A team-building weekend at Patterdale Hall in the Lake District near the end of summer term has helped to cement friendships and build confidence for the 31 senior school leaders chosen from the sixth formers entering year 13 in September.

And they will need to know who they can rely on as they start in their new roles throughout the school, as head of the sixth form, Mike Kershaw explained.

"We've done something other schools haven't yet; we've moved away from the prefect model for the sixth form as we felt prefects are seen as extensions of the staff. Instead we've appointed 31 senior school leaders who will take on roles of responsibility in ten different areas such as mentoring the five year groups, fundraising and leading the school council," said Mr Kershaw.

One senior school leader will be responsible for each area and aided by a small team of their choice. A pyramid management structure will be used in each area and the team details will be posted around the school to help involve younger pupils. Some teams have already organised their own mentor training and identified issues, which may need addressing, such as problems with behaviour, attendance and bullying.

Following the activity weekend the first task for the newly appointed head boy and girl and their deputies was to gather information on the achievements of year groups, which had been celebrated at Todmorden Town Hall earlier, and present them to the press.

Jake Davy-Day, deputy head boy, will be the head of fundraising next year and hopes to organise activities for Comic Relief, as well as on-going fundraising for various charities.

"We will decide which charities we want to support when we meet in September. I'm looking forward to the challenge.

"The weekend in Patterdale was great. We did a lot of team-building activities, which needed us to communicate with each other, such as gorge walking and canoeing where we had boats tied together."

Year eight are sporty, as Jake explained when he outlined their achievements this year. Pupils have celebrated National School Sports week, reached the quarter finals in the Calderdale rounders tournament, competed at cricket and enjoyed a laser questing trip as a reward for being sporty.

A trip to Alton Towers was also enjoyed by 77 year eight pupils who gained over 600 reward marks for good behaviour and attendance.

Head girl, Emily Morrison, who will be head of the school council from September, said she has been involved in the work of the council for some time and really enjoyed it.

"In my role on the school council I was involved in the selection process of the new headteacher and interviewed Mr Ottley-O'Connor.