Ark Alexandra drives positive changes as the academic year begins

Over the summer break, the school underwent redevelopment work to prepare its learning spaces and student facilities. This included provision for several new classrooms equipped with modern technology, a science lab, and refurbished student facilities.

This term, students will also benefit from reintroducing the much-loved house system, where students can participate in inter-house sports and various other competitions. Even staff members will placed in a house to enjoy the fun.

This month, Ark Alexandra has introduced family dining to encourage a sense of togetherness and healthier eating habits as part of this change. Instead of quick takeaway lunches, students can enjoy lunch breaks to relax, chat with friends, and engage in meaningful conversations with their House members. This shift reflects the school's focus on nurturing students' social and emotional wellbeing.

In addition, Ark Alexandra is enhancing its extracurricular offer with a wider range of activities, such as sports, music ensembles, art and photography, dance and drama, leadership, and cultural experiences. The school's popular Cadets and Duke of Edinburgh Awards programmes will also receive a boost, with more students set to enrol. Ark Alexandra will organise six drop-down dedicated days throughout the year to provide culturally enriching activities and to support students' personal growth.

Mr Ittu, Headteacher of the Helenswood Campus, said, "The introduction of family dining and the enhancement of our extracurricular programs mark a significant moment in Ark Alexandra's commitment to providing a holistic educational experience for our students. These opportunities will help foster students' creativity, develop leadership skills, and encourage a deep appreciation for diverse interests."

A renewed focus will be placed on students showing independence and improving behaviour and attendance. The school will uphold its zero-tolerance policy towards antisocial, bullying, or discriminatory behaviour. Students will no longer be allowed to bring mobile phones into school, and this is designed to improve students' mental health, in line with recently published national guidance.

Mr Ittu added, "We have also updated our school uniform policy alongside other guidance to ensure our students can focus and be their best. Our parents and governors recognise this represents a significant uplift in standards and expectations based on the best practices of other high-performing schools.

"Our recent A level, BTEC, and GCSE results showed a marked improvement in progress, and we want to continue this success. We are very ambitious and believe Ark Alexandra can become one of the UK's top-performing secondary schools."