Dear Parents,
Hello, this is Orgesa from Rise to Lead, part of my wider work through Configur Academy.
I wanted to send a short update after our first session on Monday and say how lovely it was to finally meet the children. We had a great mix of familiar faces and new ones, and the atmosphere felt exactly as I’d hoped, calm, curious and supportive.
Our first session
Monday was very much about settling in and setting the tone.
We talked briefly about what Rise to Lead is and how we’ll be working together over the term. Each child received their own notebook, which they personalised with stickers and their own designs. I also took a black-and-white photo of each child and printed it for them to decorate and keep inside their notebook.
The notebook will come home regularly. I’ll use it to leave short comments, add stickers, and recognise moments such as:
showing kindness to others
being a good team player
pushing themselves a little outside their comfort zone
listening thoughtfully
giving things a go even when they feel unsure
Over the term, we’ll also add group photos so it becomes a small memory book of their time at the club.
The environment we’re creating
The purpose of Rise to Lead is to create a safe, calm and encouraging space where children can practise speaking and sharing ideas without feeling judged.
I strongly believe that confidence grows one small step at a time. Not every child is naturally confident, but every child can learn confidence in the right environment. Children learn best when they feel supported, seen, and encouraged by both adults and their peers, and that’s exactly what we’re building together.
Groups & teamwork
We’ve now divided the children into three small groups, which they’ll stay in for the rest of the term. This isn’t about who is the “best” speaker or the most confident. It’s about giving every child the chance to shine within a team.
For next week, the children have been given a fun task:
to come up with group name ideas, and next session they’ll choose their final name and a coloured ribbon to represent their team.
How sessions will work
Each week, the groups will be given a challenge, which is unlocked by solving a small riddle together. They’ll then have time to work as a team, discuss ideas, and decide how they want to respond.
Within each group, children will rotate through three simple roles:
Speaker – shares the group’s ideas
Timekeeper – keeps the group on track
Gold Finder – notices what went well and what the group did well together
At the end, the children will vote for the group that they felt explained their ideas most clearly. This keeps things light, collaborative, and focused on effort rather than competition.
As the term progresses, we’ll also introduce gentle debate-style challenges, and from Week 5, we’ll begin preparing for the final showcase.
Final showcase
The final session will be a celebration of the children’s progress. Each child will choose what they’d like to present, it might be a short talk about themselves, a favourite topic, or something they’ve worked on. There is no pressure. Some children may simply want to stand up and say a few sentences; others may choose to do more. This will always be done with your support and at a level each child feels comfortable with.
Building confidence, little by little
Each session will also include a few optional, impromptu questions. These will be prepared by the children themselves during the week, with my guidance. The aim is to help them experience that wonderful feeling of answering a question well and realising, “I can do this.” Confidence really does grow one moment at a time.
Thank you again for trusting me with your children. It’s a privilege to work with them, and I’m very much looking forward to the weeks ahead.
Warm regards,
Orgesa
Founder, Rise to Lead
Configur Academy
Wesbite: www.risetolead.uk
Instagram @configuracademy
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