Head Boy and Head Girl are terms commonly used in the British education system. Many schools appoint a member of the sixth form to perform a series of duties to help the organisation of the school. Normally one boy (who becomes the "Head Boy") and one girl (who becomes the "Head Girl") are chosen to do this.

It is not uncommon for a series of Deputy Head Boys and Deputy Head Girls to be appointed in order to help the Head Boy and Head Girl with their duties.

Duties vary enormously between schools: some head boys and head girls have a huge work load, others have hardly anything to do at all, the title being a sinecure. Normally duties include organising school events, giving tours of the school and organising the prefects.

Head Boys/Girls are usually responsible for representing the school at both events and outside, and therefore must be good public speakers and are always favored by schools if they are academic and punctual.

Elections are also something often surrounded in rumour, speculation and mystery. Sometimes it is a straight vote of the student body, sometimes it is a teachers' vote, and sometimes a mix of the two.

It is seen in many schools that when a student vote takes place, the head boy/girl race becomes a "popularity contest". In recent years it has not been uncommon for head boys and head girls to put up posters and rally support through stunts and events, making the race seem very Americanised.

INFORMATION FACT: There has never been a head girl/boy that has not been accepted by a university!

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