At The Ruth Gorse Academy, we believe in creating an inclusive and inspiring school experience for every student — and at the heart of that is our thriving House System.

Designed to foster a strong sense of belonging, our House System brings students together across year groups, creating a supportive environment where everyone is encouraged to shine. It opens up opportunities for students to step beyond the classroom and immerse themselves in a wide range of extra-curricular activities, sporting events, and academic competitions, helping them grow in confidence and character.

More than just friendly rivalry, our House System builds teamwork, community spirit, and a healthy dose of competition, all while celebrating diversity and encouraging collaboration among students from different backgrounds.

Each student is assigned to one of our four Houses — Hersh, Maretta, Chapman, or Sinfield — each named after inspirational individuals with strong connections to our local area. Students remain with their House throughout their time at the academy, growing together and forming lasting bonds as they contribute to their House’s journey and success.

What makes our House System so special is seeing, day after day, how it instils pride, loyalty, and a real sense of ownership in our students — transforming our large academy into one close-knit, dynamic community.

Mrs C Murray – Assistant Principal
House Leader

House points are gained through participating in House competitions either as an individual or a team. Students can earn house tokens for politeness and courtesy around the academy, being a good role model and for upholding our values. House points are awarded to both students and staff and both parties are equally responsible for gaining points towards winning The Ruth Gorse House Cup!

Huge congratulations to Sinfield House who won our House Competition for 2024-2025 with an incredible 21,491 points!

Click the video to see which House is currently in the lead!

At The Ruth Gorse Academy, our annual Charity Project is a powerful part of our Enrichment programme. Each year, form groups take the lead in designing and running their own fundraising events, helping students build essential life skills such as teamwork, leadership, and creative problem-solving, all while making a real difference in the world around them.

Over the last three years, our students have raised over £2,000 for charity, nearly doubling the total each year. The Ruth Gorse Academy’s chosen charity is Martin House Children’s Hospice who provide family-led hospice care free of charge for children and young people with life-limiting illnesses in West, North and East Yorkshire.

Student participation continues to grow, with more pupils than ever getting involved in fundraising and planning. This initiative helps students to develop empathy, build a strong sense of community, and understand the value of social responsibility. By working together towards a shared goal, they learn the importance of giving back — and see first-hand the positive impact they can have through collective effort.

Students have access to a range of extra-curricular opportunities, which are promoted in school by staff. These cover all aspects of the curriculum and are a vehicle for making and maintaining new friendships, trying out new activities, and promoting active ways to help our physical and mental health. Students use a loyalty card to collect points for attending extra-curricular activities to gain points for their House.

The timetable for extra-curricular activities can be found on the academy website and also on form boards in form rooms. Please click here to see the extra-curricular timetable.