School Prefect Questions- Could You Help Please?

The wider world is made up with brainboxes, prefects, teachers pets, good all-rounders, all kinds of people.

I wasn't a brainbox or a prefect, or even a good all-rounder.

We're all cogs in the big old wheel called life, each playing our part.

I was never a Prefect - mainly I believe because the Head disliked me and I disliked the Head but I did get the best A level results in school which was more important to me at least.

Oh, well done!
That's lovely news.

I don't think the OP suggested that the role has anything to do with academic ability. As often as not the prefect role is a way of teachers recognising different skills in children. The academically able get rewards for that, the sporty ones win on sports days and in competitions or represent the school on teams. The ones who can act or who are confident get role in plays, the arty ones have work on display etc.

IMO a caring school should look for ways to reward every child for something, so they all have a stake in the school community one way or another. A prefect can fulfil that role with or without abilities in other, more obviously recognisable, talents.

Congratulations, OP. You must be very proud of your granddaughter, and she should be proud of herself, too.

I agree with the posters who said that being a prefect has nothing to do with academic ability. If it had I would have been chosen as I was always top of the class. However I was also rather rebellious and got away with a lot on the strength of being a "teachers pet".

I never once stayed for detention or attended sports day. I never looked really smart because my mother bought me second hand uniforms. I also broke a boys nose in my first year at secondary school (although it was in self defence). I think the teachers would have been better pleased if I had reasoned with the bully rather than giving him a whalioping.

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Excellent news!
She should be proud of her achievement. It will stand her in good stead.

Congratulations to your granddaughter TheMostSuprisingGran!
I hope she enjoys her role and the responsibility 😊

Well done to your DGD!

GD was successful! I'm so very proud of her ☺

Thanks

But then they have Graduation’ in primary school now. Where as we Graduated only after finishing a degree

JamesandJon
Like you we didn’t have prefects in junior school, monitors who helped with packing up at class finish or delivering a note to headmistress or helping in some way like giving out the milk but we only had prefects in 6 th form and I was one
These were picked by the teachers not the friends or classmates

we had class prefects when I was 10 their role was to give out the milk.. little glass bottles..

Reliability: if I am asked to do a job I always try to finish it.

I recommended a girl to be a form prefect because although she struggled academically and lacked confidence she always completed any task given to her. She was astonished to be chosen but it did wonders for her confidence.

Ask her what duties prefects have to do (helping dinnerladies, taking messages, preparing things for lessons?)

This is such a helpful thread where GNs can take from it suggestions to suit the individual child and the school's requirements.
There's ideas to get us all thinking!

Thanks everybody.

You've been a great help. Yes, JamesandJon33, she's only 10! We didn't have prefects at any of my schools at all, so I have no direct experience of them.

I think they try to have prefects in Year 6 to make the children feel grown up and they want them to have pride in the school.

Thanks again

I think that's critical, although maybe not so much of a prefect role. What I would say, however, is that my experience with students twice her age suggests that most can't resist pushing their own agenda in rep meetings, so expecting lack of bias in a 10 year old is probably unrealistic. The teachers will be on it though, I'm sure.

I think all the above suggestions are good. However I was rather thrown by the age of the child. 10?
We didn’t have prefects in junior school. Only the sixth form at grammar school were prefects, the head boy and girl coming from the Upper sixth. …How things change ,

Why do you want to be a prefect?
Why do you think you would be good at being a prefect?
What do prefects do?
Would it help all the other people at school if you were a prefect ?

Perfect Caleo 👍

Several years ago I was asked to help my minded child to write her application for class rep on the school council.
One idea she liked was to always let everyone have their say and listen to both sides in any dispute.

biglouis

Schools look to prefects to be rule followers and to set and example to other children as to why they also should uphold the rules. Things like pushing and shoving, running in the corridor, arriving on time, wearing the correct uniform and so on. She should be capable of explaining to others the purpose of the rules and why they should be obeyed.

I was never chosen as a prefect for this very reason. I am not, and never have been, a rule follower. On the contrary I gain immense pleasure from gaming the system.

Same here 😂 I was always the one having her name shouted out.

This isn't a job application and I agree with others that encouraging her to find her own answers to these questions with a few prompts from yourself would be the way to go.

You have already said that she is shy and lacks confidence- so turn these aspects into positives.
1 She wants to gain confidence though helping others
2 She is kind, caring and helpful especially with other children who may be shy.
3 What repsonsibilities will she have? Helping others if she is asked, making sure eveyone is safe by going to adults for help.
4 What can she bring to the community? Things she is involved in; dancing, brownies, sports, music etc.

I would also consider how she will deal with not being accepted. Be supportive but let her gain some independence and know how to handle failure too.

Lots of pupils are shy, and having a prefect they feel they can relate to/talk to/ask questions of is a strength

You need to translate the questions into 10 year old language.

A Why have you chosen to be a prefect?
B What qualities do you have that will support your role as a prefect?
C What responsibilities do you think you will have as a prefect?
D How would you contribute to the school community?

Why do you want to be a prefect?
Why do you think you would be good at being a prefect?
What do prefects do?
Would it help all the other people at school if you were a prefect ?

I totally agree with Cabbie........it will be so obvious if a parent/grandparent/older sibling has completed any of the application forms, so by discussing the four questions together your GD will be able to make the application her own.
I wish her all the best too