The academy formerly operated a house system, with four smaller family groups within the academy. The four houses were Brookside, Fleet, Talbot and Turner, named after prominent local families or areas.
In 2021 the academy’s system for pastoral care was reorganised, moving from house blocks to year groups.
Students will continue to work on a daily basis with their form tutor. Each year group has a Year Leader (rather than a Head of House) and a Deputy Year Leader (rather than a Student Welfare and Family Liaison Officer). Tutors, Year Leaders and Deputy Year Leaders are the main points of contact for parents and carers.
Features of the new year group system:
- Better communication with teachers, parents/carers and students.
- Year Leaders and Deputy Year Leaders able to focus on the needs of students at the same age and stage of their education.
- Continuity: year teams will move up the school with students from year 8 to year 11.
- Focus on student progress, and on good learning and teaching.
- Continued emphasis on promoting good attendance, behaviour and wellbeing.
- Five year groups (from four houses) plus the sixth form team, so more individual time for students.
- Specialised Year 7 Year Leader and Deputy Year Leader, to focus on recruitment, transition and making the best start at Lord Lawson.
Many parents and carers have enjoyed their links over time with a particular house block. In more recent years, this sense of house identity in school has become less noticeable, however. The academy believes that the year group system will enable a strong year group team identity to be created for all students. Year Leaders, Deputy Year Leaders and tutors will form strong links with students, and with their parents and carers.
