Unique to life in Prep at The Blue Coat School, are the year group houses, which offer parents the flexibility of before and after school care. They are spacious, comfortable places where the children can relax and enjoy each other’s company as they develop independence, self-discipline and all-important social skills.
The Prep Houses have a lounge area, kitchen and a games room with table football, pool and table tennis tables. The Houses are open from 8am before school, and re-open from 4.05pm to 5.45pm after school.
Children staying after school will be given a light snack in the house and then they are able to relax and have fun after their busy day. Many children are collected from the Houses by activity leaders for an after-school club.
The House System
At the end of Year 2, a ‘Sorting Ceremony’ takes place to determine a pupil’s House across their years in Year 3 to Year 6. These are St George’s and St Philip’s for the boys, and St Margaret’s and St Monica’s for the girls.
Everyone has an opportunity to represent his or her House in sports matches and inter-house competitions such as the House Shout and House Quiz, which are keenly contested. Teaching and Support Staff are assigned to each House and are equally as proud and loyal to the House as the children and parents!
The Houses are involved in fundraising and each run a House Charity Day where the children inform the rest of the school in assembly about their chosen cause and run activities throughout the day including a cake sale to raise money. As much as £10,000 can be raised from a single charity day!
The children are all proud to wear their House T Shirts for House events, and the four mascots provide much joy for the children:
Digby the Dragon (St George’s)
Lennie the Lion (St Philip’s)
Peggy Pegasus (St Margaret’s)
Sunshine the Unicorn (St Monica’s)
Buddy System
The buddy system in Prep centres around the Houses, as a Year 6 pupil buddies up with a Year 3 pupil from his or her House. Every Friday, they meet up to attend the weekly house assembly, delivered by their House Head.
House Head: Mr Hill |
House Head: Mrs Walker |
House Head: Mrs Redfern |
House Head: Mrs Stockton |
