HELEN WAKEFIELD CTEACH (LEADERSHIP), SENIOR DEPUTY HEADTEACHER, ASHBY SCHOOL, LiFE MULTI-ACADEMY TRUST, UK
LAUREN ANDERSON, ASSISTANT HEADTEACHER, ASHBY SCHOOL, LiFE MULTI-ACADEMY TRUST, UK
FIONA McCAFFERTY, ASSISTANT HEADTEACHER, ASHBY SCHOOL, LiFE MULTI-ACADEMY TRUST, UK
Introduction
In many secondary schools, tutor time is often used for administrative tasks such as delivering notices or checking uniform and equipment. While necessary, these activities can limit the potential of tutor time to become a meaningful part of the school day (Cara, 2022).
For many students, the form tutor is the most consistent adult in their school journey. Daily interactions provide an important opportunity to foster trust, strengthen peer relationships and ensure that students feel known, supported and valued (Higham and de Vynck, 2019). Used intentionally, tutor time can reinforce core school values.
Drawing on the work of EL Education and the principles outlined in We Are Crew (Berger et al., 2020), alongside the practices of XP Schools and LiFE Multi-Academy TrustAbbreviated to MAT, a group of schools working in collaboration, governed by a single set of members and directors, we explore how Ashby School has adopted and adapted the concept of ‘CREW’, as well as our journey from a traditional tutor period to CREW – a purposeful opportunity to build relationships, develop character and cultivate a strong sense of belonging within the school community.
Our ‘why’
Our move towards CREW was shaped by several factors. One significant change was the shift in our school’s structure from a 14–18 cohort to an 11–18 cohort. This transition highlighted the need to establish strong, sustainable and effective relationships within our pastoral system to support students over their seven-year educational journey. CREW was already a model implemented across other LiFE schools, and we felt that this was an appropriate point in our school’s journey to build on that existing model and adapt it to meet the needs of our own community.
At the same time, like many schools across the country, we were facing increasing challenges around student attendance. We also recognised the evolving needs and experiences of young people. Together, these factors prompted us to reflect on the limitations of a traditional tutor time model and consider a more effective approach. As a result, we sought to create an environment that deliberately allowed every student to feel known, supported and connected within our school community.
Inspiration
When a student completes her education, she will be judged for the rest of her life not by her test scores, but by the quality of her character and the quality of her workload.
Ron Berger, in Berger et al., 2020, p. 2
This quote sits at the heart of our vision. Guided by the ethos articulated by Berger et al. (2020), which emphasises community, equity and shared responsibility as foundations for meaningful school culture, CREW is both a structure and a philosophy. At the core is the intentional building of trusted relationships between students and staff, alongside opportunities for students to develop meaningful connections with one another though shared experiences.
CREW stands for Coaching, Reflection, Enrichment and Wellbeing. This holistic initiative is designed to support the growth and development of our students by building positive relationships and encouraging the development of positive learning habits.
- Coaching: Through tailored coaching sessions, students receive guidance to accept responsibility to equip themselves with the knowledge, skills and values that they will need to thrive in the 21st century
- Reflection: Reflection activities encourage students to thoughtfully evaluate their learning journey, fostering a continuous improvement mindset
- Enrichment: Enrichment opportunities broaden horizons beyond the curriculum
- Wellbeing: Our commitment to wellbeing ensures that students develop resilience, balance and a positive outlook, essential for thriving in and out of the classroom.
Vision and intent
CREW has provided an opportunity to reframe tutor time as a deliberate, structured space for community-building and shared responsibility. Central to the approach is the belief that individuals are accountable to the group, while the group is equally responsible for supporting everyone.
CREW provides a space for us to explicitly teach our values – responsibility, resilience and respect – helping students to respond to challenges, take responsibility for their actions and develop the resilience needed to be successful. Through consistent routines, shared language and purposeful collaboration, CREW leaders model these values in action, making them lived rather than abstract.
CREW is not just a pastoral structure; it is a driver of culture. It allows us to:
- have a shared language across the school, helping students to develop positive habits and character traits
- create a space where students feel emotionally and physically safe
- foster a culture where every student feels valued and known
- equip students with the skills and mindset with which to tackle challenges, both inside and beyond the classroom.
Principles of CREW and belonging
Our understanding of belonging is informed by a range of research (Allen et al., 2018; Gravette and Ajjawi, 2021; Walton and Brady, 2017). Ultimately, the need to belong is recognised as a fundamental human motivation (Hirsch and Clark, 2018) – an intrinsic desire to be accepted and affiliated within a group (Baumeister and Leary, 1995). We recognise that belonging is a dynamic state shaped by experience and relationships (Allen et al., 2018; Gravette and Ajjawi, 2021) and, as such, the experience of participating in CREW provides students with an environment in which to be accepted, to affiliate and to belong.
Implementation and principles of pedagogy
Our approach is built around consistent, high-quality CREW resources, enabling CREW leaders space in which to focus on relationships and adapt to students’ individual needs. These resources are designed with key principles from the Education Endowment Foundation’s Teaching and Learning Toolkit for metacognition and self-regulation (EEF, 2020), as well as the metacognition and self-regulated learning guidance report (EEF, 2025). This ensures a research-informed approach to curriculum and activity design that promotes student learning, agency and self-regulation. CREW leaders are introduced to the CREW ethos and vision during the school induction process. They also receive training at the start of each year, with ongoing professional development throughout the year alongside weekly briefings.
Through daily 20-minute CREW sessions and fortnightly extended sessions of one hour and 20 minutes, CREW leaders guide and support students in both their academic and their pastoral development. They act as the primary contact for parents and serve as the first port of contact each morning for their CREW members. CREW provides a safe and supportive environment where students are encouraged to reflect honestly, recognise their strengths and acknowledge their vulnerabilities. Throughout this process, CREW leaders provide consistent coaching and support (see Table 1).
Table 1: Examples of CREW activities
| CREW theme | CREW learning activity example |
| Coaching | Coaching supports students to explore and understand strategies such as the Eisenhower Matrix, explore motivation and mindsets, and engage with careers education, critical thinking and new information. |
| Reflection | Reflection is formed around a process of goal-setting. Goals are based on ‘behaviour for learning’ skills. For example, students may set themselves a goal to contribute more in class or improve the quality of their work. This allows students to become self-motivated learners who are self-aware about how their actions may affect their outcomes. |
| Enrichment | This involves engagement in mini projects and in discussions and debates linked to global themes – for example, World Earth Day. |
| Wellbeing | Wellbeing sessions explore areas such as wellbeing routines and resilience. |
Evaluation
In evaluating our journey, we reflect on the lessons learned in developing a strong culture of CREW and belonging. Our most recent student survey (1,400 students) indicated a seven per cent increase in students reporting that they are ‘happy in school’ and a five per cent increase in those who feel ‘safe’ compared with our 2025 baseline. There has also been an improvement in attendance among disadvantaged students and those with SEND (special educational needs and disabilities).
It is important to remain mindful that correlation does not imply causation, particularly given the complexities of factors influencing outcomes in schools. However, the evidence and feedback to date is suggesting that CREW is having a positive influence on our school community.
Further development
Our next step is to continue to strengthen the culture of CREW among staff. Developing a shared staff understanding and experience of CREW will enable us to consistently articulate our common vision, expectations and structures. This will further support the development of belonging and agency across the school community.
Ensuring that staff fully understand, experience and benefit from the CREW model will be essential if we are to embed and sustain a consistently positive CREW experience for our students.
More information
- EL Education, What is Crew?: eleducation.org/crew
- LiFE Multi-Academy Trust, Real LiFE Curriculum: sites.google.com/lifemultiacademytrust.org.uk/real-life-curriculum
- XP Trust, What is Crew?: xptrust.org/about-us/how-we-xp/what-is-crew
