House System

The house system at Darwen Vale High School works within form groups and has been devised to encourage internal competition and an additional vehicle to instil outstanding pastoral care.  The system gives something that students can take pride in and belong to, thus enhancing their secondary school experience.

 

Students of all ages can gather together with a kindred desire for their house to succeed in competitions, and ultimately win the coveted House Cup. Each House consists of a spread of pupils with different talents, abilities and home settings. This sets up a camaraderie and solidarity fostered by all age ranges coming together to achieve a common goal. When pupils have a vested interest in one another, a culture of kindliness pervades and becomes the norm. We are thus creating citizens for the future – tolerant and helpful, modest but ambitious.

 

Each form group is designated to one of the four houses. Pupils will stay with that house to foster an identity over the five years. The students are awarded house points for attendance, punctuality, collection of Aldridge Attributes and faculty-based events culminating in the award of the House Trophy. The winners of the House Trophy are then awarded a House reward.  House Points are collected through ClassCharts and displayed in a prominent position within the Academy. Each half term the House Leader delivers an assembly to their cohort. A member of the SLT is attached to the House.

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Houses have been picked to be as wide ranging and diverse as possible, following key themes within the SMSC framework. The Houses are: -