School Houses

House System at St Thomas More High School

At STM, our House system is an integral part of every school day. We have 6 Houses, each with its own House Captain, Sports Captain, Chaplaincy Captain and Eco Captain who are the year 13 leadership team to lead the house, this along with the School Captains help to drive the house system through the school and school council. Each form from year 7 – 12 will also have 4 leadership positions reflecting the roles in year 13 and are Form Leaders, Sports Leaders, Chaplaincy Leaders and Eco Leaders. Their tasks are to motivate and enthuse the pupils within their respective House and play a full and active part in the inter-House competitions.

Our 6 Houses are:

St Andrews
St Davids
St Georges
St Patricks
St Sebastians
St Vincents

Every pupil and member of staff is placed in one of the Houses when they join school. By being a member of the House family, pupils and staff are encouraged to show team spirit.

At the very heart of the House System is our school values and to be ‘God’s Servant First’.

Put simply, we want our children and young people to:

Engage in a diverse range of activities
Participate in healthy competition
Develop a sense of community cohesion
Show compassion for other people

Each pupil has a House badge that represents the House that they are in. Our form groups are organised in House groups and we hold regular House competitions. This breaks down barriers between the year groups and creates a sense of togetherness; encouraging the older pupils to look out for the younger ones.

There are many House events throughout the year from all areas and across all phases of STM. This blend ensures that everyone has the opportunity to represent their House in something that they enjoy or are good at. For example, House events include sporting activities, art competitions, cookery contests and various other activities such as gardening, playground games and events designed and organised by our pupils. Staff lead by example and take part in exactly the same events as the pupils.

All pupils have the opportunity to earn House points for their House; House Points are at the heart of our all through reward system. Points are awarded for things such as good work, contribution to lessons, community spirit and participation in House competitions. Pupils can also gain valuable House points every week for doing the right thing or going the extra mile.

Our yearly ‘all through’ sports day and St Thomas More Feast Day also contributes to the running total for House points and involves all pupils. We also hold a number of different open mic events and quizzes which can help gain house points.

At the end of the academic year all House points are added up and one House wins the overall cup.

The Saints of STM