We could be heroes

Student-prefects from years 8, 9 and 11 have been celebrating those people at Claremont High School who often go unnoticed 

The Prefect Team heralded the Spring Term with a powerful, student-led initiative entitled ‘The Unsung Heroes of Claremont’. This project was voluntary, with prefects signing-up out of a genuine desire to recognise those members of the school community whose contributions are vital but often go unseen – people who work behind the scenes, such as the Site Team and Data Office, to keep the school running smoothly, or those who take on additional responsibilities to help Claremont be a better place. 

Examples of Unsung Heroes include Site Team member Mr Alshoha, whose duties include maintenance and setting up for assemblies: ‘School doesn’t operate without all the people working backstage.’ Finance Team member Ms Carter is another hero. Among her responsibilities are processing invoices and helping with ParentPay issues: ‘We are here to help and guide the students, so it helps when they listen carefully to what we have to say.’ Ms Carter also teachers dance every Tuesday after school and helps choreograph the school show – a prime example of someone going above and beyond their usual role. 

The prefects organised themselves into specialist teams, including interviewers, a Media Team and presenters. Over the course of several weeks, they identified individuals across the school who quietly help Claremont function day-to-day, took time to approach them and conduct interviews to better understand their roles and impact. 

The Media Team then worked together to shape these interviews into a coherent and engaging presentation. Following rehearsals, the presenters delivered the final outcome through college assemblies from 12th January onwards, sharing their findings with students across all colleges. 

The prefects clearly learnt a lot from the experience. 

‘The purpose of making the “Unsung Heroes” assembly was to make everyone aware of all the different people who keep our school running,’ explains Vidya Naker in Year 11. ‘As I interviewed some of the heroes, I was made aware of how much they contribute to our school and how little we know about what they do. I now have more of an insight into some of the hidden figures at Claremont and I can appreciate what they do.’ 

‘I discovered a lot about the Unsung Heroes,’ adds Shlok Patel in Year 9, ‘like the Finance Team, who manage ParentPay, and the Site Team, who set out chairs for assemblies and give deliveries to teachers. I’ve learnt that these heroes work very hard and that without them the school wouldn’t run smoothly.’ 

The assemblies celebrated the dedication, commitment and care shown by these ‘Unsung Heroes’, while also challenging students to reflect on who their own heroes might be. The prefects ended each assembly with a clear call to action: to notice, appreciate and thank those around us, explicitly linking the project to Claremont’s core value of ‘Respect’. 

Mr Lipman, who co-ordinated the initiative, was clearly proud of both the prefects and their endeavours: ‘This project demonstrated exceptional student leadership, teamwork and empathy, highlighting the prefects’ commitment to strengthening our school culture through gratitude and recognition.’ 

So remember… Unsung Heroes are all around us. They make our school a better place for everyone. Take time to say ‘thank you’ or even offer your help. Make our community heroes feel appreciated. Every small act matters. 

We could all be heroes, and not just for one day.