House SystemThe house system is in place to allow all pupils at Desborough College to have a true sense of belonging to their house. It is more than simply the different tie colours that the students wear for identification. It fully embraces the cornerstones of the Desborough way.
Similar to the pioneers, creators and intellects of their namesakes; the house system provides opportunities to develop social, creative, intellectual, physical and practical skills across all subjects and topics. The house system underpins the ‘Desborough Way’ of developing key characteristics and virtues for success, based around the school motto of Enjoy, Compete, and Achieve. The house system gives all students opportunities to create a sense of enjoyment, healthy competition and to celebrate achievements inside and outside of the classroom. It creates opportunities for leadership within the school, to drive ambition and to build awareness of individual and collective responsibility. Mr T Crosse, Head of Houses
Calendar of House Events
House Physical Education
The physical education department fully support the house system and have regular house events that take place during all PE lessons with all teachers. The pupils are awarded house points for contribution and competition placements. These are kept on a special house sports display and are shown to students in the house assemblies. They are included in the overall house point leader board alongside all other achievement points (shown below). The highlight of the sporting year culminates with sports day in June, with a special trophy awarded just for this winning accomplishment in the end of year assembly, alongside the overall house trophy. House Sport Term 1 – Handball Term 2 – Rugby Term 3 – Football Term 4 – Hockey Term 5 – Cricket Term 6 – Sports Day House Battle Week
Every subject and teacher will take part in the House Battle week. A whole week of school will be focused on every teacher creating a ‘Battle’ challenge in one of their lessons minimum where students get the opportunity to compete against the other houses. During this week the achievement points will be doubled. Teachers will be guided with suggestions to creative and ambitious challenges to set their year groups by the Head of House Coordinator. The challenges set for pupils can be individual or done in groups as houses; this therefore can also be done across department staff where appropriate in the timetable. Pupils who particularly excel in a subject area during this week will be rewarded with a certificate and double points for their house. During House Battle Week the staff heads of house will run special workshop style lessons focusing on the areas represented by the house names themselves. This will be for select pupils across each house and year group at the teacher and timetable discretion. The Role of Head of House
The head of house coordinator will oversee, organise and arrange all house events across the school, including coordinating a calendar of events and the assembly of House Captains. Their main role it to enthuse, encourage, excite and promote all events linked to the house system to fully embed the 4 houses across the school for all pupils, staff and subjects accordingly. They must continue to promote the Desborough way and the key characteristics, as a collective, we are developing with the students. They will help implement form time activities working alongside other staff members where appropriate to continue to embed the sense of teamwork among pupils. They will meet with the House Captains fortnightly, update display boards, help lead assemblies, be responsible for the correct data tracking on SIMS for house points, lead events and challenges across the school and communicate effectively with pupils and staff. The Role of House Captains
House Captains will be chosen by an initial voting procedure within the first few weeks of school term 1. The Head of House Coordinator will decide from the shortlisted pupils the final team. Each house will have 1 representative from each year group and each house, 4 captains in total from each year group. House captains will meet with the Head of House Coordinator and Heads of House frequently to discuss ideas for events and come together as a team. They must be positive role models and leaders for their individual houses. They will help arrange and organise large school challenges and events. They will select a chosen house charity to be associated with their team and a house song. Their responsibility will be to encourage all pupils to compete to be house champions and be crucial leaders and communicators across the school. The captains will also maintain the house display board and trophy cabinet during the year and contribute to the school newsletter and assemblies. Every successful House Captain will be given a house badge for recognition, identification and reward. The Role of the Form Tutor
Form tutors are crucial in the running of the system, providing notices to pupils in registration. All tutors must be fully supportive of the House events and encourage pupils to take part and contribute to the wider school. The form tutors role is paramount in the first half term in the process of helping to select the House Captains. Form tutors will be given a form house quizzes to complete for House Points where every pupil must contribute. They will also complete worksheets and research topics to carry out in form time throughout the school year linked to the four house names and backgrounds and PHSE. The role of the Teacher
Every teacher is to use the house point system to award and deduct House points during lessons; this will be shown on class charts under ‘behaviour ’and ‘achievement ’points. Teachers are responsible in communicating to the Head of House Coordinator and Head of Houses any specific pupils who meet the criteria below for achieving house points where appropriate. Every teacher must fully support and engage with the house system as a form of reward In their teaching and planning of lessons. Teachers must continue to encourage and support the students to achieve their best and contribute to school event. Each member of staff will be assigned their own house so they can support events and have open dialogue with pupils in line with the school motto of enjoy, compete, achieve. During House Battle Week, every teacher must adapt their teaching plans to support an activity allowing the pupils to compete in their subjects across the whole school. The Points System
Points will be given using Classcharts for ‘Achievement ’and ‘Participation’ in lessons and events throughout the year. They will also be awarded for; • Contribution to larger house events (monitored by the Head of House Coordinator) • Wider school life contribution and events (monitored by staff members) • Attendance to extracurricular activities and clubs (monitored by staff members) • 100% attendance (Monitored by RALs) • Form time quizzes (Monitored by tutors) • Sports day (Monitored by the Head of House Coordinator) • Millionaire Reader (Monitored by LRC) 5 points awarded for participation in house events 10 points awarded for achievement in house events For larger events only the winners may achieve up to 50 points each for their house awarded only by the Head of House Coordinator The head of house will oversee all of the house points system and review progress throughout the year at the end of each term. House Assemblies
House assemblies will take place each term week rotating days for each house in the main hall. During these assemblies notices will be given, the chance to promote larger events, an update on the house point totals so far and to have success stories of particular challenges or pupils within the team. The House Captains and Heads of House will lead the assemblies and inspire their teams. During the assemblies the house flags will be present and the house song will play upon arrival of students. The Staff House Leaders and Head of House Coordinator will be present where appropriate. The assemblies will link in with the school emphasis on the ‘Desborough Way’, developing characteristics and virtues and have a coherent theme to suit the whole school assembly programme. House Assemblies Brunel | Monday Constable | Tuesday Dickens | Thursday Elgar | Friday Communication & Rewards
The notice board in the main school will house the house point totals throughout the school year, with updates being displayed each half term. This display board will be monitored and organised by the house captains and the Head of House Coordinator. There will be clear pictures of the House Captain team on the display board. The House trophy will be on display in Reception for the year. The House Trophy will be awarded during the end of year assembly in July and the winning House Captains will collect this with the appropriate colour ribbons attached. Once a term the House Captains and Head of House Coordinator will provide updates and notices in the assemblies across the year group, success stories and student highlights will be included. The House Flags will be on display during these assemblies. The school newsletter will contain House point’s updates alongside these assemblies. Certificates will be given out to the top pupil from each house with the most House Achievement points alongside rewards of cash vouchers. Vouchers and other rewards will be awarded for winners of house events. |
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