The House System is an important extension to the Collegiate's Pastoral Programme. In addition to encouraging pride, respect and personal responsibility amongst students, it is intended that the House System should instil in students a sense of ownership and “belonging”. The smaller House communities should engender healthy rivalry in friendly games and other extra-curricular activities, build team and leadership skills and promote co-operation.
There are 3 Houses within the British West Indies Collegiate; Nina, Pinta and Santa Maria, named after the ships of Christopher Columbus. Every student will join a House in Year 6 (or in whichever year they enter the school) and belong to the same House until they leave. We strive to ensure that children with older siblings join the same House as their brothers and sisters. Other than that, we try to ensure the best possible spread of academic, sporting, musical and leadership abilities.
The House System helps build an individual's strengths within a group and create a bond with other students of all ages. As students reach their senior years at the Collegiate, it is hoped that they will become increasingly involved in running their Houses and co-ordinating House activities. Each House elects its House Captain from the Sixth Form and its House Vice Captain from Years 10 or 11 at the start of the Michaelmas Term. Once elected, Captains and Vice Captains will remain in place until the early part of Trinity Term, when a new Captain will be elected from Year 10, and a new Vice Captain from Years 8 or 9. Students are encouraged to take into account responsibility, leadership qualities and sporting/academic achievement when considering their votes and nominations. To encourage ‘responsible’ nominations, all House Points received by House Captains and Vice Captains are doubled - as are points lost.
Each member of the teaching and non-teaching staff (other than Principal and Vice Principal) is assigned to a House. One or two members of staff in each House undertake the role of Head of House. It is their responsibility to lead and timetable House Assemblies, and provide encouragement and support to their various teams competing at any one time.
In school, students will earn House Points for particularly good pieces of work; high levels of effort; contribution to school life; helping others; etc. These points will all add up towards a cumulative House total and, at the end of the year, decide the outcome of the Frederick Krieble House Cup. Points allocated to students are recorded each morning by the Vice Principal. Running totals for Students, Years and Houses are automatically generated, and tables showing positions, points breakdown and total points for each House are displayed on noticeboards in school corridors as well as in respective House baserooms. Tables showing the current positions within each year group are displayed in respective homerooms. Full tables are printed and published each Monday.
The Houses also form the focus of various competitions, sporting and otherwise, including National competitions. Students earn Points for their House by taking part in these events, earning more depending on how well they do. House members are encouraged to write reports and produce photographs of these events, which can later be published on the school website. Parents are encouraged to come along to support their child, and to cheer for their House.
As the House system has evolved - and as bonds have developed - it has become the heart of the school Pastoral Programme. It links with other pastoral initiatives, such as the reading programme, where Mentors are paired with younger Mentees from the same House. This may be extended in future years to include peer and cross-age tutor groups.

Distribution of House Points
No more than 3 Points can be awarded to or deducted from any student at one time, other than in exceptional circumstances by the Principal or Vice Principal. Students receive 5 points for each Merit (awarded for exceptional performance or achievement), and lose 5 points for each detention served. The Vice Principal will award a Merit for every 50 points received. Below is a sample of guidelines given to teachers to encourage consistent points allocation and distribution.

Note:  / = or

Incentives and Rewards

Pastoral

• Homework Diary regularly signed - half-term (Form Tutor)   2

• Good uniform - half-term (Form Tutor)   2

• Improved uniform when maintained (Form Tutor)   1

• Attitude/behaviour in class - half-term   2

• Punctuality consistently high or improved (Form Tutor)   1/2

• Politeness consistently high or improved   1/2

• Out of school successes   1/MERIT

• Voluntarily assisting member of staff or other students   1/2

Academic

• Achieving ‘A*’ grade for Exam in a subject report   3/MERIT

• Achieving ‘A*’ grade for Effort in a subject report   3/MERIT

• High standard classwork/homework   1/3

• Improved classwork/homework   1

• Improved behaviour – per agreed target/timespan   1

• Initiative shown   1

Academic to be given by Principal or Vice Principal

• Faultless Interim Term Report   MERIT

Clubs & Activities

• Taking part in National Competition   1/3

• Creditable performance in Competition (in addition to above)   2/MERIT

Other

• Volunteering or taking initiative other than in lessons   1/2

• Receiving a Merit   5

Penalties and Deterrents

Pastoral

• Homework Diary not signed (Form Tutor)   -1

• Not meeting dress code   -1

• Repeatedly not meeting dress code (following warning)   -2/3

• Poor attitude/behaviour in class   -1/2

• Repeated poor attitude/behaviour in class (following warning)   -3/DET

• Late twice in one week (Form Tutor)   DET

• Talking while receiving instruction   -1

• Continued talking after warning   -2

Pastoral to be deducted by Principal or Vice Principal

• High ‘Unsatisfactory’ count on Interim Report   -2/3

Academic

• Achieving “U” grade for Exam in a subject report   -3

• Achieving below “C” grade for Effort in a subject report   -3

• Repeated late homework   -3/DET

Other

• Chewing gum   -2

• Chewing gum (second and further offences)   DET

• Spitting   DET

• Littering   DET

• Failure to return Library books on time   -1/3

• Possession of mobile telephone (other than VIth Form)   DET

• Detention   -5

Frederick Krieble House Cup Winners

Highest Individual Point Scores