House System – Academic and Pastoral Care

The House System at Canterbury has been designed to include all learners, supporting the academic, sport and cultural aspects of the College.

Multi-year level House Form Groups form the basis of the pastoral care system, and ongoing Interhouse activities throughout the year strengthen student identity within their House in the form of healthy competition.

The House points system provides incentives for student engagement in a range of areas of school culture, recognition of student achievement and a sense of competition and celebration.  Points will accrue over the course of the year. The prestigious Canterbury Cup is awarded annually to the most successful House.

Vertical House System

Class teachers in the Junior School are the primary contacts for students in regards to their Academic and Pastoral Care. The House System provides students the opportunity to interact with students across other classes in their cohort and from Kindy to Year 6. The Year 6 leaders facilitate House events and support each and every student in their House.

Each form class in the Secondary School is House-based and includes students across Years 7 – 12. Students remain in their same form class for the duration of their Secondary School years, giving them the opportunity to develop a long-term relationship with their Form Teacher, Assistant Head of House and Head of House.

This vertical house system also aims to develop the following amongst our students:

  • A positive self-esteem and self-identity,
  • A definitive sense of belonging,
  • Personal integrity and pride,
  • Positive mental health through peer support,
  • Improved student responsibility, and
  • Student voice (teamwork, cooperation, communication, leadership and community).

Each Head of House, as the primary point of contact for parents and carers, works in partnership with students, parents, their teachers and key staff to holistically track and support students academically, to support their behaviour and their general social and emotional wellbeing.

There are six Houses at Canterbury: Becket, Cranmer, Goldsworthy, Kime, Ramsey and Temple.

The original Canterbury Houses – Becket, Cranmer, Ramsey and Temple – are named after Archbishops of Canterbury who demonstrated the values upon which Canterbury is based: hard work, quiet determination, courage in the face of adversity, leadership, discipline and devotion.

Joining these in 2020 were two new Houses – Goldsworthy and Kime. After much discussion, the College decided to seek to honour two women, preferably Australian, who had been pioneers within the Anglican Church and exhibited the same values as the Archbishops above. Kay Goldsworthy and Karen Kime were chosen (read below for their stories).

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