The House System

GMS has three Houses, Eagles, Hawks and Kites whose members vie for Housepoints each and every week: being top of the Housepoint League is hotly fought over.

There are nine forms in each year group (Years 7-11) their name reflects the House they represent: for example, those in 7K are in Kite House; 7H are in Hawk House and 7E are in Eagle House. Every year group has three form groups in each House, meaning there are an equal number of students in each House.

The House System offers opportunities for healthy competition between Houses through a range of activities to suit all students; it is a great way of fostering a sense of teamwork, resilience, respect and competition. Competitions are ongoing throughout the year and include sports (culminating in sports day); rowing, charity fundraisers; art and design competitions; news quizzes; musical renditions and countless others. A diverse range of competitions are planned regularly throughout the school year, meaning it’s never too late for students to earn points for their House.

The system is deeply rooted in the school’s ‘My Personal Best’ values and offers the chance to foster a sense of loyalty to a wider spectrum of students than just their form and year group. At the end of the academic year, the winning House is awarded the House Cup. The House Cup reflects the effort and contribution that the Houses have respectively made to school life over the academic year and is a widely respected accolade among students and staff at Great Marlow School.

Students in all Key Stages have the opportunity to apply and become House Captains. This is a prestigious role. Duties include being a positive role model; developing the identity of their House; co-delivering House competitions and assemblies; and being involved with important whole-school events such as Year 6 Induction Day.