The 'golden era' of the Hollywood Studio System has long passed but next week marks the launch of our own EUTC Studio System. It's aim is to bring a strength and clarity to the way we support our learners. In other schools and colleges, they may talk about 'houses' but we are Elstree UTC so we're going for studios.

Initially, there will be three studios and each one will have a year 10 tutor group, a year 11 tutor group and then 2 tutor groups from year 12 and another 2 from year 13.

Each studio will be led by a head of studio who will support the form tutors within their studio and ensure that all the students in their studio are safe, happy, attending and achieving well.

It is expected that the studio system will improve the management of our learning community and help us to support students even better. We have clearer processes for monitoring attendance and achievement and can intervene sooner when necessary. The Studio System will also facilitate our Student Leadership Forum and each studio will have a student director as well as a student leader for each year group.

The first exciting job will be for each studio to name itself. Students and staff have been offering names for consideration since before the summer and we have a considerable list. The directions were simple - a successful British creative practitioner from the field of Media Arts, Productions and Digital Communications. We have seen lighting designers, makeup artists, sound engineers and film makers suggested as leaders within the entertainments industry, and next week students will choose from a shortlist to name their studio.

We will be announcing the new studios soon and then updating regularly with news of which studio has the most achievement points, best attendance, highest levels of punctuality as well as Studio awards for professionalism, compassion, effort and progress. We will also follow up with details of student leadership and mentoring programmes.