Building brotherhood, community and leadership

At William Ellis School, strong relationships are the foundation of everything we do. From September 2026, we have strengthened this further by introducing mixed-age tutor groups, bringing boys from Year 7 to Year 11 together every day within one of three Houses.

This page explains what mixed-age tutoring is, how it works day to day, and why we believe it is the right model of pastoral care for boys at William Ellis.

What is mixed-age tutoring?

Every student belongs to one of three Houses — Burgh, Keats and Lauderdale — each led by a Head of House. Within each House, students are placed into small mixed-age tutor groups of three to five boys from every year group, Year 7 through to Year 11.

Each tutor group meets daily for registration: 20 minutes each day, split between an 8:35am–8:50am morning session and a short afternoon check-in. This is the only part of the school day that is mixed-age. All lessons, including PSHE, continue to be taught in year groups, for five hours of every school day. Year-group assemblies, trips and outdoor education camps also continue alongside the new House assemblies and interhouse sport and other competitions that bring the wider community together.

Brothers are usually placed in the same House but never the same tutor group, so each boy has his own space and his own identity within it.

Why mixed-age tutoring, and why for boys?

Boys often build trust and take on responsibility through relationships that are informal, daily and role-modelled rather than formally taught. A mixed-age structure is designed around this:

• Younger students gain visible role models. A Year 7 boy sees, every single day, how a Year 10 or 11 student carries himself, speaks to others and represents his House — modelling that no lesson can replicate.
• Older students develop genuine leadership. By Year 11, that leadership shows not only in formal roles such as House Council representatives or reading mentors, but in the quieter, everyday habits that define character: how a boy talks to a nervous new student, how he includes others, how he sets a tone.
• Transitions are smoother. Students joining in Year 7 arrive into an established group who already know the routines and rhythms of William Ellis life, easing the move from primary school. Students in Year 9, weighing up their GCSE options and the kind of student they want to be, have daily contact with older boys who have already navigated that moment.
• Every boy is well known. Smaller tutor groups mean tutors — the key trusted adult for every student — can give focused attention and build a genuine relationship with each boy. A student's form tutor is the main point of contact for pastoral and welfare matters throughout his time at the school.

This structure sits within our wider mission of nurturing successful students and good citizens through strong relationships, and within the Five Rs that shape daily life at William Ellis: Respect, Resilience, Resourcefulness, Responsibility and Reflection.

Structured opportunities for responsibility

Mixed-age tutor groups create far more everyday opportunities for boys to lead and be counted on than a single year group can. Roles exist at both House and tutor-group level, including Sports Captains, House Council leaders, Literacy Champions, reading mentors, praise and rewards co-ordinators, and kit and equipment buddies, giving every student, not just a few, a genuine stake in his House.

Keeping students safe

We recognise that parents may have questions about older and younger students mixing, including concerns about bullying, and we take this seriously. Tutor groups are carefully composed, and all staff receive specific training in managing a mixed-age group. Heads of House hold clear responsibility for the welfare and behaviour of every student in their House, so concerns are addressed swiftly and consistently by a named senior leader. Because groups are small and tutors know their students well, day-to-day issues are spotted early. Year 7 students also have access to a dedicated Pastoral Support Assistant in addition to their tutor and Head of House, alongside designated Year 7 areas of the playground as they settle in. Evidence from schools with long experience of mixed-age tutoring shows that it builds a stronger sense of belonging, and that students take greater responsibility for one another over time. In developing our model, we have worked closely with schools who operate mixed-age structures with strong House identities to make sure our approach reflects genuine best practice.

A visible identity

Each House carries its own identity, including House colours worn as part of school uniform, so belonging to Burgh, Keats or Lauderdale is something every boy can see and show, not just something written down. They are named after local buildings or “houses” of historic interest who we partner with to provide enhanced educational opportunities for our students.

 

Any questions?

Current and prospective parents are welcome to contact the school at info@williamellis.camden.sch.uk, or speak to their son's tutor, for more information about mixed-age tutoring and House life at William Ellis.