A NEW colourful "house badge system" at the John Masefield High School has been introduced to help boost pastoral care and support and to raise pride in the school and its achievements.

The houses all take their names from the Malvern Hills and are Beacon, Jubilee, Midsummer and Holywell.

The new system, similar to the one in operation at Harry Potter's fictional school of Hogwarts, will take its first official bow at the school's sports day on Wednesday.

House tutors have been appointed from among the staff and each one with have the responsibility for a group of 20 students.

School manager Wendy Bradbeer said: "This means that students can expect a high level of care and support from their house tutor, who has the opportunity to really get to know each child in the group.

"Each house will give students a strong sense of identity within our school community."

One development will be special house assemblies twice a week, where the achievements of house members will be celebrated.

Individual house notice boards have already been put in place to announce house events.