House System
At OHA, we are committed to continue developing our House System that is widely recognised as a valued and integral part of academy life. Our vision is to create a culture where every pupil feels connected to something greater than themselves; a community in which they can thrive, develop confidence, express their individuality, and be inspired to achieve beyond their horizons.
Our House System plays a vital role in fostering a strong sense of belonging and encouraging pupils to develop personally as well as academically. Relaunched in September 2023, the House System was designed to strengthen our cultural development offer and provide meaningful opportunities and experiences that support pupils in reaching their full potential. At Ormiston Horizon Academy, we are incredibly proud of our House System, as it reflects and reinforces our academy values of Respect, Resilience, and Responsibility, while enabling pupils to embody the qualities and characteristics of an OHA-er.
We firmly believe that every pupil should have the opportunity to flourish. Through our House System, pupils are encouraged to become self-motivated, resilient, and aspirational individuals who are empowered to discover their strengths, develop new skills, and celebrate success. By participating in a wide range of experiences, pupils are supported to grow in confidence, deepen friendships, and build a strong sense of identity within the academy community.
In September 2025, our House System evolved even further to strengthen pupil engagement and personal development opportunities. Alongside our existing academic and sporting competitions, we introduced an expanded programme of fun, inclusive activities designed specifically to encourage pupils to step beyond their comfort zones within a supportive and team-focused environment. These experiences were created to develop confidence, communication, leadership, resilience, and teamwork, while ensuring participation remained enjoyable and accessible to all pupils.
By broadening the scope of House competitions, pupils are now encouraged to take part in challenges they may not have previously considered, helping them to discover new strengths, build self-belief, and develop a greater willingness to embrace unfamiliar experiences. Whether through creative challenges, problem-solving activities, team-building events, performance opportunities, or collaborative competitions, pupils are supported to take positive risks, work together, and learn valuable life skills that extend far beyond the classroom. This continued evolution reflects our commitment to ensuring that every pupil is challenged, inspired, and supported to achieve their full potential.
Our House System provides pupils with opportunities to take part in a broad and engaging range of activities, competitions, and events, many of which are closely linked to subjects across the National Curriculum. Events take place weekly during Personal Tutor time or after school and involve pupils from all year groups, helping to foster collaboration, teamwork, and community across the academy. Pupils are able to sign up for events on a termly basis, ensuring all activities are accessible and well attended.
To ensure every pupil has opportunities to participate and succeed, our events programme includes both sporting and academic activities, alongside enrichment opportunities designed to develop wider personal skills, offering something for everyone regardless of interests, confidence levels, or strengths. The events calendar is shared weekly through our Wednesday House Update and displayed prominently on House boards within the academy restaurant. We work closely with our Student Voice panel to ensure our House System remains engaging, inclusive, and impactful, reflecting the interests, ambitions, and developmental needs of our pupils.
Pupils are recognised and rewarded for their involvement and commitment through House Points, which are awarded for participation and completion of events. Winners receive additional points and certificates, presented during celebration assemblies at the end of each half term. Importantly, our House System values effort, courage, teamwork, and personal growth, ensuring that every pupil can experience pride, achievement, and a sense of responsibility regardless of the outcome. We recognise that for many pupils, simply taking part or trying something new can be a significant personal achievement, and this is celebrated equally within our House culture.
Our House names were selected by the Student Voice panel during the Summer Term of 2023 and are inspired by mythological Gods and Goddesses: Vulcan, the God of Fire; Tellus, the Goddess of Earth; Neptune, the God of Water; and Apollo, the God of the Sun. Each House consists of 10 Personal Tutor groups, with representation from every year group and opportunities for pupil leadership through Personal Tutor House Captains, Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4 House Captains, and Staff House Captains. These leadership roles empower pupils to take ownership, develop confidence, strengthen communication skills, and contribute positively to academy life.
We are immensely proud of the positive impact our House System continues to have on the lives of our pupils. We remain committed to ensuring every OHA-er feels valued, supported, and inspired to be part of something wider — a community where they can express themselves, challenge themselves, develop confidence, discover new strengths, and truly achieve beyond their horizons.
