Clifton College Website

School House

Family run House with an emphasis on boys learning responsibility and independence under careful supervision.

Staff

Housemaster:

Mr Jonathan Hughes

Assistant HoM:

Mr Hugo Tilney

Matron:

Mrs Carole Dembicki

Tutors:

• Mr Jay Gardner
• Mr Adam Sibley
• Mr Gilbert Simmons
• Mr Simon Tait
• Mr Jim Williams

History

Built in the 1860s, School House is the oldest house at Clifton College and was the home to the school’s first boarders and headmaster, John Percival. By the 1920s this dual role of headmaster and housemaster ended. In the early days the House used to play the school at cricket and rugby! Field Marshal Haig was in School House in the 1870s and his statue stands in front of the House today. During the Second World War Clifton was occupied by the American First Army, and General Omar Bradley had his headquarters in School House. Bradley and General Eisenhower used the housemaster’s current study as their planning room for D-Day.

The House has undergone an extensive refurbishment programme. Sixth formers have single or twin rooms and the younger pupils are in doubles or triples with the Third Form in fives or sixes. All the boys have internet access from their desks. The House Hall remains the centre-piece of the House.

House Strengths

There is a very strong House spirit and sense of loyalty with a commitment to a well rounded approach to school life whether in sport, drama, music, societies or activities.

Sport is so important to many of the boys and School House features strongly. In the last two years six of the 1st XV including the player of the season and vice captain were from School House. The house competes fiercely for all inter-house sporting competitions, and has recently won the football and swimming trophies, providing individual winners in cross country and in addition the boys have made two of the last three cricket finals. Currently our juniors are holders of the swimming trophy.

House Drama has really improved over the past two years. They have transformed their approach from ‘it will be all right on the night’ attitude to one that has produced well executed, staged and acted pieces. Our last two productions were, ‘The History Boys’ and ‘Twelve Angry Men’. Both were nominated for awards in the School’s house drama festival; one of the most pleasing aspects of both these productions is that they were totally pupil driven.

Music is as strong as ever and the boys actually look forward to the house unison singing competition and this year our part song entry of a medley of Beatles tunes was a clear winner. For the past two years, School House boys have organised and performed a house entertainment evening, a creation very much of their own making. This allows the good (and the not so good) a chance to show off their talents and musical passion.

There is a very strong house debating tradition, including our own internal Third Form debating competition. In the last four years our seniors have won the competition three times and our junior team are cup holders for the second successive year.

Whatever the activity, School House boys work hard for one another. They try to do the best that they can, regardless of the result and learning how to win and lose are both worthwhile life lessons. Their mutual support for one another is an embodiment of one of the strongest house spirits in the school, a house spirit that the Head Master and Mrs Moore very kindly made reference to at a House Supper (Christmas dinner party) – they are very noisy occasions!

House Activities

In recent years, the house has been paintballing, go-karting, bowling, leadership training, Canadian canoeing and camping in Wales. These are just examples of the sorts of activities that are great for team-building and morale, whilst being good fun.

Each week, after prep in the evening, the house runs sporting activities for the boys. This includes a session on the Fives courts with Jim Williams one of our tutors and a very experienced player himself. House indoor football is the highlight of the week for many boys and house swimming gives the lads an opportunity to practice for galas and water polo competitions. Not everything is focused on sport and School House is the only house to run its own internal debating competition for the younger boys, an event which is often the first occasion that the boys have to speak publically.

Recent Pupil Achievements

Recent leavers of School House have secured places at top universities including Oxford, UCL, Imperial College, KCL, Bristol and Edinburgh to read a wide range of courses from Classics to Medicine.

Before School House pupils leave, they are able to develop their leadership skills by acting as prefects for the house and school. Last year both positions of Head and Deputy Head of School were held by School House boys.

House motto

Spes Ancora Vitae – 'Hope is the anchor of life'

Contact

School House College Road, Clifton, Bristol, BS8 3HY
Email Housemaster JHughes@clifton-college.avon.sch.uk
Telephone +44 (0)117 315 7300

© 2006-12 Clifton College