INTERHOUSE AND PREFECTS:


Some time after 1928 when the Junior School separated from the High School, they formed their own 3 houses: Princess Elizabeth, Princess Margaret and St. Joan. When the Junior School moved to the new buildings in Parson’s Hill, the houses were renamed Queen Alexandra, Queen Mary and Queen Victoria, in line with the High School. In 1975, the Junior School again followed the High School in creating a new house, Queen Elizabeth House.

In 2000, Queen Elizabeth House Day was celebrated on 4th August, which was the Queen Mother's 100th birthday! Every year, a different speaker is invited to speak at each House Day.

House Mistresses: These are Alex (Mrs Weyer); Lizzie (Mrs Botha); Mary (Mrs Erasmus) and Vicky (Mrs Gouws). Each committee has 3 members and a House Captain. The Grade 6 and 7 pupils vote for the house committee members for the following year.

The outcome is taken to the Staff for discussion. Only "house" members vote for their nominated committee members.

Pupils show great loyalty to their Houses, and this reaches a peak at Galas and Sports Days when supporters, wearing their house colours, are led by cheerleaders. A theme is chosen, and cheerleaders show tremendous originality in their costumes.

Queen Elizabeth House showed great initiative in 2004. When her son, Michael, received the M.B.E., Mrs Anne Catt, then a member of the Music Dept., travelled to London to attend the investiture ceremony. The House sent a letter with her, telling Her Majesty the Queen a little about the school's history, and in particular about the House named after her. Mrs Catt was able to deliver the letter to one of the footmen whilst at Buckingham Palace. A reply written by one of Her Majesty's Ladies-in-waiting delighted the girls.

 

Prefects were elected for the first time in 1985. This experimental year proved very successful and since then prefects have been part of the Junior school system. There was a Prefect camp where issues of leadership were thoroughly discussed. The introduction of a new Leadership and Prefect system, namely the PORTFOLIO SYSTEM occurred in 1998. All grade 7 girls are involved in various areas of responsibility: Class leaders, Scholar Patrol, Library, Tuckshop and Corridor duty. A workshop was held in the first term for all leaders and prefects, giving them the necessary guidance. This proved very successful. Because the portfolio system was in conflict with the prefect system (they overlapped in many respects), it was decided in 2004 that from 2005 a new Pupil Leadership System would be introduced which involves all Grade 7's in the Portfolio system.