NORTH Yorkshire’s leading state school has appointed new officers to lead the student body for the next academic year.
Head Boy Tom Mewes and Head Girl Sola Sowole will lead a team of ten deputies at Ripon Grammar School.
Hospital volunteer Tom, who is doing A Levels in biology, chemistry, mathematics and further mathematics and hopes to study medicine at university, said: “It’s a real privilege and I feel very honoured to have been appointed because I know a lot of people applied.
“I have a lot of respect for, and have been inspired by, boys who’ve held the position in the past, and I hope I can do as good a job as they did.”
County athlete Sola, who is studying mathematics, economics, history and religious studies and wants to read politics, philosophy and economics at university, added: “It’s really exciting as we have a big team of officers and I’m looking forward to us all working together in our various roles for the good of the school and its pupils.”
In addition to heads of girls’ and boys’ boarding, Fin Procter and Emily Wilson, there are now heads of house for each of the school’s four houses.
Harry Edwards, Head of De Grey, Libby Rickard, Head of Porteous, John Estensen, Head of School, and Gus Smith, Head of Hutton, will play an important role in bringing students together across the year groups within the house structure and helping to build and promote each house’s identity.
The school has also introduced four new bespoke positions of responsibility, with the chosen candidates selected partly through a student vote.
Dan Towler will use his experience of joining Ripon Grammar School in the Sixth Form last year to support new students, Louise Taylor is responsible for student welfare, Poppy Robinson will help to publicise students’ achievements and events in school, and Georgie Turner will help to widen the school’s role in the community.
Headmaster Jonathan Webb, who interviewed the Head Boy and Head Girl candidates, said: “It was a very difficult decision this year given the abilities of all the students who applied and were interviewed.
“With the honour of the position of School Officer comes also great responsibility: to uphold the values of the school; to direct and support the prefect team; and to represent the views of the student body. I would personally like to congratulate the students appointed for their achievements.”