The Role of House in Wellbeing

The House spirit on show at House sporting events is obvious. House at Grammar is about that and much more

Steve McDonnell

Part 2 in our series on Wellbeing

Mrs Sandy Warwick, Assistant Head, Pastoral Care and Wellbeing

At Grammar, layers of care and support give each student multiple opportunities to feel connected. In Houses, students gain the opportunity to belong to a smaller community within the larger school.

With our approach to teaching, learning and wellbeing focused on character, care and culture, our focus in House is on nurturing a community of engaged and aspirational learners who step boldly into new opportunities with a sense of optimism and gratitude for all that they have.

Students become part of a House in Year 7. From Year 9, they begin a long-term relationship with their Mentor who will be with them on their journey through to Year 12. A Mentor is a significant adult whom students can trust and talk to; a critical ally and support for students in all aspects of their school life. By Years 11 and 12, when it’s “crunch time”, Mentors know their students inside out and, importantly, they also know their parents.

Students develop genuine and meaningful cross-age relationships within the House. It happens naturally and comes from their everyday interactions: the Year 12 Mentor Captains work closely with the Year 7s to help them find their connections within the bigger school; younger students look up to and learn from role modelling by older students; older students have conversations with younger students; all students learn to work with a diversity of individuals.

Driven by incredible loyalty, students will pull together as a group, and individually will push themselves outside their comfort zone to put their best foot forward for their House. Our Inter-House events program has been expanded over the years to include House Chorals, House Debating and House Art. These activities are designed to develop and celebrate a range of skills and abilities, and to encourage inclusion and co-operation.

WHY IS HOUSE SUCH A BIG DEAL AT GRAMMAR?

Mr Alan Pitson, Head of Smith House

Alan knows the House system at Grammar inside out. He was Head of Hayhoe (a Junior Girls’ Boarding House, now Larritt) from 1988 to 1999, Head of Dart (a Boys’ Boarding House) from 2000 to 2009, and has been Head of Smith (a Boys’ Day House) since 2013. Alan is an Old Grammarian (1974).

Alan, what is House all about for you?

Underpinning all that we do within the Houses is the goal to establish and strengthen connections: between students, between students and Mentors, between Mentors and parents, and between parents. In doing so, we create a ‘place’ where students feel safe and cared for – they develop a sense of belonging. In today’s technological world, meaningful personal connections and a sense of belonging are increasingly important.

I hear you’re taking some activities that worked well in a Boarding setting and using them in the Day House setting?

In Smith House, we’ve introduced a beach picnic day at the start of the year, a Mother/ Son Dinner, a Father/Son activity, and a Grandparents’ Morning Tea, as well as the traditional end-of-year House Dinner, of course. Some Day Houses had been doing some of these types of activities for decades, but some have just taken them on recently, to a great reception.

Who has influenced you?

The School has such a great tradition of having had among its ranks outstanding exponents of genuine pastoral care. People such as Rob Olston, Nola Squire, Tom Devine and Mary Ross have been significant role models for many.

Zac Johns, Year 9, Smith House (Day House)

Smith to me is not just a House, but rather a community of friends. The inclusive positive atmosphere that is created when we come together as a group is so enjoyable and makes me feel good. We look out for each other, as we feel part of a team. As for House

events, even when we’re not competing, we cheer for our Housemates as if it were us.

Isabella Tumolero, Year 10, Woodbridge House (Boarding)

Woodbridge is a House in which incredible, long-lasting sisterhoods are formed. A House where the halls hold amazing memories created over the generations. With a compassionate and caring nature, we look out for each sister and encourage one other to do our best in all we do. The aquatics carnival this year was a fine example of this – with each girl motivated to do her best – resulting in a wonderful victory.

Mr Chris Robson, Head of Strings

As a newcomer to the School, it quickly became clear to me that the House and Mentoring system really is the backbone of Grammar and central to everything we do. The opportunity for students to form positive and meaningful relationships with a small number of House teachers and fellow students cannot be underestimated.

Isabella Tumolero, Mr Alan Pitson, Zac Johns, and Mrs Sandy Warwick chat about what makes House so special at Grammar

40 YEARS OF STRONG FOUNDATIONS IN PASTORAL CARE

Mrs Christine Shaw, Deputy Head

Stepping in to a House tute session in 2019 still elicits for me the same experience of my own Grammar school days back in the 80s. Lucky enough to have Nola Squire as my Head of House, my fellow Krome tute group members developed a bond that for many still continues today. The uniform, teachers and buildings have changed, but the strength of Grammar’s tute system and the connection to House is as strong as it ever was. Even from the scattered memories of a teenager, I knew that a strong pastoral care foundation was already in existence when I decided to return to Grammar as an educator.

Today, as when the House system was born, the proof is in the people. Walk through any part of our School and the positive interactions are everywhere: students aware of others, conscious of their duty to those less fortunate, and willing to extend themselves. Due to the strong support provided by their House, if they falter, they know it is a safe place to fail, and importantly, they are comfortable with the learning that comes from being brave enough to try.

Brother/Sister Houses Nevett and MacPherson performing together at House Chorals in 2018

Steve McDonnell

40 YEARS OF HOUSE AT GRAMMAR: 1979 TO 2019

Mrs Nola Squire, 1973-2005, including 18 years as a Head of House, now School Archivist.

Despite some trepidation that inevitably comes with change, as Lynn Gillam (Sampson, School Captain 1979) wrote in the Grammarian in that year, “the benefits of the new House system quickly became apparent – there is a new atmosphere of loyalty and allegiance… and a feeling of belonging to a group of people who care,” to say nothing of the House spirit that immediately emerged at House sporting events!

With the growth in enrolments, the new House system offered a solution to the perception that a student’s sense of belonging would decrease as the school’s size increased. House could make each student feel, from their very first day at Grammar, that they were known, were valued, were deeply cared for, and had an important part to play in school life.

The rest, as they say, is history… to read more about 40 years of House at Grammar, go to page 24.