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A business focused school has employed heads of department and senior creators among its teenagers.

BMAT STEM Academy, in Harlow, operates with the same structures and practises as those traditionally in the business world, with uniforms replaced with workwear and HR meetings instead of detentions.

Following the same vision, a team of students in Year 10 have been appointed to the new leadership roles instead of the usual head boy, head girl and prefect positions given in secondary schools.

Headteacher Lisa Tooley said: “We have created a business team. Roles include responsibilities such as community engagement, looking after the environment and supporting charities. There are sub committee meetings with everything brought back to the same common goals. It is the whole group working together, but each person has a role and responsibilities depending on their interests.

“This goes in line with the vision of the school, with what our school does different and the environment we work in. Just like our rewards and behaviour system, this follows a business format. The team has to book out the conference room for their meetings which they have to facilitate themselves.

“A high proportion of students wanted to get involved which shows the aspirations of the students here.

“This is very exciting for the school.”

Students keen to secure positions submitted a letter of application and CV before being interviewed and giving a presentation to the school’s senior leadership team.

Senior STEM leaders Tara Osman and Ronnie Witcomb are supported by STEM leaders Natasha Pritchard, Eddie Vann and Owen Nicholls.

Tara said: “I don’t want to be a sheep; I want to break out and be the person I want to be. In this role, I want to make people happy; it’s what I always try to do.”

Ronnie said: “Being able to represent the school and what other students want is important to me.”

Courtney Loft and Logan Twomey-Tyler oversee community cohesion; Alan Delciampo and Lucy Cox head up charity and school fundraising; Brooke Nelson and Sophie Norbury take care of health and wellbeing; backed up by STEM creators Raymond Bull and Jessica Bediako.

Instead of having separate ties or badges to identify their roles, as within mainstream schools, the team are designing their own lanyards.