House System

Our House Point and Reward System

Overview

At Marleigh Primary Academy, our pupils are grouped into four houses. The house system was devised to promote team spirit and a sense of belonging to the school which is particularly important with Marleigh Primary Academy being based on a new housing estate and having a pivotal role in the building of a sense
of community for the local families. The House System provides opportunities for mixing between the different year groups, increases a sense of belonging for pupils, provides peer mentoring opportunities, integrates with school rewards systems, encourages children to contribute to and experience competitions,
and provides leadership opportunities for children.

Organisation

Our four houses are named after mathematicians from the 20th century who have had a positive influence on society and are diversely representative.

• Albert Einstein
• Alan Turing
• Katherine Johnson
• Dame Mary Lucy Cartwright

Note: At Fen Ditton (our sister school), houses are named after scientists therefore across the two schools
we share a STEM focus. When holding cross school events the four houses align with their allocated colours
which allow us to pair houses together with ease and continuity.

Children from Reception to Year 6 are assigned to one of the four house teams. As far as possible, pupils have been divided across the four houses equally based on key characteristics. Children are allocated their house group from point of entry to the school family. Siblings are always assigned to the same house team.
Each member of staff (apart from the executive leadership team) are assigned to a house when they join the school family.

House Points

House points are awarded to individual children and are then counted to contribute to house team totals. The house points accumulate over a period of an academic year. Counts are taken each week and added to the growing total. House points are awarded by staff members. All staff members can award house points to all children they deem to have earnt them.

House points are awarded for the following reasons:

• Demonstration of our school values (Respect, Resilience, Reaching High)
• Engagement with home learning (including reading)
• Presentation (including work and of themselves i.e. uniform)
• Displaying expected behaviours that contribute to a positive school community

Typically 1 house point is awarded at a time however there will be occasions where 2, or 3 house points are awarded. We do not award more than 3 house points at a time. For example, completion of home learning tasks can be awarded one house point but where the outcome is above and beyond the expectation 2 or 3 house points will be awarded to reflect the effort or standard.

When reviewing reading at home we award the following house points:

3 reads = 1 house points
4 reads = 2 house points
5+ reads = 3 house points

Each class will have four coloured laminated house point posters where children can tally their awarded house points with increasing independence based on the age of the children.

Leadership

Each academic year a teacher and teaching assistant will take on the role of leading their house. They will act as leadership mentors for the Year 6 House captain and Year 5 Vice House Captain for their house team.

The House Captains and Vice House Captains will be elected through an annual process in which the children will choose to present themselves to be considered for the role. They will submit an application (written or video format) presenting themselves for consideration. A school community vote will take place in which staff, pupils and parents will be invited to vote. The results of the vote will then be considered by the school executive leadership team and an appointment decision will be made.

House Captains and Vice House Captains will wear badges on their uniforms to aid identification and provide a sense of pride.

Once a half term, there will be a house assembly. The six themes are listed below:

1. Introduce people houses are named after
2. Respect
3. Resilience
4. Kindness
5. Reaching high/aspiration
6. Celebrating us

The House Captains and Vice Captains will plan and lead the assemblies for their house team with the help of the lead teacher and teaching assistant. There is a display in school that showcases the House team leaders as well as tracks the house point competition and other house events. Each Thursday lunchtime, the house point captains go to each classroom to collect their house point tallies. They then collate them all together and hand the results to the office who record them before sharing with the Executive leadership team and updating the display. The results are then shared in the whole school
celebration assembly. The first and second place house for that week will then have their ribbon colours placed on the trophies. At the end of the academic year the overall winning house will be awarded with ribbons on the main trophy.

The winning house will receive 10 minutes extra play the following Monday – led by their house leader and teaching assistant where possible.

On the penultimate week of a half term, the weekly house point totals will be counted to reveal which house has collected the most over that half term. This will then be announced on the Friday assembly of the penultimate week so that the winning house group can receive their reward in the final week of the half term.

The winning house will receive a reward as a house group on the final day of the half term. Examples of rewards on offer are listed below:

• Game of dodgeball
• Visit to the local park
• Forest school session
• Art and crafts session
• Board games
• First sitting for lunchtime

The House Leaders will choose the reward from the list given to them.

House Events

Sports day: Each year, children will compete at sports day activities in their house teams. The children will be invited to wear a t-shirt that matches their house colour. Each sporting event will be given a points system where 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th place receive points. These points across the year groups and events will
be collated in a central system. At the end of the event, the winning house will receive the sports day cup where the ribbons will match their house colours.

Sports competitions: Within the sports competition schedule, children will have regular opportunities over the year to compete in a range of sports in their house teams.

Learning events: Over the year there will be learning events for the whole school that will provide opportunities for house teams to collaborate such as termly STEM workshops, World book day and Children’s mental health week.

Charity events: Over the year there will be a series of opportunities for children to raise money for charity and these will be utilised to provide the house teams opportunities to work together wherever possible.