Our House System
Every pupil who joins Charterhouse will also join one of our 15 Houses.
The House is the centre of every Carthusian’s life and each offers a strong sense of identity, togetherness and community. Every pupil joins a big ‘family’ with opportunities to make friends for life and to try everything.
Each House is a close-knit community and a hive of activity, with lively informal events arranged amongst the pupils, full of laughter and fun.
A vast range of inter-House competitions in sport, music, drama, debating, quizzes and much more encourages a strong sense of community and House pride. Heroic failures are often celebrated just as much as stunning victories!
Carthusians describe themselves as ‘really friendly’. House families encourage ‘genuine friendships between year groups’.
THE GOOD SCHOOLS GUIDE
A Home from Home
Each house is home to around 65 children, drawn from all five of the School's year groups. This vertical structure creates a unique environment of care: older pupils mentor and encourage younger ones, while younger pupils learn by example and feel immediately at home. The result is a family-like atmosphere where peer support is as strong as the guidance of staff.
Chatterhouse
Charlie Sparrow, Head of House in Girdlestonites (g), describes what life is like in House.
House Parents
Each house is run by a Head of House, who lives on-site with their family, and has daily oversight of each pupil's wellbeing and progression. Each also has an exceptional pastoral team who devote their time, energy and expertise to encouraging, advising and supporting the pupils in their care - 24 hours a day.
Every pupil will also have a House tutor, responible for a small number of pupils, whom they meet with at least once a week - providing help and encouragement which enables each pupil to make the most of life at the School.
Settling in
During your first few weeks at School, you will be paired with an older pupil whose responsibility it is to make sure you settle in, helping you to find your way around and learn how the School and House works. There is also a range of peer support available amongst the pupils in each House, from House monitors to pupil-voice committees - everyone is represented and listened to.
It is fair to say that every Carthusian feels that their House is the best!
