North

CULTURAL CUP

2019-20

Houses North

From the Housemistress

When this academic year started, I never expected to be writing this from my living room or moving

North House into a virtual world.

I have to acknowledge that we have missed many things North holds dear: BBQs on the quad, the leavers’ ball, clapping while our Upper Sixth leave the House for the last time and many house competitions (croquet!) that we enjoy. The prefects and I would be swapping our favourite stories for me to include in this article and Deb and I would be frantically trying to put together leaving gifts. The end of this year has been anything but normal, but we have actually gained a lot as a house and there is still much of the year where we have had a lot to celebrate together.

The year started as usual with a bunch of fresh faced Fourth Formers arriving to North. They were quickly indoctrinated and were soon ready to perform in the house song. Until the morning of the competition, we felt we might be getting an angry call from Elton John’s agents, but when the time came, the boys performed ‘Your Song’ brilliantly. This is the first year we have ever come as high as second place and it was a real whole house effort. Our part-song remains one of my favourite competitions. Although the boys did not place this year, their song clearly captured the whole school’s full attention.

NUMBER OF PUPILS 75 We also enjoy house rugby in the first term. We qualified for the intermediate touch rugby and the senior rugby finals and won the intermediate trophy. We had a stall at the SJPA Christmas Market

this year. Many of boys got involved and worked hard. Although we had to cancel our charity night this year, we were still able to donate £2423.14 to CALM, our chosen charity that works with mental health in men. This term also saw our annual Christmas pizza party. This is one of our favourite events as it gets the entire house together to celebrate. We have started the new tradition of a Christmas heist with Mr Parry, which I am certain will continue in future years due to its success. I was also delighted to see that my Upper Sixth decided to gift-wrap my entire office, leaving me to wear Christmas paper shoes during my final assembly. Our intermediate debate team continued to impress the judges and they made it to the final again this year, but lost in the final round against a formidable Gloucester House. The junior team also made it to the final, but sadly this debate didn’t take place in the summer. Our house drill team came a strong second this year and our cross country team has won the event for the third time in a row. The house swimming competition was back this year in our new pool and this was yet another place that North House was able to shine.

Competitions

WON THIS YEAR: Junior touch rugby Cross country Swimming

Did you know?

North is technically the largest house in the school with 75 boys

We were lucky that just before the lockdown we were able to come together as a whole house again for the North House formal. This has always been a tradition in North and it is always great to hear the speeches of the oldest, youngest and House Captain, as well as getting to see the Upper Sixth in their black ties. The Summer Term meant that we had to move the House and it’s spirit to a virtual form, but the boys continued to embrace North and it’s values remotely. I have been so proud of their commitment, engagement and hard work during this time. They continue to go out and run for the house athletics, golf, chess and the newly added house quiz competitions. They have also been learning new skills and spending the time perfecting others. We pride ourselves in having such a wide variety of skills and strengths in the House and it was great to see so many of these throughout this time. Our motto, “passion, integrity and perseverance”, has continued to be at the forefront of everything the boys do.

I would like to end by saying thank you to all the Upper Sixth leavers. They have left such an important legacy here. They have been an exceptional year group and have brought me a lot of joy and laughter this year. I would particularly like to thank the prefect team who have supported me this year and have worked hard to continue to improve the House, and the brilliant tutor team of Mr Whitmore, Mr Parry, Mr Debney, Mrs Abbott, Mr Marshal and Mr Newby. Deb has settled in so well into the House and it already feels like she has always been a part of North. I know the boys have appreciated her support and kindness this year. Finally, I would like to thank Mrs Abbott for everything she has done over the past few years in North. Sadly, she is leaving us this year to move to an exciting role in Switzerland. We will really miss her, but would like to wish her all the best from all of us.

I am looking forward to the start of next year and seeing all the familiar faces back again and many new ones.

Catie Moon, Housemistress

From the House Captain

Despite being a unique, increasingly unprecedented and uncertain year in itself, this 2019-2020 academic year has been another fantastic and successful time for North House. As always, North House has again given us much to be proud of.

North continues be much more than just a house though. Throughout the year, North House has adhered to the characteristics and community that all St Johns pupils are proud to be a part of, built on our foundations of passion, integrity and perseverance. Over the course of the past year, North House has had many successful moments, through individuals and the House as a whole. One memorable moment was finishing second in house song with ‘Your Song’ by Elton John, which has never been North’s strongest competition in previous years. This, along with many other second place finishes in competitions such as house drill, house football and the pancake race, helped us in our aims to retain the house shield.

One event that is a particular favourite of mine is the formal dinner. Not only was this year’s event a wonderful opportunity for the Upper Sixth boys to get into black

MASCOT

BLACK

BEAR tie, but it was also a valued evening where the whole house could come together, with the added (highly popular) attraction this year of steak followed by chocolate pudding for dinner. Keeping with tradition we heard a great speech from the youngest member of the House, Alex, and a very amusing speech from our oldest member of the house, Sam S. It is always a special event, where the whole house commemorates as one and where we are able to celebrate all the achievements of the North House body.

Unfortunately, due to the way that the year evolved with the coronavirus pandemic, the year ended in a most unusual, abrupt and surreal way. Covid-19 resulted in the premature closing of the School buildings in March and pupils had to adjust to online learning at home. We were sad to miss out on many events that would surely have proved memorable had we been in school for Summer Term. Of these, the North House Charity Night was set to be evening full of laughter and a great opportunity to raise money for some of our chosen house charities. Despite this, with charity funds left over from the end of last year and with the boys putting lots of hard work into the bake sale and the Christmas market, we were still able to donate over £2400 to CALM.

I have had an unforgettable time in North, including my year as House Captain. It has been my honour to lead the House and I have seen a lot of change during my time here. Since starting in the Fourth Form I have had two heads of house and three matrons, all of whom have been great. But throughout these changes one thing has remained constant: the strength and pride of the North House family as a whole. Alongside the staff changes, I have also been fortunate to witness the renovations that have taken place in North and across the broader St John’s campus. The new and improved facilities will benefit North House boys for many years to come and is the foundation of a great community for any future pupil to belong to.

I would like to give a special thanks to Mrs Moon, who passionately cares for the wellbeing and the success of each and every North House pupil. Her great sense of humour makes her a joy to be around (even when we play silly pranks on her); for all of us in North she has always been there to support us in every way she can.

On behalf of all the boys, I would also like to thank the fantastic North House tutor team, all of whom have a caring approach to each pupil in North. Thank you to everyone who has made my St John’s experience in North and in general so special – I will always be proud to call North House my second home.

Chris Ballard, House Captain 2019-20 HOUSE COLOURS

Passion, Integrity and Perseverance

HOUSE MOTTO