Class Name Changes

Back in September 2024, during Share Your Idea Day, one of you proposed that we adopt names instead of referring to groups by their year group designations. This suggestion arose from the concern that students in Year 10 who were working independently at a Year 7 level might feel disheartened if they were repeatedly referred to as “Year 7” and encountered support materials labelled as such.

After careful consideration of the potential workload associated with this change, we conducted a vote among our current learners to gauge their opinions. The results were as follows:

- 54% in favour of a name change

- 36% preferred to retain the year group name

- 10% expressed no preference or choose not to participate in the voting process

Therefore, we have made the decision to implement the name change from the academic year commencing in September 2025. Consequently, our classes will be identified by their respective names rather than their current year group designations.

We are going to call our Early Years and Foundation after insects found in an orchard.

·      Nursery 1 – Caterpillars

·      Nursery 2 – Butterflies

·      Reception – Honey Bees

We are naming our Key Stage 1 and 2’s after fruit and nuts found in an orchard and after the trees we have in the Orchard Training Homeschool Garden Club.

Year 1 – Apple Class

Year 2 – Pears Class

Year 3 – Plumb Class

Year 4 – Cherry Class

Year 5 – Hazelnut Class

Year 6 – Walnut Class

Continuing our focus on the orchard theme, it is evident that the management of an orchard requires a combination of scientific knowledge, technological advancements, engineering expertise, and mathematical proficiency. Thus, our Key Stage 3 classes will be named after renowned individuals who have made significant contributions to the respective areas of S.T.E.M.

Year 7 – Ada Lovelace

Year 8 – Isambard Kingdom Brunel

Year 9 – Marie Curie

Year 10 (GCSE) – Albert Einstein         Year 10 (Functional Skills) Charles Darwin

Year 11 – (GCSE) Rosalind Franklin     Year 11 (Functional Skills) Mary Anning