“Valuing Learning,
Valuing Each Other”

Tel: 01377 253631

Email: office@driffield.e-riding.sch.uk

Bronte House

Bronte House is located in the West Building together with Fawcett House. Bronte House is named after the Bronte family, a family famous for their contribution to English literature. The most well known novel being Wuthering Heights. You can recognise our house by its distinctive log and our house colour which is purple.

Welcome to Bronte House web page. I hope that you find the information on this page useful and that it tells you a little bit more about the unique characteristics and organisation of this House. Our Bronte students will be able to download our monthly newsletter 'Bronte News' starting September 2009 by clicking on the link at the bottom of this page.

The House Charity is 'Study Guatemala'. Study Guatemala Charity Logo

Mrs T James

The Bronte Team

Bronte House has ten tutor groups which are located in rooms within the West Building and West Annexe. Each tutor group consists of between 25-30 students aged between 11 and 16. Bronte House is led by Mrs T James, Head of House, whose office is located at the front of West Building. She is assisted by Mr R Johnson, House Tutor for Bronte and Fawcett and Mr A McDonald, House Leader for Bronte and Fawcett.

The 2010/11 tutor groups and tutors are as follows:

B1 Miss S Kilvington (Art Department)

B2 Mr A Colley (Performing Arts Department)

B3 Mr C Senior (PE Department)

B4 Mrs V Zahraoui (Modern Foreign Languages Department)

B5 Ms Z Clarke (Design and Technology Department)

B6 Miss S Lee (PE Department)

B7 Miss V Elwell (RE Department)

B8 Mr D Reeves (RE Department)

B9 Mr D Bibbington (Design and Technology Department)

B10 Mr P Brookes (Geography Department/Eco-Schools Co-ordinator)

Also pictured is Miss Hayhurst, honorary Bronte House member.

What We Do

In common with all other Houses in the school, the House Team (Mrs James, Mr Johnson and Mr McDonald together with the form tutors) is responsible for overseeing the pastoral care of the students within the house. This includes oversight of the following for all Bronte students:

Attendance and truancy (working with the school attendance officer and educational welfare officer)
Holiday requests
Bullying issues
Behaviour management (when this is an issue across more than one subject)
Uniform compliance
Implementation of the school smoking policy
Monitoring of student progress within the school
Any other pastoral issues which may affect the performance and general happiness of our students
Sharing and celebrating their success

Bronte House Priorities

Within Bronte House we strive to find the balance between ensuring that we apply all rules and policies in the same consistent manner throughout the school and also providing Bronte House with its own individual identity that our students can be proud of. As a result, this year we have agreed within the House Team our own Bronte priorities as follows:

To increase the profile of house ambassadors and house council representatives
To reward on a monthly basis the tutor group with the best attendance, punctuality and behaviour publicly in assembly
To continue to support out house charity
To focus on using E-portal information to monitor and reward good behaviour

Working With Students

We believe that it is important to give our students every opportunity to become involved in the decision- making process and day to day management of the House. One of the key roles to be carried out by students within the house is that of House Ambassador. House Ambassadors are students who are excellent role models for their peers and take a leading role in helping the House staff, particularly during tutor time. House Ambassadors are easily recognised by their purple ‘Ambassador’ badges. Bronte students are also encouraged to work with Fawcett students to promote the friendly and safe atmosphere in the West building.

Tutor groups all work together throughout the year to organise, participate in and raise funds for our chosen charity. So far Bronte House has raised over £3000, we can rightly be proud of their efforts.

In addition, student have also supported the 'Aqua Box' project, working with the Driffield Round Table and Real Aid.

Below right, our team of Bronte House Ambassadors, Spring Term 2009

Below left, our student council 2009

Contact Us

Please do not hesitate to contact any member of the Bronte Team if you have any comments or suggestions to make about our work. We are also happy to help wherever we can on any individual student issues. We can be contacted as follows:

Mrs T James Ext 276
Mr R Johnson Ext 204
Mr A McDonald Ext 277

I just wanted the opportunity to thank you and all your staff for making our daughter’s first year at Driffield School such a successful and enjoyable experience. Since starting last September we have been impressed by the feedback from your staff in way of letters, postcards, praise and encouragement for our daughter. it is very much appreciated.

Parents of Year 7 student

I am writing to congratulate the Year 10 and Year 11 students who volunteered to take part in the mock interview process today which I was part of…. Students had taken time to do preparation work and the effort to look at the part of an interviewee. The students were a credit to the school and their parents. They were eloquent, enthusiastic and asked pertinent and searching questions of the interviewers.

Business Mentor

I would like to pass on our compliments to the staff for their positive input over the last term and a half. We are very pleased with our daughter’s progress and significant improvement in many subjects.

Parent of Y10 student

My wife and I were delighted to be able to obtain tickets for the Saturday performance of 42nd Street. We wish to applaud all those involved in the brilliant show – not just the main characters, tap dancers and singers, but the excellent musicians and their two teachers; the remarkably efficient scene shifters; and all of your staff responsible for a really professional production.

Parent of student

I am writing to thank Driffield School and the Sports Department for their help and support during 2007. We ran four very successful school biathlons (run/swim) in Driffield. Thank you for your continued support.

British Pentathlon Development Officer

We are delighted with our daughter's transfer to Driffield School. She is enthusiastic about everything - her lessons, teachers and the other students - she never stops talking about them when she gets home. It is lovely to see her re-discovering her enjoyment of school life. Thank you for all your help and support with this.

Parent of Year 10 student

My daughter has just completed her A Levels and has now left Driffield School. However, I couldn’t let the occasion go without writing to thank you and your school for looking after her and giving her such a fine education – and more. Her splendid ‘A’ Level results stand testimony to hard work on her part and a lot of effort, encouragement and perseverance from her teachers.

Parent of Year 13 student

I would just like to know how much I enjoyed Driffield School’s production of Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. The singing, notably from pupils in the lead parts, was fabulous. The acting in every case was excellent as was the musical accompaniment from the orchestra. Well done to all involved for supporting and encouraging the students in this way.

Parent of a student

On behalf of the President and members of Driffield Rotary Club, I write to thank the school for the cheque for £456.63, donated to go towards the cost of rebuilding the school in Sri Lanka destroyed by the Tsunami. It was very generous of the school’s Student Council to agreed to give the proceeds from the non-uniform in July to this very worthwhile project.

The International Committee of the Rotary Club

May I take this opportunity to thank your staff for a wonderful trip to Cork with the Driffield School Swing Band. The students were impeccable in all respects and a credit to the school and their teachers.

Parent of a student

We wish to place on record our sincere thanks, and would ask you to pass on our gratitude to all the members of staff who taught our daughter, particularly in the past two ‘A’ Level years.

Parent of Year 13 student

Driffield School is a vibrant community where teachers and students work hard and achieve well.

Ofsted Inspectors

In this increasingly effective school, standards are rising and have been consistently above average for the last three years.

Ofsted Inspectors

Parents speak well of the dedication and enthusiasm of the staff. They appreciate the way in which students are welcomed into the school and give a chance to reach their full potential.

Ofsted Inspectors

Students themselves say that they enjoy the huge range of opportunities open to them and feel well cared for.

Ofsted Inspectors

Students are confident, articulate and enthusiastic. Students of all ages mix well together because of the tutor system, which puts students of different ages in mixed tutor groups.

Ofsted Inspectors

Sixth Form students play an important role helping younger students to enjoy and take full part in the life of the school.

Ofsted Inspectors

Teachers have high expectations of what students can do and make these clear.

Ofsted Inspectors

Driffield takes good care of its students... Students work hard to reach increasingly challenging targets.

Ofsted Inspectors

This is a very successful Sixth Form. Results for AS/A2 and AVCE examinations are well above average, maintaining a consistently positive trend. Students overall achievement and progress in the Sixth Form are very good; many achieve well beyond expectation.

Ofsted Inspectors

Teaching is lively and challenging, and foster students’ responsibility and independent learning and results in very positive attitudes.

Ofsted Inspectors

Teaching and learning are good overall, with a high proportion of outstanding lessons.

Ofsted Inspectors

The school’s commitment to the care and well-being of students is evident in exemplary arrangements for child protection, safeguarding and health and safety matters.

Ofsted Inspectors