Reflections by Lorraine Prince, Head of Networks, following the 30 April NSLN event

I’ve been running the National Secondary Leaders Network for four years now, and every year before I organise an event, I ask myself the same questions: what is the purpose this time? What do we need to achieve, and what do our networks really need to hear?

This year, I felt very strongly that the voices of young people needed to shine through. Not just talked about, but genuinely heard.
It wasn’t enough to say that young people matter. I wanted to make that real for our network leaders, who are so passionate about listening and learning. Hear from the pupils themselves in our most recent podcast episode : Leading the Conversation: Pupils at the 30 April NSLN Event

For the first time in the history of the National Secondary Leaders Network, we were able to bring pupils from Year 7 through to Sixth Form together to lead alongside one another, bringing a rich range of perspectives, experiences, and ideas into the space.

Pupils engaged in a team building exercise

Reflecting on the first NSLN pupil‑led event, what felt most powerful throughout the day was seeing pupils leading workshops themselves and showing, in very real and practical ways, what it means to be a beacon of hope within their communities. Young people were not waiting to be invited to speak; they were confidently stepping forward and, in effect, saying to adults, let us take charge. That sense of ownership and leadership felt significant, and it reinforced just how important it is for schools to create opportunities where young people are trusted, encouraged, and genuinely heard.

There are moments in a day when something quietly shifts, when you realise you are witnessing more than a conference, more than workshops and conversations. That was the feeling in the room at Blue Coat Church of England School & Music College.

And that sense of mutual discovery lingered throughout the day.

“Throughout the day, there were so many moments where you could see young leaders stepping confidently into their voice and exercising real agency. Again and again, I found myself thinking, ‘Yes - that’s it.’ These were young people who had been given the message that their voices matter through programmes like AYLA, FLOURISH and Difference, as well as through the incredible support of adults working across our Church of England secondary schools.”

— Stephen Beamond, Head of Younger Leaders

This year’s theme, Inclusive Communities – Becoming Beacons in Your Community, invited schools to imagine themselves not only as institutions, but as lighthouses: places that anchor, guide, and welcome. Spaces where belonging is not theoretical, but felt.

Nottingham Emmanuel Pupils facilitating

The ‘Civic Action & Community Impact’ workshop, made possible by The Archbishops’ Young Leadership Award & Growing Faith Foundation

The Minster School pupils facilitating

The ‘Leading Worship & Building Spiritually Vibrant Communities’ workshop

St Peter’s Church of england academy
and Blue Coat Church of England School & Music College

The ‘Navigating Difference, Building Peace’ workshop

Young people shaped the conversations, led workshops, shared their experiences and challenged school leaders to think differently. The usual roles quietly dissolved. Adults listened. Young people spoke – clearly, confidently and with heart.

Participants left the event with a clear sense of purpose.

Many spoke about a renewed commitment to:

Create more opportunities for student voice
Strengthen inclusive practices
Build stronger school communities
Encourage young leaders
Foster deeper conversations around belonging and reconciliation

The day also emphasised turning ideas into everyday practice.

Participants shared practical next steps to:

• Build community through everyday acts of kindness,

• Create networking opportunities within schools,

• Support student leadership initiatives,

• Embed spirituality, well-being and inclusion across school culture

As the final conversations came to an end and the rooms gradually emptied, there was a tangible sense of hope and shared purpose. Inclusive Communities – Becoming Beacons in Your Community served as a powerful reminder that when schools intentionally create space for young people to lead, remarkable things happen. Schools begin to exist as more than places of education; they grow into communities of belonging, compassion, and hope, where young people are empowered not only to participate, but to shape the world around them.