Our House System: Building Community & Leadership
At St Margaret’s Hampstead, our House System is an integral part of our pastoral care and a cornerstone of our community. It is designed to embody our core values and ethos, creating a vibrant environment where girls of all ages work together, form lasting friendships and develop a strong sense of belonging.
The House System is what gives our school its unique family atmosphere, where every pupil and staff member is assigned to a House upon starting at St Margaret’s Hampstead.
Our three Houses
To create a strong sense of identity and community, every pupil and staff member is assigned to one of our three houses, each named after a notable female figure who embodies our school's values of courage, resilience and curiosity.
A place for healthy competition
Our House System nurtures a friendly competitive spirit through a variety of inter-house fixtures and competitions throughout the year. This offers every girl, regardless of her ability, the chance to represent her House and contribute to its success. We hold events including:
- Sports Day
- Netball competitions
- House rounders.
This emphasis on participation is a key part of our ethos. It encourages teamwork, resilience and discipline, ensuring that the benefits of belonging and healthy competition carry positive rewards into many other areas of our girls’ lives.
Our Housepoint system and awards
Our girls are consistently rewarded for their hard work and dedication. Housepoints are awarded for excellent work and for exceptional performance in other areas. These points are totalled up at the end of each term for a running house total.
At the end of the academic year, the House with the highest number of Housepoints is awarded a cup, and a prize is given to the junior and senior girl who has achieved the most Housepoints overall.
Developing tomorrow's leaders
The House System is a powerful platform for developing leadership skills. Our pupils also have a meaningful voice in school-wide decisions and gain valuable experience in leading their peers and collaborating with staff.
This helps build confidence and character, empowering our girls to take on challenges and shape the future direction of the school and beyond.
A community that connects across all ages
One of the greatest strengths of our House System is the opportunity it provides for girls of all ages to work together. It promotes what we call vertical integration, encouraging pupils from the youngest years right through to Senior School to interact, support each other and collaborate.
Our unique Family Tree system, for example, is a non-competitive initiative that sits within the House System, grouping girls into small, cross-year families. In these groups, senior girls take on leadership roles, guiding younger pupils and forging genuine friendships and a network of support across all age ranges.
The Houses are also a focal point for charity and fundraising events, as well as House Mufti Days and other celebrations that are run largely by the girls themselves. This further strengthens the sense of community and shared purpose.
Ready to see your daughter flourish in our caring community?
Book a tour and learn how an education at St Margaret's will transform your daughter into a confident, empowered young woman.