RPHS Student Support System 2012
The student support system is at the heart of enabling outstanding learning and achievement to happen. In September
2012 we will be moving from a year based system to a ‘house horizontal’ system. This means that our support system would
be structured around a Head of House who oversees a form of students from each year group in the school. For example,
Head of Gibbs X will organise support for Year 7 Gibbs X students, Year 8 Gibbs X students etc. Within this house structure
students are taught in classes with students from their own house where the opportunity arises (especially within KS3) in the
main curriculum.
The specific structure we are moving to is summarised in the bullet points below and the accompanying diagram:






Move to a house horizontal system
8 Heads of House – expanding the senior pastoral leaders by three
5 learning mentors – one for each house (shared between X and Z) and have one specialising in Year 7, the
rest by house. Keep current house names
SLT would ‘line manage’ a particular year group to ensure that horizontal issues are covered. This would include
overseeing all exclusions for the year group for consistency, as well as main events such as transition, option
choices etc
Each house group would have a house assembly each week. Each year group would have a year assembly
once a half term, led by SLT responsible for the year group, attended by HOH
Tutor groups would be organised vertically once a fortnight within houses
KS3 & KS4:
Head of
Gibbs X
House
Head of
Gibbs Z
House
Gibbs
Learning Mentor
Head of
Miltons X
House
Head of
Miltons Z
House
Miltons
Learning Mentor
Head of
Halliwells X
House
Head of
Halliwells Z
House
Halliwells
Learning Mentor
Head of
Newsomes X
House
Head of
Newsomes Z
House
Newsomes
Learning Mentor
Year 7 Learning Mentor
7 Gibbs X
8 Gibbs X
9 Gibbs X
10 Gibbs X
11 Gibbs X
7 Gibbs Z
8 Gibbs Z
9 Gibbs Z
10 Gibbs Z
11 Gibbs Z
7 Miltons X
8 Miltons X
9 Miltons X
10 Miltons X
11 Miltons X
7 Miltons Z
8 Miltons Z
9 Miltons Z
10 Miltons Z
11 Miltons Z
House
Captains X2
House
Captains X2
House
Captains X2
House
Captains X2
7 Halliwells X
8 Halliwells X
9 Halliwells X
10 Halliwells
X
11 Halliwells
X
House
Captains X2
7 Halliwells Z
8 Halliwells Z
9 Halliwells Z
10 Halliwells
Z
11 Halliwells
Z
House
Captains X2
7 Newsoms X
8 Newsoms X
9 Newsoms X
10 Newsoms
X
11 Newsoms
X
House
Captains X2
7 Newsoms Z
8 Newsoms Z
9 Newsoms Z
10 Newsoms
Z
11 Newsoms
Z
House
Captains X2
Sixth Form:
6th Form HOH Gibbs & Miltons
AHT Director of Sixth Form
6th Form HOH Halliwells & Newsomes
Gibbs X 6th
Gibbs Z 6th
Miltons X 6th
Miltons Z 6th
Senior House
Captain
Senior House
Captain
Senior House
Captain
Senior House
Captain
Halliwells X
6th
Halliwells Z
6th
Newsoms 6th
X
Newsoms 6th
Z
Senior House
Captain
Senior House
Captain
Senior House
Captain
Head Boy and Girl
Senior House
Captain
Subject Captains
Benefits of the move to the new system:















Raynes Park has a strong house history and ethos
The house system is potentially one of the greatest strengths of the school
Students already identify very closely with it
It would provide a significant investment in the student support system by a total of 5.5 staff
Student to HOH ratio would be 150, as opposed to 240 at the moment with HOL system
Greater focus on student achievement – every student in every year group would be noticed and tracked. HOH
would be looking at 30 students in a year group rather than 240
A house system effectively harnesses the benefits of competition, community and leadership
Community – every student would become part of a community of students that would be integral to their
everyday learning experience
Competition – healthy competition would be part of all aspects of school life. Every positive ap would contribute
towards the house totals. House competitions could happen within the curriculum, rather than just be out of
hours, after school
Leadership – House captains would provide leadership within their house and support to the head of house and
learning mentor. Senior house captains (from the sixth form) would provide a clear link from the sixth form to
the main school
Students would have continuity of leadership throughout the school – enabling students and parents to be able
to get to know the HOH whilst having a ratio that enables better communication
Every HOH would have a ‘partner’ head of house – something that the current system does not lend itself to
They will have some lessons in KS3 (eg Geography) as ‘9 Gibbs’ or Art as ‘8 Halliwells’. In this way we can
support students both with their academic study and in their personal development. Learning walks would be
much more focused – only five tutor groups rather than 8 for the HOH to visit
The new system would provide clear house leadership – currently HOH are unpaid roles with a lack of clarity of
scope and remit
Learning & teaching – HOH would be able to track and lead learning and teaching within the curriculum –
leading cross curricular learning & teaching discussion between subject teachers