The cornerstone of our senior school wellbeing program is our House System.
A house is a multi-age grouping of students from different year levels who support each other and compete together against other houses in the variety of sports and activities. The House System is designed to foster a strong sense of belonging as well as a key point through which our empower program is delivered. The house system instils the school’s values of Character, Courage, Curiosity, and Respect, while fostering multi-year level relations through formal and informal mentor groups.
Each house is managed by a dedicated team of teachers led by a Head of House. The vertical nature of the House System means that House staff truly get to know each student throughout their time at the school. This approach varies from year level wellbeing management, which relies on different staff members taking over a student’s wellbeing and can mean nuances are missed as pupil changes year level.
Each Head of House is supported by the Head of Wellbeing, whose role is to build sustainable frameworks that engage the students and ensure their progression through the school. The Heads of House and Wellbeing are highly visible hands-on roles that are key touchpoints students and parents.
Day to day wellbeing through the House System is managed by a student’s mentor. Each girl is placed in a House affiliated multi-year level mentor group which is run by a teacher (mentor) and becomes the boy’s ‘homeroom’.
Our Houses
Through their House, students are able to participate in an extensive array of sports and activities including music, drama, cheerleading, debating, sporting round robins, swimming, athletics, cross country and more.
Houses named after significant benefactors and former Presidents of the St Margaret’s Berwick Grammar School Council. The three Houses in the Senior Boys school are:
- Richards (red),
- Forsyth (yellow), and
- Battye (blue)
Students have a network of staff and older students within their House for the duration of their time at the school, from whom they can seek advice and support. House staff get to know students and their families closely, follow the development of individual students within their House, and through their St Margaret’s Berwick Grammar journey.
Through their House, students are able to participate in an extensive array of sports and activities.
