The four houses are named after four key inspirational figures who have made enormous contributions to the welfare and education of children.

 

The expectation is that children will be loyal to their House and try their best to earn points for their house by displaying good behaviour and attitudes and by demonstrating the school Christian values. It is hoped that children will be proud to be a member of a school house and that a friendly rivalry will exist between the four houses

 

Aylward

Gladys Aylward was born in London in 1902. After much determination she became a missionary in China, she travelled for months to get there and worked tirelessly with the Chinese teaching them about Christianity. She became so well respected by the people in her community that she was even called in to quell a prison riot. She had great faith and courage and when the Japanese invaded China she rescued over 100 orphans leading them across mountains to escape. The life and ministry of Gladys Aylward was amazing not just because of all she did but because she accomplished so much of it on her own depending entirely on her faith.

 

Barnardo

In 1866 Thomas Barnardo founded a charity in his name to care for vulnerable and young people. He opened a school in the East of London to care for and educate children in the area who were left orphaned by a cholera outbreak. By the time of his death in 1905 Barnardo’s institutions cared for over 8,500 children across 96 different locations. His work was carried on by his many supporters and today the charity Barnardo’s provides a comprehensive range of local support, counselling, adoption and training services for more than 100,000 children, young people and their families.

 

Keller

Helen Keller was born in 1888 in America and when she was 19 months old she contracted an illness which left her deaf and blind. After several years of struggling to communicate and the resulting frustrations and tantrums she was tutored by Ann Sullivan who taught Keller by spelling words into her hand. Keller went on to study at school and college and became the first deaf blind person to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree at University. Keller continued to learn to communicate, she was proficient reading braille, touch lip reading and reading sign language with her hands. Keller became well known around the world for overcoming adversity and was a renowned author, lecturer and political activist. Helen Keller showed millions of people that disability need not be the end of the world.

 

Shaftesbury

Lord Shaftesbury was an English politician, philanthropist and social reformer who lived in the 1800s. He led the campaign to end child labour in factories and several key laws were introduced as a result of his proposals which protected young children from working in factories and mines. He was also one of the founders of the ragged school system, an organisation which set up over 100 schools for some of the poorest children and which taught a broad range of subjects and continued to expand to include hostels, clubs and refuges.

 

Why have houses?

We feel the children benefit from being members of mixed age school teams. It helps develop opportunities for year groups to work together, encourages children to support each other, gives them a strong sense of responsibly and belonging and provides them with a range of additional opportunities to take part in. The older children are positive role models and take on a pastoral role for the younger children.

 

Captains

Year 6 children have the opportunity to nominate themselves as Captains. Children who have nominated themselves will have to put themselves forward at a house assembly and a vote will be carried out to elect two Captains for each house (a boy and a girl). The Captains wear a badge to show their position in the school. Captains will be expected to:

• Be an example of exemplary behaviour and attitude

• Collect and count up the house points

• Organise House competitions

• Be a buddy to younger children in their House

• Propose and represent ideas from their House that will improve the House System

• Lead their house at whole school sporting events

• Help to organise their house assembly once every half term

• Live out our school Christian values and encourage members of their house to do the same

• Respect the Christian ethos of the school

Captains whose behaviour or attitude is not a good example to others will be asked to stand down from the captaincy for a set amount of time. If their incorrect behaviour or attitude continues they will be asked to permanently step down from their role and a further election will take place.

 

Awarding House Points

All members of staff can award House Points to any child, at any time and for any reason if they are caught demonstrating the school Christian values.

Children can also be awarded house points for a variety of reasons. For example: being polite, well mannered behaviour, demonstrating a caring attitude towards peers, working to the best of their ability, good attendance, putting special effort into a piece of work, preparing neatly presented work, showing a positive attitude towards work, good attitude, sporting achievement, taking part in competitions and events, representing their house or school.

 

St Luke's CE Primary School  - Vision, Aims and Values

 

Our vision is founded on St Luke’s parable of the Sower, where,

Through God’s love, we are the rich soil where roots grow and seeds flourish. Luke 8:4-15

 

Our aims as a school are that we will give children fulfilling learning opportunities, we will nurture social, emotional and moral well-being and we serve our Church, our village and our community.

 

To fulfil these aims, as a whole school community, we strive to show our values of:

Kindness – we will show consideration and try to do the right thing for others

Thankfulness – we will appreciate what God has given us and what others do for us

Forgiveness – we will not hurt back if we have been hurt

Aspiration – we will aim to be the best we can be

Perseverance – we will not give up when things are difficult