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 Cowley 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.
At Cowley Academy, there are five 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
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
Banks House (Orange)
Head of Banks House: Mrs Gemma Millard
House Charity: Sense – www.sense.org.uk
About Banks House: Joseph Banks (1743-1820) was born on 13 February 1743 in Lincolnshire. His father, William Banks, was a wealthy landowner.
Bass House (Yellow)
Head of Bass House: Miss Sophie Earth
House Charity: Marie Curie – www.mariecurie.org.uk
About Bass House: George Bass, a Royal Navy Surgeon was born in Lincolnshire near Sleaford. He explored Australian and travel to New South Wales with Matthew Flinders.
Cowley House (Blue)
Head of Cowley House: Miss Rebecca Pratt
House Charity: RSPCA – www.rspca.org.uk
About Cowley House: Thomas Cowley was a land owner who moved into the Donington area from London in 1679 and he lived in Donington until he died in 1721. His last will and testament that his fortune went on educating less fortunate children in the village and he began this journey in this years before his death.
Flinders House (Green)
Head of Flinders House: Miss Bethany Lake
House Charity: Barnardos – www.barnardos.org.uk
About Flinders House: Matthew Flinders (16th March 1774 to 19th July 1814) was born in Donington, Lincolnshire. He was a renowned explorer who was the first to circumnavigate and discover the continent of Australia.
Swift House (Red)
Head of Swift House: Mr James Brader
House Charity: British Heart Foundation – www.bhf.org.uk
About Swift House: Dame Sarah Swift was born in Kirton on 22nd November 1854. She moved to Donington and attended Cowley Academy. In 1877, she trained as a nurse at the Dundee Royal Infirmary Worked in a variety of hospitals in Dundee, Liverpool and London.
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.
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