Christian Appleford, the new headteacher at The Ramsey Academy in Halstead, has introduced a refreshed school identity centred on new core values and a revived house system, aiming to strengthen students' sense of belonging. Since arriving in September, he has overhauled the school's behaviour policy and pastoral systems, laying the groundwork for these changes.
New values reflect school's identity
Developed in consultation with students, the school's new core values are Resilience, Aspiration and Mutual Respect, forming the acronym RAM. These values are intended to create a strong and distinctive identity for the academy.
Mr Appleford said: "We have seen throughout the year the need to relaunch the personal development systems of the school to improve the joy of belonging here. I would have liked to have implemented this sooner, but it was essential to first ensure our behaviour and pastoral systems were firmly embedded, alongside a strong focus on teaching, learning and curriculum development."
House system relaunch in July
The new house system, launching in July, will allocate students to Attenborough, Courtauld and Yousafzai houses. The names were chosen by students and the community to reflect inspirational figures: Sir David Attenborough, Elizabeth Courtauld and Malala Yousafzai.
Students will compete in academic challenges, sporting events, creative and performance competitions as part of daily school life. House points will be awarded for attendance, punctuality, charity events, enrichment opportunities and community involvement, rewarding effort and achievement.
Building on strong foundations
Mr Appleford explained: "With these foundations now securely in place - and continuing to evolve in regard to curriculum sequencing - we are well positioned to take the next steps in enriching students' experiences throughout their five-year journey at the school."
He added: "The house system brings togetherness, rewards, supports healthy competition, improves student voice and inspires leadership opportunities while demonstrating the school values. We want students to be living the values - if they open a door for someone, we will highlight to them that they are demonstrating mutual respect, for example."
Community and student involvement
The school, which joined the Bridge Academy Trust in 2021, will retain its motto, 'Achieving Excellence Together'. Mr Appleford expressed excitement about the initiative: "I really appreciate the support from students, staff and the community over this past year. It really feels like the school is in a different place compared to a year ago. We will be far, far stronger this September, having had a positive year working with our school and outreaching community."
