PAN increase and the Houses at SHS

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tabbycat
Posts: 39
Joined: Mon Oct 13, 2014 2:33 pm

PAN increase and the Houses at SHS

Post by tabbycat »

My DD is currently Y5 and have started looking around the girls schools. She has older sister in Ribston but DD2 is quite keen on SHS. I hear that they have increased the pan to 150 for September. Can anyone tell me how this may affect the school's house system? I presume they will make up another house but this will mean that there will be only year 7 in September 2016 and no older year groups in the newly created house??? I asked the question to the head yesterday during the High School's open morning and he said that that is probably what will happen but not quite decided yet. Looking at my DD1, the House system and the competition is pretty important aspect of their school lives and not having older house member seems to be a bit sad... Have any other schools gone through these changes?
Cup of tea
Posts: 139
Joined: Fri Sep 28, 2012 10:19 pm

Re: PAN increase and the Houses at SHS

Post by Cup of tea »

Yes, eldest is at Pate's and they are currently creating a fifth house to accomodate the extra form intake in September. They have already elected captains for the house and it will only consist of years 7 and 12. General consenus when I have asked (or been given a reply!) is the students aren't happy, as it means the house trophies won't be awarded as they have been in the past, until the new house is fully formed (at least 5 years). They take their house competitions pretty seriously and I think they were told there will be no overall winner, and some will now be split into just junior competitions. I know the school had to come up with a solution, but it's a shame. I also cannot imagine how they will fit everyone into the hall let alone the parents!
MedievalBabe
Posts: 1191
Joined: Wed Oct 16, 2013 9:56 pm

Re: PAN increase and the Houses at SHS

Post by MedievalBabe »

You might find this is going to be a problem across most of the schools as they have all increased their numbers and each school will be different. I know STR are in house tutor groups so they will have the same problem but HSFG make up their houses across the tutor groups.

Also I know the house competitions are also important at these schools as well. I think this is one of those things to ask about and unfortunately watch, wait and see.
Amber
Posts: 8058
Joined: Thu Sep 24, 2009 11:59 am

Re: PAN increase and the Houses at SHS

Post by Amber »

MedievalBabe wrote:Also I know the house competitions are also important at these schools as well.
Not at all of them. The houses are not made a big deal out of at STR, which suits my lot rather well. The biggest impact seems to be on rugby shirt colour - houses have barely been mentioned in our association with the school. At Pates they are rather a big deal - a bit of a culture shock for anyone moving there for sixth form to find house music, house drama etc competitions all the time. No idea about SHS but can't imagine this would be a very big issue for many children would it? I find houses a bit odd to be honest - a very English thing and I have never really got the point of it all, but I know lots of people think them wonderful at fostering competitive spirit etc.
RedVelvet
Posts: 546
Joined: Mon Oct 03, 2011 2:06 pm

Re: PAN increase and the Houses at SHS

Post by RedVelvet »

I asked about this at the open day at Stroud, only because we were stood by the house notice board when taking about increasing numbers with a member of staff. They said someone in the Maths department had worked out an algorithm for calculating house points next year.

I'm just grateful our universities don't have fraternities and sororities. An American friend once said she was an alpha-pie or some such thing and she was in her 40s!
steppemum
Posts: 480
Joined: Fri Oct 19, 2012 9:27 am

Re: PAN increase and the Houses at SHS

Post by steppemum »

at Marling (according to ds) they are going to split the house competition, so from next years year 9 and above will be the older competition and the new year 7 and subsequent years will be the new competition.
ds is fed up because they won the cup last year, but don't stand a chance this, and now there will be no new people coming in to his house.
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