The House System
The House system allocates all boys from Kindergarten to Year 12 to one of four Houses:
- Buckland
- School
- Stephens
- Thorold
Staff members across the entire school are also allocated a House.
Each of the schools run their House programs differently and combine on various occasions throughout the year in large K-12 Assemblies.
ELC
Boys are allocated a House but all sport competitions are done via year level, where everyone gets a ribbon for participation. Boys attend the K-12 House Assembly where the boys divide up into their houses for the first time.
Junior School
Students in the Junior School compete in their Houses for the:
- Warwick Carter Cup (good behaviour, good work)
- Cock House Shield (Warwick Carter Cup points plus sporting)
The House system is used for all sporting events:
- Swimming Carnival
- Cross Country
- Winter Sports Day
- Athletics
All Houses receive points for these competitions which are then translated into ‘position points which are added up and goes towards the Cock House Shield.
Certificates which are given out in Assembly for good behaviour or good work earn House points for the recipient. These points are tallied at the end of each term.
The winning House at the end of the year (for certificates) receives the Warwick Carter Cup.
The Warwick Carter Cup points are added to all the sporting events to determine who gets the Cock House Shield at the end of the year.
Years 3 to 6 also enjoy the K-12 House Assembly.
Middle School
There are two shields that are contested by Houses in the Middle School.
Cock House Academic Shield - determined by end of year results by respective Houses.
Cock House Shield - determined by results from the nine House competitions over the course of the year, including:
- Swimming Carnival
- Cross Country
- Debating
- Drama
- Music
- Athletics Carnival
- Winter Sports Day
- Summer Challenge
- Theatre Sports
The Cock House Shield is presented to the winning House at the Farewell Year 8 Assembly. The Cock House Shield is presented at Speech Night.
Senior School
The House is the main unit within the Senior School for pastoral care and for in-school academic and other competitions. Students compete for two shields:
- The Gumley Shield (Academic)
Recognising the achievements of Dr Stephen Gumley - (1974 Head Prefect and a 1979 Rhodes Scholar) is awarded at Speech Night to the House that achieves the highest academic success in the year. - The Cock House (Sporting / Cultural)
A keenly-fought Cock House Competition includes participation by all boys from all Houses in the following activities:
- Winter Sports Day
- Summer Sports Day
- Athletics
- Swimming
- Chess
- Drama
- Music
- Cross Country
- Debating
Students also meet as a House in events such as Chapel, Assemblies and inter-mentor competitions.
Boarding House - Burbury House
As well as the four Houses that exist throughout the school, Burbury House is the house for the boarders. It provides a home away from home in a supportive community.
Students compete for the Burbury Cup where the four Mentor Groups:
- Hudspeth
- Ingle
- St. Albans
- Macquaire
compete against each other. The groups are named after the old boarding house sites and one is the surname of the first boarder.
The Burbury Cup consists of a series of challenges throughout the year, combining academic, sporting and cultural competition.
There is also a healthy staff / student competition which runs throughout the year.
Originally boarders in Burbury House were connected to School House but now are evenly distributed amongst the other four houses in the school.
The boarding house community comprises of approximately half international students and half local students. This creates a thriving multi-cultural environment which prepares boys for a global perspective of life.

Structure - The Four Houses
|
House Motto |
Head of House / Contact |
||
|
(Red) |
|
Cura Personalis Courage Compassion |
Phone: (03) 6221 4280 |
|
(Blue) |
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Unitas et Praestanta Unity and Working Together as One |
Phone: (03) 6221 4278 |
|
(Yellow) |
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Virtutis Amore By the Love of Virtue |
Phone: (03) 6221 4243 |
|
(Green) |
|
Cervus Non Servus Stages not Slaves |
Phone: (03) 6221 4240 |
|
Burbury House |
House for the Boarders |
Phone: (03) 6221 4274 |
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