging, this must be safe

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Are pupils challenged to do things outside of their comfort zone which may hold a risk of harm (safely managed), rejection or failure they must safely deal with whilst ALSO ensuring their normal weekly deadlines are not disrupted (they organise catching up what they miss)?

Design your own Self Manager Challenge L5What to prove Statement

I can go for it and finish it

I cope with set-backs. I can explain how I coped and how I kept myself going even though I failed first or even second time I tried. I might be learning a new skill I was not good at by going to weekly classes or trying for a long period. An example could be learning to climb. Even though every muscle hurt and I had fallen off twice, I had to change the way I approached the problem and then start again.

I can manage my emotions

I can prioritise my friendships. I can find space to listen to my friends and get involved in their lives even if I have lots of pressure and emotions of my own to deal with. I can think of times when I have played down my own emotions because others were in more need than me.

I am organised

I use a planner/diary/PDA to record deadlines. I make my own deadlines up as well to make sure I don't fall behind. Because I am planning ahead I can avoid getting too many deadlines and urgent tasks in one week. If there is too much to do then I work out the most important tasks and do them first.

I can manage risks

In an activity I’ve planned, I’ve completed a 'risk assessment'. I have asked an expert to give me advice on this and I am now confident that I have made the activity as safe as it can be and is within the law. For most accidents that could happen I now know what to do.

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Self Managing Leader L5 e.g. What to prove Statement Examples to look for

I can go for it and finish it

I cope with set-backs. I can explain how I coped and how I kept myself going even though I failed first or even second time I tried. I might be learning a new skill I was not good at by going to weekly classes or trying for a long period. An example could be learning to climb. Even though every muscle hurt and I had fallen off twice, I had to change the way I approached the problem and then start again.

I can manage my emotions

I can prioritise my friendships. I can find space to listen to my friends and get involved in their lives even if I have lots of pressure and emotions of my own to deal with. I can think of times when I have played down my own emotions because others were in more need than me.

I am organised

I use a planner/diary/PDA to record deadlines. I make my own deadlines up as well to make sure I don't fall behind. Because I am planning ahead I can avoid getting too many deadlines and urgent tasks in one week. If there is too much to do then I work out the most important tasks and do them first.

I can manage risks

In an activity I’ve planned, I’ve completed a 'risk assessment'. I have asked an expert to give me advice on this and I am now confident that I have made the activity as safe as it can be and is within the law. For most accidents that could happen I now know what to do.

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Level 5 Ethical / Engaged Challenges: Examples

1. Run a campaign or recruit to an existing campaign.• Inspire a team to produce posters, flyers, events for a cause

2. Conduct a representative survey• What are the views of the local population about a local issue?

3. Stand up and be counted for a cause you care about• Are there any people in your community who are not well

represented? Are you able to safely represent them?

4. Stand for election and win the vote• Be politically active concerning issues that concern people

Remember:- It must be an issue

you feel strongly about and want to inspire others to get involved

- It must be something you chose to do and did not HAVE TO DO

- Your work must result in more people than just you making an actual positive difference to others

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These challenges go beyond just a ‘hero on a mission’ such that even if the you were removed from the group, you have inspired them to carry on with your campaign or your mission. You helped the whole group be inspired into useful action.

Design your own Engaged Ethical Leader challenge L5To prove Statement

I can identify issues

I collect views from at least 20 people to find out how they think our community could be improved. I ask people I don't normally talk to so that everyone is included. If I can't include everyone then I make sure I ask a balanced group (e.g. if half the people are Women then half of the number I ask should also be women). I don't give my own views until the end so people know it is fair.

I get involved

I know everyone in a community needs trust if they can relax, get involved and be themselves. I say it is wrong if I hear people speaking behind other's backs. I can give examples where I actively helped to build up my community and make it stronger. This could be by bringing people together when they were beginning to say bad things about each other or by doing a project to help people understand each other better.

I can persuade others

I can persuade using reasoning. I present three clear reasons in support of an argument. Each one of these reasons I have backed up with evidence and some research. I have thought about what would be the three reasons I would use if I was arguing against.

I can find solutions

If I am given a large problem to solve I can break it up into a set of smaller problems so that lots of people can work together.

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Engaged Ethical Leader L5 e.g. What to prove Statement Examples to look for

I can identify issues

I collect views from at least 20 people to find out how they think our community could be improved. I ask people I don't normally talk to so that everyone is included. If I can't include everyone then I make sure I ask a balanced group (e.g. if half the people are Women then half of the number I ask should also be women). I don't give my own views until the end so people know it is fair.

I get involved

I know everyone in a community needs trust if they can relax, get involved and be themselves. I say it is wrong if I hear people speaking behind other's backs. I can give examples where I actively helped to build up my community and make it stronger. This could be by bringing people together when they were beginning to say bad things about each other or by doing a project to help people understand each other better.

I can persuade

others

I can persuade using reasoning. I present three clear reasons in support of an argument. Each one of these reasons I have backed up with evidence and some research. I have thought about what would be the three reasons I would use if I was arguing against.

I can find solutions

If I am given a large problem to solve I can break it up into a set of smaller problems so that lots of people can work together.

I

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Level 5 Creative Problem Challenges: Examples

1. Produce a guidance video• Provide a video that teaches others a hard concept or idea

2. Direct a team to produce lesson resources• Choose a topic and work as a team to improve all the resources

3. Create a poster display linking two school subjects• Work closely with two departments and create links between them

4. Edit items written by others to report on 10 school events• Muse be published publically and recognised as positive by the school

Remember:- You need to go

further than just try creative solutions, you need to try out a few and evaluate the best one.

- Your evaluations of what is ‘best’ must consider: design, originality but mainly if the solution actually is the best at meeting the requirement

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You had the opportunity to solve a problem that required you to come up with new ideas and new ways to use research to check which ones were likely to work?

Design your own Creative Leader challenge L5To prove Statement

I can question assumptions

I understand, with guidance the difference between facts, beliefs and opinions. I can produce something which shows what happens when these are confused. It could be a play or artwork or dance, writing or anything I can think of.

I can make links

I can show how ideas are linked together. I might use a spidergram where I put one idea in the middle and then others around it with links. I can write on each link to show the connection. I might use a mind map or might just write the first idea then a link to a second one then to a third like a chain of ideas.

I can use my imagination

I can join ideas together that should not fit and create ideas that may be impossible in the real world. For example design a motorbike for a fish!

I can take creative risks

I have chosen a task, club, event, piece of work to do which uses skills which are not my strongest but which are best suited to my idea and completed the task successfully.

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Creative Leader L5 e.g.To prove Statement Examples to look for

I can question assumptions

I understand, with guidance the difference between facts, beliefs and opinions. I can produce something which shows what happens when these are confused. It could be a play or artwork or dance, writing or anything I can think of.

I can make links

I can show how ideas are linked together. I might use a spidergram where I put one idea in the middle and then others around it with links. I can write on each link to show the connection. I might use a mind map or might just write the first idea then a link to a second one then to a third like a chain of ideas.

I can use my imagination

I can join ideas together that should not fit and create ideas that may be impossible in the real world. For example I could design a motorbike for a fish.

I can take creative risks

I have chosen a task, club, event, piece of work to do which uses skills which are not my strongest but which are best suited to my idea and completed the task successfully.

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Level 5 Reflective Leader Challenges: Examples

1. Become an assessor.• Demonstrate that you can give good guidance to challenges that have

failed so that they go on to be successful. You could coach online

2. 20 Hours of study to improve a skill you don’t yet have• Set the goal to learn a language independently or musical instrument

3. Run a workshop• Offer training to others in a skill you are good at. Give them useful

feedback in the workshop so they improve and rate your workshop

4. Teach a lesson and gain feedback• Take a lesson from the teacher and report on how well students learned

Remember:- You must show you

are setting yourself challenging but realistic targets, reviewing these and setting follow –on targets based on feedback

- Your reflection is working and so you have evidence you are improving

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The opportunity provides for student extended self supported study (6 weeks?). Teachers monitor pupils SMART targets, how they have managed to gain enough feedback AND that they are modifying as they go along by reflecting on this feedback and their own evaluation.

Design your own Reflective Leader challenge L5To prove Statement

I can set myself challenges

I can look at a list of tasks and activities and select the one I am likely to be best at by matching my strengths and skills to the requirements of the task. I can discuss my decisions with others and use their ideas and views to help me decide but without depending on them. Using this method I can decide on a personal challenge.

I can invite feedback

I like hearing other people's views and ideas about my work. I can describe how I changed something or added something to my piece/work after listening to the comments of my friends/class/colleagues. I can also explain how I invited the feedback in the first place.

I can plan, do and review

I have carried out a personal project that took me a few weeks. I made myself a schedule to remind me what I needed to get finished by the end of each week. As the weeks went on, I kept a diary, at the end of each week I looked back over the week and planned the next week. Did you achieve as much as you thought? What could you have done to make it better?

I can share my learning

Everything I do has good and bad parts. I can list the three best and three worst decisions I took during a project I was doing. I can discuss these with the group I worked with and see if they agree. Life gives you lots of experiences and you understand the need to filter out the good from the bad.

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Reflective Leader L5 e.g.To prove Statement Examples to look at

I can set myself challenges

I can look at a list of tasks and activities and select the one I am likely to be best at by matching my strengths and skills to the requirements of the task. I can discuss my decisions with others and use their ideas and views to help me decide without depending on them. Using this I can decide on a personal challenge.

I can invite feedback

I like hearing other people's views and ideas about my work. I can describe how I changed something or added something to my piece/work after listening to the comments of my friends/class/colleagues. I can also explain how I invited the feedback in the first place.

I can plan, do and review

I have carried out a personal project that took me a few weeks. I made myself a schedule to remind me what I needed to get finished by the end of each week. As the weeks went on, I kept a diary, at the end of each week I looked back over the week and planned the next week. Did you achieve as much as you thought? What could you have done to make it better?

I can share my learning

Everything I do has good and bad parts. I can list the three best and three worst decisions I took during a project I was doing. I can discuss these with the group I worked with and see if they agree. Life gives you lots of experiences and you understand the need to filter out the good from the bad.

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Level 5 Enquiry Challenges: Examples

1. Skype in the classroom – Mystery classroom project.• Run this project and link up classes in two countries

2. Research into learning and teaching with ICT• Conduct fair research, which ICT really improves learning?

3. Research commissioned by the school• Ask for a piece of research work from the school. What question can you

provide data for that will be helpful in school improvement?

4. Scientific investigation involving multiple variables• Conduct fair tests to compare the impact of two different independent

variables. Show you can apply this method away from Science lessons

Remember:- You must include

sources that may be hiding untruths and evaluate these

- You must name your sources, how confident you are in each one and why

- You must remain objective and fair

- You must think up your own questions to ask or investigate

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An extended project requiring critical thinking about messy sources that were biased and/ or inaccurate which were used to pull out balanced conclusions and spot patterns?

Design your own Enquiring Leader challenge L5What to prove Statement

I can evaluate evidence

I can sort information into useful/not useful and sort the useful information into an order of most valuable to least, explaining why. My reasons are specific to the task and topic I am researching.

I can explore a question

I can ask questions and then predict answers to them. E.g. I may wonder why people smoke when they know it is killing them. I may think of a few reasons why this might happen. What questions do you need to ask to find out which of your ideas is most likely to be true?

I can reach conclusions

I can produce a conclusion that uses evidence to answer the original questions I was trying to answer and evaluates how accurate these conclusions are. I suggest alternative conclusions and what evidence there might be for these.

I stay objective

When I do research I always use a range of sources. I try to find sources that disagree with each other. Too little research may give me a misleading result. How do you show you have researched thoroughly? Some sources are produced in order to make you believe the author's point of view, are you sure you have chosen enough sources to allow for these?

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Enquiring/questioning Leader L5 e.g. What to prove Statement Examples to look for

I can evaluate evidence

I can sort information into useful/not useful and sort the useful information into an order of most valuable to least, explaining why. My reasons are specific to the task and topic I am researching.

I can explore a question

I can ask questions and then predict answers to them. E.g. I may wonder why people smoke when they know it is killing them. I may think of a few reasons why this might happen. What questions do you need to ask to find out which of your ideas is most likely to be true?

I can reach conclusions

I can produce a conclusion that uses evidence to answer the original questions I was trying to answer and evaluates how accurate these conclusions are. I suggest alternative conclusions and what evidence there might be for these.

I stay objective

When I do research I always use a range of sources. I try to find sources that disagree with each other. Too little research may give me a misleading result. How do you show you have researched thoroughly? Some sources are produced in order to make you believe the author's point of view, are you sure you have chosen enough sources to allow for these?

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Level 5 Team Leader Challenges: Examples

1. Set up and run an assessment panel• Collect together 3 level 4 leaders from different schools and offer a number

of additional online assessment panel in project Aspire

2. Manage and support other student’s use of ICT • Without disrupting lessons your team prevents students misusing the web

in lesson and ensures good uses for learning happen more easily

3. Provide 4 level 4 opportunities for teams• Commission teams of 4 in your school so that four students manage to

successfully pass their level 4 leadership challenge

4. Manage a lunchtime, break time or after school club• Your team provides a self supported club used for 6 weeks by students

Remember:- You must be the

leader of a team of at least 4 people

- You must provide a service to others reliably on a number of occasions

- You must deliver to an agreed specification like a business does when meeting a contract for services

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Was this an opportunity for previously successful teams to bid for a budget and then manage it successfully to provide a service to other students like an independent company might?

Design your own Team Leader challenge L5To prove Statement

I can take responsibility

I lead a team of people who offer a service, run a club or event or do a job together. Everyone has very clear roles and I can explain what they are. We agreed the roles together and I have done mine well and not let people down. As evidence I could explain what our team will be doing, who does what role and how we decided on these. I could share my thoughts and concerns about what could go wrong and how I would deal with it.

I can manage the team

I produce project plans that show what everyone in the team should be doing and what their deadlines are. I organise meetings to discuss the plan and make sure everyone is clear about what they need to do. My evidence needs to include the plan and something about how the meetings have helped.

I can build team strengths

I have evidence that I can MIRROR. This is about listening to someone and reflecting their feelings back to them. I may use examples of times when I felt the same. I know I have mirrored well if the person recognises themselves in what I say. I can evidence doing this on video or explain when I used it to make people feel more listened to in my team.

I can evaluate the team

I can look at the whole team and suggest ways we could all work together better using positive suggestions. If I think there is a problem, I can only raise it if I have a suggestion. Evidence could be an evaluation of how well the team has met its targets and why or how well the team delivers its service.

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Team Leader L5 e.g. To prove Statement Examples to look for

I can take responsibility

I lead a team of people who offer a service, run a club or event or do a job together. Everyone has very clear roles and I can explain what they are. We agreed the roles together and I have done mine well and not let people down. As evidence I could explain what our team will be doing, who does what role and how we decided on these. I could share my thoughts and concerns about what could go wrong and how I would deal with it.

I can manage the team

I produce project plans that show what everyone in the team should be doing and what their deadlines are. I organise meetings to discuss the plan and make sure everyone is clear about what they need to do. My evidence needs to include the plan and something about how the meetings have helped.

I can build team strengths

I have evidence that I can MIRROR. This is about listening to someone and reflecting their feelings back to them. I may use examples of times when I felt the same. I know I have mirrored well if the person recognises themselves in what I say. I can evidence doing this on video or explain when I used it to make people feel more listened to in my team.

I can evaluate the team

I can look at the whole team and suggest ways we could all work together better using positive suggestions. If I think there is a problem, I can only raise it if I have a suggestion. Evidence could be an evaluation of how well the team has met its targets and why or how well the team delivers its service.

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