1 August 2025
St Helena Secondary School today announced an upcoming refresh and relaunch of its house system, set to officially launch in September 2026. This development was shared with students this morning during a special assembly led by Physical Education (PE) Teacher, Mrs Christine Caswell.
The current house system, comprising Cavendish, Dutton, Jenkins, and Mundens, has been a long-standing tradition fostering team spirit and community within the school. However, with the current student body numbering fewer than 200, challenges have arisen in forming competitive teams for sports and other house-based activities.
To address these challenges and ensure a more balanced and engaging experience for all students, the Senior Leadership Team, with support from the PE teachers, proposed a reduction in the number of houses from four to three. This proposal has been approved by the Portfolio Advisory Board. Rather than simply eliminating one of the existing houses, the school will introduce three entirely new houses.
The transition will involve a comprehensive student-led process to select new house names and mascots. Students will actively participate in this decision-making over the coming weeks, with their ideas shaping the identity of the new houses.
The Portfolio Advisory Board has committed to supporting this transition, generously agreeing to provide every student with a new house t-shirt free of charge, along with other branded items like banners, to help cultivate pride and identity within the new house structure.
The upcoming academic year (2025–2026) will be the final year for the current house system, with students continuing to participate in events under Cavendish, Dutton, Jenkins, and Mundens. Ahead of the September 2026 launch, all students will be allocated to one of the new houses, with careful consideration given to sporting ability to ensure balanced and fair teams.
The school believes this refresh will be a positive step forward, enhancing student engagement and fostering a strong sense of community within the new house system.
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