House System and Leadership Roles at Sompting Abbotts Preparatory School
The House System is a traditional feature of most independent schools. We use it to foster a spirit of friendly competition and spur on achievement.
Pre-Prep House System
House points are awarded to the children in the Pre-Prep across each week and totted up on Fridays
On joining Sompting Abbotts, each Pre-Prep pupil is allocated a 'House': Swallows, Robins, Finches and Owls. Pupils are usually assigned to houses randomly with the aim of balancing the houses to increase competition.
However, once a pupil has been assigned to a house, any younger siblings he or she has usually become members of that house too. A House Captain, and Deputy House Captain, is chosen for each house. These children help out with the organisation of the House and receive the House trophies for Sports Day etc.
Main School House System
At the annual Cross Country race at Sompting Abbotts, all children wear coloured ribbons to show their house membership
In Main School, there are four houses too: Etruscans, Greeks, Romans and Trojans. Their respective boards are displayed in Main School. Here, stars and good marks for each child in Years 3 to 8 are recorded.
These houses have House Captains too, usually chosen by staff from pupils in Year 8 who then assist the Head and Deputy Head pupil.
House captains may be required to work with staff on wet break-times, to help supervise younger pupils and also to work with the Games Department to help arrange Inter-House competitive matches. They also play an assisting role on Sports Day and in organising charity fundraising events.
Leadership roles
In the Autumn Term of every school year, staff vote for a Head Pupil and Deputy Head Pupil. These pupils are chosen for exceptional behaviour, leadership qualities and hard work.
They act as ambassadors for our school and role models for our pupils. Every morning, they make sure that the Assembly Room is ready for assembly and prepare the laptop, projector and sound systems.
At the Main School Carol Service, the Head Pupil gives the Year 8 reading. They play an important role in other school events too, such as acting as a compere for music concerts.
They also welcome visitors to the school and conduct tours on Open Mornings.
On residential trips, both Head and Deputy Head pupil are expected to show helpfulness, responsibility and leadership.
“Example is not the main thing in influencing others. It is the only thing. ”
In the last week of their Summer Term, Year 8 students are invited to the Headmaster’s Dinner. This is a farewell dinner with all staff and the school proprietors, the Sinclair family, and at this special event, the Head Pupil traditionally gives a speech.
What child doesn’t love to collect handfuls of glossy brown conkers? At Sompting Abbotts, they don't just fill their pockets — even socks become makeshift pouches. And so, at this time of the year, we send the children out into our school grounds to look for shiny conkers (not that they need any persuading).