“Valuing Learning,
Valuing Each Other”

Tel: 01377 253631

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

Wilberforce House

Wilberforce is located in the North Building together with Mortimer House. Wilberforce House is named after William Wilberforce the politician who spoke out against the slave trade in the 19th Century. You can recognise our house by its distinctive logo and our house colour which is orange. Our logo is very special to us as it has been designed by Wilberforce students each area of the shield is important in making Wilberforce House what it is today.

Wilberforce_Leadership_Team

A big hello from myself Mr Butcher, Head of House and the Wilberforce team. I hope that you find this page useful and that you get to know more about the House team. On behalf of Wilberforce I would like to wish you a very happy time at Driffield School and in Wilberforce House.

The Wilberforce Team

Wilberforce House has ten tutor groups which are located in rooms within the North Building and Performing Arts Building. Each tutor group consists of between 25-30 students aged between 11 and 16. Wilberforce House is led by Mr D Andrews Head of House, whose office is located in the North Building. He is assisted by Mrs T Hazell, House Tutor for Mortimer and Wilberforce.

W1 Ms Smith (Health & Social Care Department)

W2 Mr Yates (ICT Department)

W3 Mrs Cavalli (English Department)

W4 Mr Nunes (Science Department)

W5 Miss Brumby (Maths Department)

W6 Mrs Wilson (Performing Arts Department)

W7 Mr Walenta (English Department)

W8 Miss Sirr (English Department)

W9 Miss Tee (Maths Department)

W10 Mr Flanagan (English Department)

What We Do

In common with all other Houses in the school, the House Team (Mr Butcher and Mrs Hazell 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 Wilberforce 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

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. We really appreciate the work that our ambassadors do, so much so that we try to ensure that they are rewarded for their work and efforts as often as we can. Our Students are also encouraged to help raise money for our charity the Blantyre Orphanage in Malawi. To raise money for the Blantyre Orphanage, Wilberforce students take part in sponsored events such as the Wilberforce walk, where students work from Hull to Beverley. All a students efforts have allowed money to be sent to Malawi to continue to excellent work at the Blantyre Orphanage.

In addition, we believe that the student voice is very important; as such each form has at least one representative for the Wilberforce Student Council. This allows students to help create and maintain the learning environment that they would like within Wilberforce and the School.

Being Part of the 'Winning Force' - Wilberforce

Wilberforce is a friendly and dynamic House to be part of. We have fortnightly tasks, which are done in tutor times; these tasks are great for team building. For each task forms get marks out of five the winning form at the end of the year will win a special award. Wilberforce students have spent their time making raps and stories about the school and the House. They have also had a challenge where they have had to grow the biggest carrot- as it is orange like the colour of our House. At the end of each academic year the winning two forms take each other on for the title of Wilberforce Challenge Winners. In Wilberforce House we work as a team and this ethos has helped us win Sports Day for the last four years. Each year in the summer term the Wilberforce students take part in Orange Olympics, which means students have to do a variety of activities with oranges. These include orange bobbing, relay races with oranges and orange and spoon race.

All of our Year 7 students will have the opportunity to go Spiers Bank for residential trip with their form groups and House Team. This is a brilliant opportunity where all students have a great time. Wilberforce take part in activities like, midnight walks, BBQ’s and challenges such as decorating cakes and blind fold eating games!

Within Wilberforce House, we have strong links with Kings Mill School in Driffield, our students often visit the school at Christmas where all students celebrate the festive period together with a disco. A good Wilberforce student is a student who contributes to both house and school life. All Wilberforce students try their best at all times and treat staff and students with respect and friendship. It is fair to say that all students in this House are proud of being in the Winning Force, Wilberforce House.

Contact Us

Please do not hesitate to contact any member of the Wilberforce 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:

Mr G Butcher Ext 212
Mrs T Hazell Ext 288

Or you can email us at:Wilberforce@driffield.eriding.net

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