Monday 5 February 2018 saw the start of a house system in the Secondary School.  For those of you not familiar with the term Wikipedia describes the house system as “a traditional feature of schools in the English-speaking world…….  The school is divided into subunits called ‘houses’ and each student is allocated to one house at the moment of enrolment. Houses may compete with one another at sports and maybe in other ways, thus providing a focus for group loyalty.”  It has been a feature of the Primary School for a number of years, and introducing such a system to the Secondary School was one of the aims in Mr Clayton’s original school mission document.

The foundations have been led by a very willing team of students, with Isabella W. (Yr 11) and Joana B. (Yr 8) at the forefront of the team of students who have been planning this since last year.  They asked staff for volunteers to come forward and lead the four houses, and the following supportive teachers have now been assigned their houses –

• Mr Wilson: Sapphire Dragons  

• Mr Burt: Emerald Snakes

• Mr Phillipe: Golden Phoenixes

• Ms McCarroll: Ruby Pandas

Each student is part of a house team, and siblings have been put in the same one.  The students were assigned randomly.  It is hoped to have a number of events during the year to bring in a sense of spirit and healthy competition that such systems can engender in a school.

The first event will take place on Friday 2 March 2018 with a sports day at the Hong Kong Football Club in Happy Valley.  This will involve all Year 7 – 10 students, and Year 12.  The student house leaders, who were elected at the inaugural meetings today, will be coordinating their teams with the Housemasters for the upcoming event.

Please keep an eye out for upcoming events, as the student committee leading this initiative grows in confidence and ideas.  Encourage your own children to step forward and act as leaders, as well as participants, in these house events.