“Valuing Learning,
Valuing Each Other”

Tel: 01377 253631

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

Holtby House

Holtby House shares East building with Johnson House. We are named after the famous local author Winifred Holtby and our house colour is blue. Our distinctive logo (shown below), was produced by one of our older graphics students a few years ago.

Winifred_Holtby

The Holtby Team

Holtby House has ten tutor groups which are located in rooms within the East Building. Each tutor group consists of between 25-30 students aged between 11 and 16. Holtby House is led by Mr A McDonald, Head of House, whose office is centrally located in the East Building. He is assisted by Mrs L Cage, House Tutor for Holtby and Johnson and Mrs A Amers, House Leader for Holtby and Johnson.

Head of House: Mr A McDonald

House Tutor: Mrs L Cage

Aspirant Head of House: Mrs A Amers

Form Tutors:

H1 Mr G Ward (Maths)

H2 Miss M Hardisty (History)

H3 Mrs J Gray (English)

H4 Mr B Smith (English)

H5 Miss F Bentley (English)

H6 Mr S Welbourn (Geography)

H7 Mrs C Scarlett (Maths)

H8 Mr M Godwin (Science)

H9 Mrs S Sheen (English)

H10 Mrs L Corn (History/RE)

What We Do

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

Attendance and truancy (working with the school attendance officer and educational welfare officer)
Bullying issues
Behaviour management (when this is an issue across more than one subject)
Uniform compliance
Implementation of the school no smoking policy
Monitoring of student progress within the school
Any other pastoral issues which may affect the performance and general happiness of our students
Rewarding positive behaviour
Fundraising events
Y7 residential trips to Spiers Bank House

Holtby Values

Recently the students of Holtby voted for the things they truly value as a house. They decided on the following attibutes:

Support
Trust
Looking out for one another
Always doing your best
Always taking part

These will be drawn up into a charter which will be displayed in each form room to remind Holtby students what we value as a house and what they should be striving to achieve each and every day.

Holtby House Priorities

Within Holtby 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 Holtby 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 priorities are as follows:

To use systems for monitoring of student progress
To increase the focus on rewarding good behaviour
To continue to use measures to combat bullying
To continue fund raising for Teenage Cancer Trust charity.

Working With Students

We believe that it is important to give our students every opportunity to become involved in the decision- making process and 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 awarded a blue ‘Ambassador’ badge. Holtby students are also encouraged to get involved in promoting the East Building charity - The Teenage Cancer Trust. We have established a charity committee comprising students from a range of age groups and tutor groups, who oversee our fundraising efforts. This school year we raised nearly £3000 for the Teenage Cancer Trust and East Building students can rightly be proud of their efforts.

During March two groups of students will be taken to Spiers Bank House, our residential centre on the North Yorkshire Moors and a rewards trip will be taken to Lazerquest in Hull.

In June another Spiers Bank trip is arranged followed by the highlight of the Y11 calender, the Year 11 Prom.

Also in the summer; a charity bike ride will go ahead after the success of last years outing, (it is a 16 mile ride along the local lanes) and the ‘Tug of War’ challenge, the Holtby challenge to the other houses will once again be keenly contested.

Contact Us

Please do not hesitate to contact any member of the Holtby Team. We are also happy to help wherever we can on any individual student issues. We can be contacted as follows:

Mr A McDonald Ext 236
Mrs L Cage Ext 279
Mrs A Amers Ext 236

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