How Can You Develop Civil Leaders And Make A Difference Beyond The Classroom?

Located in Hertfordshire, Haileybury School lies within 500 acres of countryside. They offer a co-educational boarding and day school for those ages between 11 and 18. As a school that fosters social responsibility, they have shared some the initiatives they are currently working on.

As independent schools, we have a duty to give back to our communities and at Haileybury, fostering a deep sense of social responsibility is profoundly embedded in our history and ethos. 

Haileybury Youth Trust

In 1945, former Haileyburian, Clement Attlee embodied this when he became the Prime Minister of Great Britain and established the National Health Service and welfare state. He also created the Haileybury Youth Trust (HYT) and today, the award-winning charity trains young Ugandans in innovative, carbon-saving building technology, giving them construction skills that improve education, opportunity and livelihoods. 

Attlee with HYT boys

As well as the inspirational HYT, we support our pupils to become civic leaders through a range of initiatives in school. We set an ambitious goal to be carbon-neutral by 2030 which is inspiring our students to become guardians of the planet. We also established a Pupil Sustainability Committee, which is now an integral part of our sustainability action plan, embedded sustainability within our curriculum, and launched a variety of co-curricular clubs including conservation and beekeeping to cultivate this stewardship. 

Moreover, our Model United Nations (MUN) programme not only develops leadership, public speaking and debating skills but also educates our pupils on social issues around the world, from deforestation in Brazil to the situation in the Middle East. Our MUN is pupil-led, with our Sixth Formers running weekly sessions and organising our annual MUN conference where we welcome 600 international visitors. This style of education compels our pupils to be cognisant of, and champion, important causes throughout their lifetime. 

Haileybury Model UN Conference

Another example of our commitment to social responsibility is our new Hearts and Wings initiative which we are launching in conjunction with Green Frog Holidays. This will provide local young people with disabilities a residential inclusive holiday experience, utilising our facilities and taking part in an array of exciting activities. The spirit of service is embodied by the number of Haileybury pupils who volunteered to support this programme to make it the best possible experience for the young people attending. 

Instilling social responsibility is at the core of Haileybury’s approach and is vital to prepare our pupils with the values, skills and foresight needed to become civic leaders who make positive change in the world.