PASTORAL
House Information
All students belong to a House where there will be House competitions, charity and community events plus other opportunities for students to earn their House points.
When students start at Giles Academy they belong to the same House throughout Years 7 to 11. To identify which House students belong to, they wear a round coloured House badge on the left lapel of the school blazer. The House badge is an important part of the school uniform and should be worn at all times.
The House System underpins our fantastic Pastoral System, fostering a sense of belonging, togetherness and enabling charity fundraising and competitive events between students.
The Heads of House ensure the effective delivery of the tutor time programme and are there to support form tutors and students on a daily basis. They play a vital role in providing important information each week via the weekly House bulletin, leading assemblies and promoting and leading House activities.
Students can take part in a wide range of regular competitions, which include the breadth of the curriculum, there really is something for everyone. Students also have the opportunity to raise money throughout the year for a variety of charities.
The nominated charity for academic year is Teenage Cancer Trust who are the only UK charity providing care and support for every young person facing cancer.
At Giles Academy, there are four Houses who are each managed by a Head of House. The Houses are named after famous people – some local and others world renowned.
Meet the Heads of House
Mr Gavin Jagger
Head of Flinders House (Orange)
Mr Alex Reed
Head of Marshall House (Green)
Miss Amy Pearson
Head of Newton House (Blue)
Mr Craig Dodd
Head of Tennyson House (Purple)
House Points
Throughout the year, students have many opportunities to earn points for their House. Please refer to ‘Show My Homework’ for some of the points that can be earnt. There are also points allocated for House competitions and individual achievements, which students should strive for to earn the extra points for their House.
At the end of the academic year, the winning House will be announced in a special House presentation assembly.
About the Houses
Flinders House (Orange)
Head of Flinders House: Mr Gavin Jagger
About Flinders House: Matthew Flinders, a Royal Navy Officer was born in Donington, Lincolnshire and led the first inshore circumnavigation of the landmass which is now known as Australia.
Head of House statement: Matthew Flinders, a Royal Navy Officer was born in Donington and led the first inshore circumnavigation of the landmass which is now known as Australia. Like Flinders, use our initiative and independent skills to create a House of great teamwork. The House system enables students to have a voice, collaborate with one another and excel in both extra-curricular and school activities. School is about more than producing grades and I would like every student to be the best possible version of themselves. My favourite part of the role is being able to see the growth and development of our students, no matter how big or small, everything is a success!
Marshall House (Green)
Head of Marshall House: Mr Alex Reed
About Marshall House: Melanie Marshall MBE attended Giles Academy and was an Olympic and Commonwealth medalist in swimming. She is currently Team GB swimming coach.
Head of House statement: As Head of Marshall House, I feel privileged to be associated with the name of Melanie Marshall. She represents success through hard work, dedication and application. We would like to reflect those qualities within Marshall House. Being a member of Marshall House means working as a team with your peers, showing kindness, being respectful and always trying your best. One of the most rewarding parts about the house system at Giles Academy is the healthy competition amongst students. During your time at Giles Academy, you will have the opportunity to represent Marshall House by earning House points which leads to rewards.
Newton House (Blue)
Head of Newton House: Miss Amy Pearson
About Newton House: Sir Isaac Newton was born in Lincolnshire and attended school in Grantham and went on to be physicist and mathematician famous for explaining the laws of motion and the theory of gravity.
Head of House statement: As Head of Newton House, I encourage my students to follow suit of Sir Isaac Newton promoting many skills including curiosity and independence as Newton did to work on his scientific discoveries. We use our independent skills to create a House of great teamwork which uses everyone’s unique skills to make us successful. School is about more than producing grades at the end and as a Head of House this is what I encourage, promoting every student to become the best possible version of themselves. The House system offers many opportunities for students to excel in wider curricular activities and be able to achieve this.
Tennyson House (Purple)
Head of Tennyson House: Mr Craig Dodd
About Tennyson House: Lord Alfred Tennyson, born in Somersby in the Lincolnshire Wolds was a successful poet in Victorian times.
Head of House statement: Tennyson House is represented by the royal colour purple as we are a House of great importance and excellence. The House system promotes healthy competition and allows the students to experience both success and failure, building their confidence and resilience. It is fantastic to see the students work extremely hard both individually and collaboratively to bring success for Tennyson House. My favourite part of the role is being able to get to know the students on a more personal level and help to support them achieve their full potential.
Additional information about the House System
There are lots of ways that students are rewarded through the House System. Some rewards are awarded daily, weekly and termly. We then finish the year with an End of Year House Celebration Evening, where students are rewarded for their contribution to the House System.
House rewards:
- Tutor Stamp: ‘The Perfect Week’ = 100% attendance with no lates and no behaviour points
- Aspire Card Points: 25 points for a full Aspire Card
- Best in Lesson: In SMSC and Love of Reading/Accelerated Reader during form time
- Aspire Card Draw: Vouchers available for students who have completed Aspire Cards
- End of Term Certificates
- Form Rep Badges
- House Points for taking part and/or winning House Competitions
We have an annual House Celebration Evening in July to highlight students achievements from the academic year. Students and parents/carers of all the winners will be invited to this event.
Throughout the year, students will have the opportunity to be nominated for the following awards:
- Outstanding Contribution to Form Time: Each form tutor nominates one student from their form. This could be for continued excellent contribution in SMSC/LOR, supporting in form time, being the form rep, taking part in House competitions/events etc.
- Accelerated Reader Rewards: One for top reader and one for most words read
- Aspire Card Rewards: Awarded to one student per house for each Key Stage that completes lots of Aspire Cards each term
- Contribution to School Community: Someone that has taken part in House competitions/events, been a school ambassador for any event/activity, anything a student may have supported throughout the school
- Contribution to School Sport: Picked after sports day for the top performing student from each house
- Contribution to School Arts: This is any student that has excelled in art, performing arts and/or music – this could be decided based on being part of the end of year show etc.
- Outstanding Contribution to the House System: The student that has given everything for their house – it could be that they took part in a range of house activities, helped out in assemblies, supported on Charity days or even agreed to just take part in some of the less popular events at sports day to just get the house some much needed points
There is an award for a student in each House in each category and then one person will win the overall trophy for each category.
Students have the opportunity to apply to be a Form Rep. At the start of the year, students write a letter explaining why they would like to be a Form Rep. This role includes supporting the Head of House with House competitions, fundraising and sporting events.
Form Reps also play a vital part in student voice as this allows students to have an impact on everyday school life, some topics include:
- Teaching and Learning
- Rewards
- SMSC & LOR programme
- School improvement
Some of the Form Reps will also have the opportunity to be a part of the Academy Council. The Academy Council meet with Miss Pearson who collates all of the information from individual House student voice meetings and decide on the points that could be improved at Giles Academy. The Academy Council members then meet with the Head of School, Miss Belcher, to discuss which of their ideas can be implemented across the school.
Some examples of the impact the Academy Council have had are:
- Recycling bins
- Introduce the Bully Box
- What’s on the SMSC/LOR programme
- Pods/School lunch etc.
- More benches
- Multi purpose sports area for lunch times
- More prefects/teachers in corridors
TERM 1
- European Languages Day
- Black History Month
TERM 2
- Children in Need
- Christmas Hampers
- Inter-House Literacy Competition
- Inter-Form Literacy Competition
- Accelerated Reading Quiz Prize Draw
TERM 3
- Inter-House Futsal
- Maths Quiz
- Bake Off
- Games Competition
- Inter-House Literacy Competition
- Inter-Form Literacy Competition
- Accelerated Reading Quiz Prize Draw
TERM 4
- Comic Relief
- Maths Quiz
- World Book Day
- Recycling Competition
- Inter-House Dodgeball
- Rocket Competition
- Inter-House Literacy Competition
- Inter-Form Literacy Competition
- Accelerated Reading Quiz Prize Draw
- Most Improved STAR Test
TERM 5
- Heads of House Cooking Technical Challenge
- Maths Quiz
- Ready Steady Cook Competition
- Inter-House Literacy Competition
- Inter-Form Literacy Competition
- Accelerated Reading Quiz Prize Draw
TERM 6
- End of Year House Celebration Evening
- Maths Quiz
- Bastille Day Competition
- Sports Day
- Inter-House Literacy Competition
- Inter-Form Literacy Competition
- Accelerated Reading Quiz Prize Draw
An important part of the House System is our assembly programme. Each House has an assembly every two weeks, bringing all members of the House together to cover important topics which support the SMSC programme and to celebrate student achievements.
- Welcome/Tutor Time expectations
- Trust Rewards Programme/House Competition Launch/House Charity
- Black History Month
- Road Safety
- World Mental Health Day
- Children in Need
- Remembrance Day
- Christmas Hampers
- End of Term Rewards
- Holocaust Memorial Day
- Valentine’s Day
- Comic/Sport Relief
- World Book Day
- Fair Trade
- Skin Cancer Awareness
- National Doughnut Week
- Sports Day Selection
- Sports Day Results/Celebration
- Pride Month
- End of Year Rewards
The SLAT ‘Love of Reading’ programme is studied by students once a fortnight in tutor time sessions. The programme covers a wide range of reading materials and the focus is on the use of reading activities to engage and spark intelligent discussion among students. The core aim is the further development of reading skills, processing information and, most importantly, oracy.
It aims to:
- Promote reading engagement and fluency through tutor time reading activities
- Promote reading as a cross-curricular activity, led by Heads of House and delivered by tutors
- Raise attainment by leading and delivering the Accelerated Reader programme
- Provide time in the busy school day for quiet, independent personal reading
- Allow students to experience and discuss different texts and novel extracts
Key skills students will work on:
- Oracy – Speak like a specialist, In full sentences please, Extend your response, Use formal language, Clarity and projection
- Debating Skills – expressing viewpoint and opinion in a respectful and justified manner.
- Impact on the world – writer’s intentions and our reactions to it.
- Reading fluency, prosody, intonation to convey appropriate tone, pace.
Reading styles that students will be exposed to:
- Paired Reading
- Echo Reading
- Teacher Modelled Reading
- Reading Theatre
Students will study a wide range of topics such as animal cruelty, the environment and the impact of social media.
Year 9 to 11 have an extensive SMSC (Social, Moral, Spiritual and Cultural education) programme during PM registration, where students develop the knowledge, cultural capital, skills and attributes they need to keep themselves healthy and safe.
The aim is also to prepare students for life and work in modern Britain. Our students grow up in a complex and ever changing world and are exposed to an increasing range of influences.
SMSC education helps students to develop the knowledge, life skills and attributes they need to manage many of the critical opportunities, challenges and responsibilities they will face as they grow up and in adulthood.
We encourage students to think about personal and social values, to become aware of and involved in the life and concerns of their community and society and so develop their capacity to be active, effective and responsible future citizens that interact through mutual respect.
We want to develop the qualities and attributes students need to thrive as individuals, family members and well respected members of society.
Some of the topics covered include:
- Careers
- Issues in Modern Britain
- Parliament and Democracy
- Global Awareness
- Money Matters
- Mental Wellbeing
- Relationships
- Family Life
- RSE (Relationships and Sex Education)
- Consent
- Financial Management
- Substance Abuse
- Diversity, Radicalisation and Equality
- Spirituality and World Culture
- Current Affairs
- Revision Techniques