House system - Citizendia

The house system is a traditional feature of British, Australian, Canadian, Indian, Sri Lankan, Zimbabwean, South African, Kenyan, Barbadian, Ghanaian and New Zealand schools, similar to the collegiate system of a university. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka ( Sinhalese:, இலங்கை known as Ceylon before 1972 is an Island See also Great Zimbabwe National Monument. For information about the March and June 2008 presidential elections see Zimbabwean presidential election The Republic of South Africa (also known by other official names) is a country located at the southern tip of the continent of Africa The Republic of Kenya is a country in East Africa. It is bordered by Ethiopia to the north Somalia to the northeast Tanzania to the south Barbados ( Portuguese word for bearded-ones, bɑrˈbeɪdoʊz -dɒs situated just east of the Caribbean Sea, is an independent Island nation The Republic of Ghana is a country in West Africa. It borders Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast to the west Burkina Faso to the north Togo to the New Zealand is an Island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses (the North Island and the South Island A school (from Greek σχολεῖον - scholeion) is an Institution designed to allow and encourage Students (or "pupils" College ( Latin collegium) is a term most often used today to denote an Educational Institution. A university is an institution of Higher education and Research, which grants Academic degrees in a variety of subjects They are also used in American and other schools. Historically it was associated with established public schools, where a 'house' refers to a boarding house or dormitory of a boarding school. The term public school has two distinct (and virtually opposite meanings depending on the location of usage in the United States, Australia and A boarding house, also known as a "rooming house" (mainly in the United States) or a "lodging house" is a House (often a family home Dormitory typically refers in the United States to residence halls which are sleeping quarters or entire buildings primarily providing sleeping and residential quarters for A boarding school is a School where some or all pupils not only study but also live during term time with their fellow students and possibly teachers In the case of a day school, however, the word 'house' refers only to a grouping of pupils, rather than to a particular building. The house system has been common in the state sector for many years. State school is an expression used in Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom to distinguish schools provided by the government from privately

Pupils are likely to be divided into three or four houses, which are often named after saints, famous historical alumni or notable regional landmarks (at international schools, for example, houses may be named after famous local people). Other more arbitrary names – animal names or colours, for example – may be used where the house system is adopted by a primary school. See also Primary education A primary school (from French école primaire) is an institution where children receive the first stage of Compulsory

Today, outside of boarding schools, the house system exists largely for the purpose of competition. The traditional school sports day is usually an inter-house competition. Sports days are annual events staged by many Schools in which Children participate in Competitive sporting activities, often with the aim Debating competitions and charity drives are also often organised along inter-house lines. Debate ( American English) or debating ( British English) is a formal method of interactive and position representational Argument. Merit points for behaviour and academic achievement may also be totalled up for comparison between houses.

Pupils may be assigned to houses randomly, on their first or last names or based on ability, with the aim of balancing the houses in order to increase competition. Traditionally, however, once a pupil has been assigned to a house, any younger siblings he or she has will automatically become members of that house when they arrive at the school. (This tradition sometimes extends to the children of former pupils. )

One notable feature of the house system is the nomination and election, or appointment, of house captains for the junior and senior school, whose job it is to rally fellow house-members and to pick individuals for team events. Large schools may have a house captain for each year group (with vice-captains in the largest schools).

In boarding schools the term housemaster is held by the member of staff responsible for pupils living in a particular dormitory. In state schools, members of staff are appointed as (or volunteer to become) head of house. However, both terms can be used at either style of school for the sake of formality.

Other uses

In the USA, the term is used to refer to a "residential college" system used at both the University of Chicago and Harvard College; in fact this system is more similar to the Oxbridge and Durham colleges, or halls of residence at other UK universities. A residential college is an organisational pattern for a division of a University that places academic activity in a Community setting of students and faculty usually The University of Chicago is a Private university located principally in the Hyde Park neighborhood of Chicago. Harvard College is the undergraduate section and oldest school of Harvard University, a Private university in the United States founded in 1636 by the Massachusetts Oxbridge was originally a fictional composite of the University of '''Ox'''ford and the University of Cam'''bridge''' in England, and the term is now Durham University is a University in Durham, England. It was founded as the University of Durham (which remains its official and legal name College ( Latin collegium) is a term most often used today to denote an Educational Institution. Better examples of house systems at American institutions are the Yale, Rice University, UCSD or UCSC "college" systems. William Marsh Rice University (commonly called Rice University and opened in 1912 as The William Marsh Rice Institute for the Advancement of Letters Science and Art The University of California San Diego (popularly known as UC San Diego or UCSD) is a public Research university in San Diego, California See also the Harvard House system. Harvard College is the undergraduate section and oldest school of Harvard University, a Private university in the United States founded in 1636 by the Massachusetts