House System at Crispin

Sitting at the very heart of Crispin is its bustling House system. Introduced in 2019 the then student voice team worked alongside staff to create the identities of four houses. Although Covid tried its best to stifle the house system it returned with vengeance in 2021 enabling students to return to healthy interhouse competition and assemblies.

In 2021/22 Houses regularly competed in The Crispin Challenge, welly throwing, SLT Lucky dip, boat building challenges, Head of house quizzes and sports day to name but a few. At Crispin, we recognise that being placed in a house extends beyond the student and as such have looked to involve parents and carers into competing to win points for their house. 

The History of our Houses

Click on each heading to see a brief overview of each house.

Corvus

Corvus is the Latin name for the genus of birds that includes ravens, crows, and magpies.

Ravens are considered a bird of good omen. In Norse mythology, the raven was a sign of the Gods. Odin had two ravens called Hugin and Munin who would circle the Earth (Midgard) and report to back to him. If a person saw a raven or group of ravens, it was considered a blessing from Odin himself.

Also, a legend in the UK says that if the ravens leave the tower of London, the monarchy will fall.

As such, house Corvus prides itself on our good, caring nature.

Sturnus

Sturnus is the Latin name for the genus of bird that includes all species and sub-species of starling.

During the winter you may be lucky enough to see a starling murmuration. These flocks gather in the evening and perform amazing aerobatic displays before dropping into their favoured roost sites. Flocks provide safety in numbers for birds returning to roost as predators find it hard to target individual birds. In addition, they benefit from the warmth of other birds and the opportunity to exchange information. They are one of the most efficient birds at working together in their flock.

As such, House Sturnus prides itself on our teamwork and efficiency.

Falco

Falco is the Latin name for the genus of birds that includes peregrine falcons and kestrels.

The peregrine falcon is the fastest animal on the planet, able to reach a diving speed of over 200mph. The fastest recorded dive reached a speed of 242mph! They have been used by humans as hunting tools for more than 3,000 years. Its advantages in falconry include not only its athleticism and eagerness to hunt, but an equitable disposition that leads to it being one of the easier falcons to train.

As such, house Falco prides itself on our sportsmanship and determination.

Tyto

Tyto is the Latin name for the genus of bird that includes all barn owls, grass owls and masked owls.

The barn owl can fly almost silently. This enables it to hear the slightest sounds made by its rodent prey hidden in deep vegetation while it’s flying up to three metres overhead. The barn owl’s heart shaped face collects sound in the same way as human ears. Its hearing is the most sensitive of any creature tested.

As such, house Tyto prides itself on our wisdom and resourcefulness.

The House Structure

There are 4 houses, each led by a Head of House. Please click on each house to hear from a student representative.

Corvus - Mr O. Horner

Sturnus - Mrs M. townsend

Falco - Ms J. Scott-Smith

Tyto - MR W. Weymouth

Within these houses there are 10 tutor groups which meet every morning for 20 minutes. During these 20 minutes, students and staff complete the tutor programme as outlined below.

Week	Day	Corvus	Sturnus	Falco	Tyto
A	Monday	Monday Motivator
	Tuesday	Assembly SLT	In the News	Reading	Reading
	Wednesday	In the News	Assembly SLT	In the News	In the News
	Thursday	Reading	Reading	Assembly SLT	House Quiz
	Friday	House Quiz	House Quiz	House Quiz	Assembly SLT
B	Monday	Academic Mentoring
	Tuesday	Assembly HOH	Crispin Challenge	Reading	Reading
	Wednesday	Crispin Challenge	Assembly HOH	Crispin Challenge	Crispin Challenge
	Thursday	Reading	Reading	Assembly HOH	Employability
	Friday	Employability	Employability	Employability	Assembly HOH

House Cup Winners

At the close of the academic year all students ‘net’ house points are collected alongside the points awarded for house competitions and events, calculated and on the completion of sports day the annual House cup winner is announced in a whole school assembly. 

The proud winners of the trophy not only win bragging rights but earn a House Cup Winners Day – in 2022/23 Sturnus were taken for a morning swim at Greenbank followed by cakes and games on the school field. 

Academic Year	Winner
2021 - 2022	Tyto
2020 - 2021	Falco
2019 - 2020	Falco

The big question on everyone's lips this year is can Tyto keep their hands on the trophy, will Falco claim what was once theirs, or will the sleeping giants of Corvus and Sturnus step out of the shadows?  

Last Updated: January 2024