S6 Responsibilities and Leadership Opportunities DRAFT
S6: Your Year to 'Lead, Learn, Grow'
Choosing to continue into S6 is an exciting step—and one that comes with new freedoms, fresh responsibilities, and meaningful opportunities. This year is designed to help you make the most of your final stage at school, both academically and personally, as you shape your future.
S6 pupils enjoy a more flexible timetable ( one or two free timetable columns), giving you space to deepen your learning, pursue personal interests, and contribute to the wider school community. Whether through leadership roles, mentoring younger pupils, volunteering, or creating your own initiatives, we encourage you to step forward and make an impact. These experiences not only strengthen our school ethos but also help build a strong portfolio of skills valued by universities, employers, and training providers.
S6 is about becoming career and life-ready—something that looks different for everyone! From gaining further qualifications to developing practical life skills and preparing for the world of work, this year is your bridge between school and what comes next. We're here to support you with a wide range of opportunities, including workshops, guest speakers, and flexible learning pathways. And where possible, we invite you to shape your own journey.
This is your year—let's make it count!
S6 Core Reponsibilities and Commitment to Our School Community
As an S6 pupil, you hold a unique and important role within our school. You are leaders, role models, and ambassadors of the values we stand for—kindness, perseverance, fairness, and curiosity. Choosing to stay on for a final year brings both privileges and responsibilities, and we expect all S6 pupils to actively contribute to a positive and purposeful school environment.
Your S6 year is a living example of our school vision: Together We Thrive. This means supporting one another, stepping up when it matters, and helping to build a culture where everyone feels valued, encouraged, and empowered to succeed.
Your S6 core responsibilities include:
Creating a Positive Ethos: Lead by example in attitude, behaviour, and actions. Help set the tone for younger pupils by demonstrating respect, inclusion, and integrity in all areas of school life.
Attending Classes and Finishing What You Start: Your academic journey remains a priority. Make the most of your learning time, meet deadlines, and show commitment to completing courses and qualifications.
Contributing to School Life: Whether through supporting school events, mentoring others, or volunteering your time, your involvement helps build a stronger, more connected community.
Using Time Well: With a reduced timetable, you'll have the flexibility to consolidate learning, explore interests, and engage with others to achieve shared goals. Use this time wisely—to learn, to lead, and to grow.
Demonstrating Our Core Values: Every day is a chance to show kindness in your interactions, perseverance in your goals, fairness in your decisions, and curiosity in your learning. These values will shape not only your year, but your future.
Preparing for Life Beyond School: S6 is your launchpad into adult life. From developing employability and life skills to gaining experience in leadership, responsibility, and independence, your actions this year lay the foundation for what comes next.
We also aim to provide a broad and flexible range of opportunities—both formal and informal—to support your growth. We welcome your ideas, your initiative, and your voice in shaping your final year.
When S6 pupils choose not to engage fully with their responsibilities, the impact is felt across the whole school. Instead of becoming a year of growth, leadership, and preparation for the future, S6 risks becoming a missed opportunity—and one that affects both the individual and the wider school community.
Here's what S6 can look like when expectations are not met:
A Weakening of School Ethos: Without positive role models, younger pupils lose direction. The supportive atmosphere we work hard to build begins to erode.
Missed Learning Opportunities: Reduced timetables can become wasted time. Instead of consolidating learning or developing new skills, students fall behind, miss deadlines, or fail to meet the expectations of their courses.
Lack of Contribution: When S6 pupils don't give back—avoiding corridor duties, ignoring leadership opportunities, or showing disinterest in school life—it sends the message that contribution doesn't matter. This can create a divide between year groups and a sense of disconnection within the school.
Damaged Reputation: Disengaged S6 pupils can negatively influence how the year group is perceived by staff, pupils, employers, and universities. The final year should enhance your personal profile—not undermine it.
Erosion of Core Values: When kindness, perseverance, fairness, and curiosity are not lived out in daily actions, they become just words. Without these guiding principles, S6 becomes less purposeful, less supportive, and less effective at preparing pupils for life after school.
Unprepared for What Comes Next: Perhaps most significantly, failing to take S6 seriously leaves pupils underprepared for work, further study, or adult responsibilities. Opportunities are missed, skills aren't developed, and confidence can take a hit.
Identifying When S6 May Not Be the Right Fit
The signs in the section above can help us identify when a pupil may not be getting the most out of S6. Persistent disengagement, poor attendance, lack of contribution to school life, and failure to uphold the values and expectations of S6 can signal that further support—or reflection—is needed.
In some cases, these concerns may form the basis for a conversation with the pupil and their parents or carers to assess whether S6 is currently the right path, and to explore what changes or alternatives might be more beneficial for the young person's future.
S6 is a privilege, not a right. We are committed to supporting every pupil to succeed—but success requires commitment in return.
S6 Prefect Team: Your chance to Step Up!
Alongside the Core Responsibilities above, S6 students have the chance to apply for a range of formal leadership roles. By successfully applying for one or more of these roles, you will also take on the formal position of Prefect. Prefects are senior students who act as role models, support others, and help lead aspects of school life — a key part of our wider leadership structure.
These roles are designed to help you build valuable skills, take on responsibility, and make a real impact within the school community. Many of these leadership positions also link directly to our Linlithgow Academy Pupil Parliament
Each Prefect leadership opportunity is different, and by clicking the links below, you can view the role descriptions. Information on how to apply and the process involved can also be viewed below.
Prefect Leadership Roles 2025.2026
Our School Captains are ........
Post Description
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Job description
Be a positive role model and ambassador of Linlithgow Academy.
Promote the school's vision and values and to lead by example.
Gather pupil views throughout the year as per our Pupil Voice Calendar in order to drive improvement
Meet with S6 Year Head weekly throughout the year for check-in and to discuss improvements/issues
Attend and support the smooth running of school events eg Careers Evening, Information Evenings, Award Evenings
Represent the school, if required at Community/Council Events
Leadership skills focus
Effective communication
You will be able to liaise and communicate confidently with students, staff and the wider community. You will have excellent interpersonal and leadership skills.
Teamwork and collaboration
It is vital you are a team player and have the influence to ensure your team is working effectively. You will be able to work successfully with others to contribute to the good order of the school.
Reliable
You must carry out your duties consistently and throughout the full academic year.
Supportive
You will motivate, support and inspire other students through your approachable and friendly nature.
Other skills/ qualities
Excellent organisational skills
Innovative and creative
Respectful, polite and well mannered
Post Description
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Job description
To be a positive role model and ambassador of Linlithgow Academy. To promote the school's vision and values and to lead by example. To be enthusiastic and committed, leading House Assemblies and PSE Pupil Voice; taking responsibility for House related events; encouraging healthy competition and working closely with the Head of House, the Pupil Leadership Team, staff and other students.
Leadership skills focus
Effective communication
You will be able to liaise and communicate confidently with students, staff and the wider community. You will have excellent interpersonal and leadership skills.
Teamwork and collaboration
It is vital you are a team player and have the influence to ensure your team is working effectively. You will be able to work successfully with others to contribute to and lead school events.
Reliable
You must carry out your duties consistently and throughout the full academic year.
Supportive
You will motivate, support and inspire other students through your approachable and friendly nature.
Other skills/ qualities
Excellent organisational skills
Innovative and creative
Respectful, polite and well mannered
Post Description
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Job description
To be a positive role model and ambassador of Linlithgow Academy. To promote the school's vision and values and to lead by example. To be enthusiastic, committed and visual around the school. Assist at House Assemblies, taking responsibility for events within PE to help support Health and Wellbeing. Celebrate success within sport and work closely with the PE department.
Leadership skills focus
Effective communication
You will be able to liaise and communicate confidently with students, staff and the wider community. You will have excellent interpersonal and leadership skills.
Teamwork and collaboration
It is vital you are a team player and have the influence to ensure your team is working effectively. You will be able to work successfully with others to contribute to and lead school events.
Reliable
You must carry out your duties consistently and throughout the full academic year.
Supportive
You will motivate, support and inspire other students through your approachable and friendly nature.
Other skills/ qualities
Excellent organisational skills
Innovative and creative
Respectful, polite and well mannered
Our aim at Linlithgow Academy is to promote positive mental health for staff and young people. Our Health & Wellbeing Champs are committed to creating a safe, supportive and respectful environment and are dedicated to helping their peers and other students with their mental health and wellbeing. We do this through our Mental Health & Wellbeing Strategy.
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Job description
To be a positive role model and Health & Wellbeing Champ
To promote the school's vision and values
To promote the values of the Mental Health & Wellbeing Strategy
To understand the importance of, and promote good mental health
To help provide a safe, supportive environment for your peers
Provide advice and support to peers and signpost to appropriate wellbeing services
Offer lunchtime clubs/drop ins for your peers
Help reduce stigma around mental health problems within the school
To manage and update the Health & Wellbeing noticeboard
To be kind, supportive and non-judgemental
Attend termly meetings and feedback to the Pupil Parliament Committee
Work as part of a team reviewing the Mental Health & Wellbeing Strategy
Prepare for Mental Health & Wellbeing events, including assemblies
Leadership skills focus
Leadership
You will lead Mental Health & Wellbeing events, including assemblies and lunchtime clubs/drop ins.
Team working
You will liaise and work with a team of pupils as well as the HWB lead teacher to promote the values of the Mental Health & Wellbeing, events and presentations.
Communication skills
You will communicate confidently with students and staff across West Lothian.
Confidence
You will build confidence in delivering Mental Health & Wellbeing events, presentations and lunchtime clubs/drop ins.
Organisational Skills
You will work as part of a team to plan, prepare and deliver a range of Mental Health & Wellbeing events, presentations and lunchtime clubs/drop ins.
Presentation skills
As part of a group, you will present to House Assemblies and will have the opportunity to develop the presentations - you can be innovative and creative.
Reliable
You must carry out your duties consistently and throughout the year.
Supportive
You will motivate, support and inspire other students through your approachable and friendly nature while being respectful, polite and well mannered.
Post Description
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Job description
To be a positive role model and ambassador of Linlithgow Academy. To support S1 pupils through their first year at the Academy. To be enthusiastic and committed to helping new pupils not just at the start of term one, but throughout the full academic year as a Coach for Improvement. To meet S1 pupils regularly, to pass on experiences of school life and to offer advice.
What S1 pupils need from you
A buddy needs to:
be a friendly face to talk to
offer help with any issues/worries
be the person S1s can look up to
give encouragement to succeed
be committed to meeting S1 pupils once a week.
Skills/qualities
You should be:
open and approachable
respectful
empathetic
a good listener
a motivator
inspirational
able to give advice/pass on issues as appropriate to a member of staff
a good communicator
passionate about supporting our youngest pupils.
Application Process for these Leadership/Prefect Positions
Application Process for these Leadership/Prefect Positions
We continue to review and update our application and selection process based on previous experience and feedback from S6 pupils. Our current processes for the academic year can be viewed below.
