Families
The Family system at Hartford Church of England High School has been introduced to implement a sense of identity, belonging and responsibility for our students focusing on healthy competition and teamwork. The inclusivity of the system allows for all students to be able to have a voice as we introduce new opportunities for all, raise money for charity and serve the wider community.
The Families are named after four historic buildings in the Hartford community: Whitehall, Riddings, Hollies and Beeches. Each family is distinct, unique and easily identifiable through the school branding and individual Family logos. The Families have a very close link to the community as our students pass the buildings as they come to and from school every day. In addition, by linking our family system to the Hartford community, it can provide a sense of togetherness, belonging and respect, whilst also educating our students on the local environment, and developing a deeper understanding of the fantastic heritage Hartford has to offer.
The family system and our philosophy behind it are underpinned by our school's HART values (Happy, Achieving, Ready, Together) based on a Christian foundation of love (Caritas) and truth (Veritas) emphasising the importance of the HART in Hartford and all staff and students belonging to this special community.
Students and staff are able to contribute to their families and the wider community through participation in lessons, extracurricular clubs, competitions and initiatives implemented through the school. Students can take part in: charity fun runs, bake-off competitions, Christmas tree decorating and festive activities, year group discos, movie nights, fundraising challenges, talent shows, form-time challenges, art competitions, reward trips and so much more!
The Family system encourages healthy competition through the Family Championship. Students and staff can earn points for their family by competing in the events on offer. These points are collected on the Family Leaderboard which is updated weekly. The victorious family at the end of the year will win the Family Cup and an end-of-year reward.
Every week, our Families have their own assemblies to celebrate success, update on new challenges and opportunities and provide a time to come together to reflect on our community and the world around us. These assemblies are led by the Heads of Family and introduce guest speakers including members of the Senior Leadership Team.
We recognise significant events and key moments throughout the year through our Pause for Thought sessions, in which both students and staff take part. Across the HART dates, we deliver a programme of activities and opportunities that encourage our community to reflect on and remember important events, people and themes throughout the year. Many of these activities are underpinned by our British Values, helping to promote understanding, respect, tolerance and active citizenship.
Below are some ways we achieve this:
Democracy and Individual Liberty: students choosing their Family Leadership Team, choosing charities to support, Human Rights Day
Mutual Respect and Tolerance: World Mental Health Day by wearing it green, Breast Cancer Awareness Month by wearing it pink, International Women's Day, Neurodiversity week, Show Racism the Red Card, World Religion Day, Holocaust Memorial Day, World Day for Cultural Diversity, Chinese New Year, European Day of Languages
Participation in Community Life: working as a family in competitions, fun runs, Random Act of Kindness Day, charity bake sales, Christmas Light switch on, scarecrow competition and Christmas Fair in the local community.
We have fabulous students and staff at Hartford Church of England High School. Our school is special because whoever you are and whatever your background, you are valued. Students, through our family system, have an opportunity to be part of a unique school family where everyone encourages one another to succeed both within and beyond the classroom.
