The House system plays a crucial role in the life of the Nottingham Emmanuel School and through their work with the four Houses, foster intense student pride, inclusivity, positive relationships and a spirit of solidarity within a diverse and engaged student body. Consequently, students are deeply committed to their House and enjoy the challenge to compete and to serve for their House and chosen House charity.
The four Houses at Emmanuel have been carefully and thoughtfully named after Christian personalities who embody the four school values of Wisdom, Hope, Community and Dignity.
Jackie Pullinger
- Aged 22 Jackie Pullinger made the decision to become a missionary but found all pathways blocked to her calling. Therefore she decided to make her own way to Hong Kong and began pioneering work among the homeless, drug addicts and gang members. She has been ministering there since 1966 and her life changing work still continues to this day.
“God wants us to have soft hearts and hard feet. The trouble with so many of us is that we have hard hearts and soft feet” – Jackie Pullinger
William & Catherine Booth
- The Salvation Army was founded by both William & Catherine Booth. William was once told by his son about all the homeless people sleeping on the banks of the Thames, his response was simple: ‘Go and do something.’ That was in the middle of the nineteenth century. But today the Salvation Army’s philosophy is exactly the same and it has grown into a worldwide organisation.
“If we are to better the future we must disturb the present” – Catherine Booth
Oscar Romero
- Oscar Romero was Archbishop of San Salvador and spoke out against social injustice, poverty and government backed violence against the people. He was assassinated on March 24th 1980 as he was celebrating Mass in the chapel of the hospital in which he lived. In 2018 he was canonized as a saint and his sacrifice in respect of protecting the vulnerable and their human rights has never been forgotten
“You cannot reap what you have not sown. How are we going to reap love is our community if we only sow?” – Oscar Romero
Martin Luther King Jr
- Martin Luther King Jr was a social activist and Baptist minister who played a key role in the American civil rights movement. Inspired by his Christian beliefs King sought equality and human rights for African Americans, the economically disadvantaged and all victims of injustice through peaceful protest. Although assassinated in 1968 he remains one of the world’s most iconic figures representing justice, equality and peace.
“Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase” – Martin Luther King Jr
The House system strives to encourage students to understand their identity as a valued child of God and their responsibility to serve others in the community in a spirit of biblical love and wisdom.
Enrichment
At Emmanuel, the House system promotes a wide range of lunchtime and after school enrichment activities in order to foster curiosity, confidence and co-operation in students as well as a passion for a particular interest. These enrichment opportunities are showcased twice a year at the Emmanuel Extras Fair in both September and January when students have the opportunity to come along and have an exciting taste of all of the different activities on offer.
Students are also encouraged to develop cooperation and team work skills across year groups/key stages within the House through an engaging program of inter-House competitions linked to the curriculum which culminates each year in a two day Sports Day event where students of all abilities are encouraged to participate in order to win points for their House.
Service and Charity
The wide range of charity and service opportunities promoted by the four Houses seek to develop in students a responsibility and understanding of the biblical principles of serving others. Each House has a nominated charity (chosen by the students) and every tutor group is encouraged to undertake either a fundraising activity of their choice to raise money or commit to a service activity in order to pledge time for their House charity.
Exciting whole school events such as ‘Emmanuel’s Got Talent’ take place throughout the year and in July Year 11 and Sixth Form students travel to Dutch Komenda School in Ghana in order to serve and strengthen the important links we have with our partner school. A little closer to home, teams of dedicated young leaders serve their Houses on a weekly basis in the different House Action Teams and wear their House ties with an immense sense of pride.
Rewards
The House System at Emmanuel doesn’t simply present the opportunity for healthy competition within an enjoyable, highly stimulating atmosphere, it enables every student to earn ‘House Points’ that are aggregated on a regular basis, culminating in the presentation of an overall House trophy in the end of year Act of Worship. The House System is recognised by the whole school community as providing a respected platform for showcasing achievement.
All students are awarded house points in the categories below:
To Learn:
Achievement in Class
Taking an active role in lesson
Producing a high quality assignment
Making exceptional progress including beyond lessons
Driving own learning, showing independence of thought
To Grow:
Social, Moral, Spiritual and Cultural Development
Leading prayers in tutor group/ supporting others to engage in the tutor interactive prayer activity
Having a positive impact on others
Taking responsibility for planning and leading part of a Year or House Act of Worship
To Serve:
Service in and out of school
Joining in a charity event
Helping in the wider community
Representing the School or House
Having a sustained positive impact on the learning of others
The system fosters a healthy spirit of competition amongst the houses to collect reward points which in turn engenders loyalty and belonging from the students. Regular public opportunities are given to praise those students who collect reward points and contribute to serving the school community through the award of House point certificates and activities at the end of the school year designed to congratulate the highest House point scorers.
Christian Ethos
The Heads of House plan interesting and engaging weekly AOWs in order to link students to the outside world through external speakers and projects and therefore work closely with the chaplaincy team to role model the Christian ethos and encourage students to actively participate in all aspects of school life.
