Holly Park Houses
At Holly Park all of our children from year 1 to year 6 belong to one of our five houses. Siblings belong to the same house.
The ‘House system’ was set up at Holly Park over 10 years ago. Originally, the children and teachers put forward ideas about possible House names. Ideas such as planets, birds and famous people were put forward. The outcome of a vote resulted in the names of mythical beasts being chosen to represent the five houses.
Our five houses are :
- Griffin – yellow
- Hydra – blue
- Phoenix – red
- Unicorn – black
- Dragon – green
Each house has three captains from year six.
Here are the house captains for 2016-17:
Children at the school collect house points across each week for good effort, good manners, polite behaviour etc. These house points are added up each week. The winning house is presented with a cup for the week. Results are reported in the weekly newsletter.
We hold house challenges each term when the children from across the school work together in different age groupings within their houses to do various challenges to earn points for their house.
Past house challenges have included – choral verse, tower building, pancake races, relay races, poetry, a bake off and a potato Olympics.
At the junior sports day, the children race in house groups to earn points for their house.
House points are collected across the year and are added up to give a total .The house with the most points for the year is presented with the Margaret Maxwell Shield.
Each term Holly Park has a House Challenge
Flipping fantastic Spring House Challenge
Everyone enjoyed our Spring Term House Challenge. In House groups, the children had to run around a cone and back tossing pancakes in a frying pan as they went. Not as easy as it looks!
Anti Bullying Week and Our Autumn Term House Challenge
Our Autumn Term House Challenge was linked with Anti Bullying. The children worked in mixed age groups in their houses. So we had Years 1&2 Dragons together, Years 3&4 Dragons together, years 5&6 Dragons together etc. Each team had to work together to write an anti bullying poem. The teachers read out some examples of published poems and then the children brainstormed ideas and in small groups began to write their own. At the end of the session, they read out their poems to the group. The teachers scored their whole group out of 20 marks for their teamwork, commitment, creativity and ability to communicate the main message of anti bullying. The children really enjoyed the activity.
Anti Bullying Poems
The Power of Good
It makes me sad
It makes me mad
Be the ‘Power of Good’
Don’t be a Bully
It makes me feel woolly
Be the ‘Power Of Good’
By Year 1 & 2 Griffin (Talia, Sana, Luka & Lena)
You make me feel sad but you’ll soon feel bad,
When you kick you make me feel sick.
You make me cry when you are sly.
When I eat my lunch you give me a punch,
When you hit you make me quit,
When you’re blamed you should be ashamed.
If you care you should share,
It’s not fair you pull my hair,
It’s time to end
You need to make a friend.
By Year 1 & 2 Hydra
Don’t Be a Bully Be a Buddy!
Don’t be a fool bullying is not cool.
It’s mean, hurtful and horrid.
Don’t be a bully be a buddy!
Don’t push, don’t fight, don’t do it day or night,
Don’t be a bully be a buddy!
Be good, be kind, be very very nice,
Just tell someone if you’re being bullied and their evil plan will be undone,
Don’t be a bully be a buddy!
By Year 1 & 2 Dragon (Ella and Cecilia)
Be kind when you are in the class,
Be kind to everyone you meet,
Don’t push me on the slide,
Don’t shout at other people.
Don’t kick, don’t push playing football,
Play nicely in the playground.
I will ignore you, I will walk away if you are fighting
I will talk firmly when you are rude
I will report you when you are going to bully me!
By Year 1 & 2 Phoenix
How I Feel
The pain and sorrow that beats in my heart,
I’m upset and alone this is only the start.
Bullying is bad, it makes people sad,
And I know that you bullies are very very glad,
But the beauty of friends will shine in the night,
And bullies hearts will be full of fright.
Because happiness will glow while we’re young
That’s why we sing this song
All bullies will get a second chance
What you need to do is shake my hand
We will make a stand!
Don’t be a bully!
Don’t be a fool
Stick to the rules!
By Year 3 & 4 Phoenix (Aneesha, Mia & Adrien)
A Bully Story
Once upon a time
There was a boy called Troy
Troy liked to annoy people filled with joy.
He was a bully, we know that fully!
He loved to bully Sid because he was a little kid.
So little Sid hid.
On the way to school, Troy was cruel.
He threw a stone at Mr Verlone!
He calls people names but never gets the blame
He does not show shame.
He didn’t have any friends because he was against.
By Year 3 & 4 Dragons (Alice, Salome, Mattan & Harry)
Bullying is bad, it makes me very sad,
Don’t ever think it’s right,
Because you will get in a fight.
Don’t ever try to bully,
If you do then you are silly.
Don’t do it day or night because….
You will lose your friends and it will not be alright!
By Year 3 & 4 Hydra (Kyira & Monica)
Beat the bully
Understand not to be a bully
Leave me alone and go away
Let’s all be friends
You’re just a fool – be cool!
If you are a bully you are silly
Never be nasty, be a buddy,
Gather up together and stand up for each other!
By Year 3 & 4 Griffin (Toby & Abubakar)
Being Bullied
Being bullied is no fun
It makes me run,
Bullies are evil,
Bullies are mean.
They are just jealous of me!
Bullies are annoying,
Bullies are a pain,
They make me so scared,
To even talk!
They are frustrating,
Bullies hurt me,
I feel small and angry!
They harm me because
They are lonely,
They make me upset,
They make me sad,
STOP! You’re being BAD!
They are mean,
They are foolish,
Why do they harm people?
By Year 3 & 4 Unicorn (Marc, Sefat, Esther & Irem)
Why Do I bully?
Why do I bully?
Let me think
Is it because I’m insecure or
Is it because you’re different?
Why am I asking myself this question?
I really haven’t a clue
Is it coz I hate myself or
Is it because I hate you?
Why do I do this?
Please tell me why
Why do I do this?
It makes me want to cry.
I should just stop!
By Year 5 &6 Dragon (Natalya, Callum & Michaela)
Mr Bully
I am just a nobody
With a different skin
On the outside I look fine,
On the inside I feel pain.
I feel shame at my self,
Because you call me names.
Please Mr Bully help me ease
I’m just a kid so accept me please!
I wish I could play,
But you call me lame
Mr Bully you take away my rights,
Why do you do this?
Is it because I’m bright?
Why do you kick me?
Why do you punch me?
I’m just the same as you.
MrBully I don’t know what I have done,
Please just let me have some fun!
By Year 5 & 6 Unicorn (Parsa, Ankit & Eurico)
Give Bullying The Sack
STOP TALKING BEHIND MY BACK
Stop talking behind my back.
Stop giving me dirty looks.
You make me feel as though I’m a disgrace.
Sometimes you talk straight to my face.
Deep down inside, do you need a warm embrace?
Why do you talk about my race?
It doesn’t matter if I’m white or black.
Stop talking behind my back.
Bullying is a big mistake.
Rumours and gossip and lying,
Just leave me crying.
Stop talking behind my back.
Do you believe in the ‘Power of Good?’
Well – I’m gonna use it.
I hope you’ve understood.
Stop talking behind my back!
By Year 5 & 6 Phoenix (Piotr, Dayna, Zane & David)
Bullied
Alone, alone, alone,
No-one to talk to,
No-one to confront.
Scared to show myself,
Scared to make a fuss.
Sad, sad, sad,
Why does this have to be so bad?
Will it ever stop?
Will they ever realise?
Down, down, down,
I wish I could turn this frown around.
Will they ever know how much they’re hurting me?
All the other kids are having fun,
As happy as can be.
Everyone is having fun,
All except me!
By Year 5 & 6 Griffin (Millie, Maddie, Gia & Beyza)
The Start Of Something Horrible!
The start of something horrible,
The victim will feel blue.
WHO TO TRUST?
WHO TO TRUST?
WHO TO TRUST?
Bad messages every night,
You always tell me – Do you want a fight?
You think it’s everlasting,
But someone will come through,
Though you may not believe it,
But adults are here for you.
To help you when you’re down,
To help you through to the new.
WHAT TO DO?
WHAT TO DO?
WHAT TO DO?
By Year 5 & 6 Hydra (Najma, Izabela & Tara)
Summer Term House Challenge
It is nearly time for the Euros which are being held in France this year. Teams from all over Europe will be competing. Several of the staff will be supporting different teams – Mr Carini – Italy, Mr Hogan – Ireland, Mrs Mehtar – France and Mrs Thomas – England. In the lead up to the Euros our house challenge involved dribbling a football around a cone as many times as possible before the bell went. Congratulations to Hydra who scored the most points and runs in the time!
Autumn House Challenge
Autumn Term House Challenge had a feel of the Rugby World Cup!! Children ran in their houses with a rugby ball to score a ‘Try’ and then run and pass to the next team member.
The children began on the first bell and continued running and touching down with the rugby ball until the bell rang again after about 15 minutes. The children were paired up in year groups: Year 2 worked with year 5, Year 6 with Year 1 and Year 3 with Year 4. Great fun was had by all.
Congratulations to Hydra who won.
Summer Term House Challenge
The week before half term we had our Summer Term House Challenge. The children took part in skipping races in their houses to earn points for their house.
We paired up our younger and our older children together. We had Year 1 and Year 6 together, Year 3 and year 4 together and Year 2 and Year 5 together. The sun shone and the children had lots of fun working together, supporting each other and cheering each other on in a spirit of community and friendship whilst at the same time enjoying healthy competition. The results are below.
Hydra 500 points
Dragon 400 points
Unicorn 300 points
Phoenix 300 points
Griffin 200 points
Well done Hydra
Spring Term House Challenge – Choral Verse
On the last day of half term we held our Spring Term House Challenge. This challenge was a choral verse competition where the children had to learn a poem in a group and perform it in front of an audience and a panel of judges.
Years 1,3 and 5 were mixed together and years 2,4 and 6 were mixed together. Mrs Bawcombe organised the event. The groups worked together for a time and gained points for their team work and cooperation.
We all enjoyed watching the performances in the afternoon. There were judges who awarded performance points based on volume, clarity of expression, pace, sound effects, actions and other criteria.
Here are the houses working together.
Here are some poems to listen to!
This is Griffin:
Here is Unicorn:
And here is Dragon:
Summer Term House Challenge
For our summer term house challenge we took on the theme of the World Cup.
The children were in mixed teams – Y5 and 6 together, Y3 &4 together and Y1&2 together. In their house teams they had to dribble the football around a human bollard and back to their team. They had to keep going and get as many runs as they could before the bell rang.
Spring Term House Challenge
On 14th February we had our Spring Term House Challenge. Linked with Valentine’s Day, the theme was about the love of learning and the love of Holly Park School.
The challenge was based on the Learning Skills of team work and creativity but also involved communicating and listening. After having seen some good examples of other murals, the mixed age group teams were challenged to design a new wall mural for the infant playground to replace the old one which is looking rather tired.
There were so many lovely ideas on many of the pieces of work that we have decided to create a mural made up of elements from many pieces of the work produced. The mural will be created on the infant wall during the Summer when the wall is dry.
Results were :
First Phoenix 500 points
Second Griffin 400 points
Third Unicorn 300 points
Fourth Hydra 200 points
Fifth Dragon 100 points
Our Autumn term House Challenge was making scarecrows for our allotment.
The children worked in groups to make a scarecrow for their House. Y1 & Y2 worked together, Y3 & Y4 worked together and Y5 & Y6 worked together.
Altogether we made 15 scarecrows for the allotment – that should keep the birds away!
Here are the children making their scarecrows with old uniform stuffed with newspapers.
And here are the finished scarecrows!
Our Summer term House Challenge was about tennis.
The house challenge was held on June 21. The challenge was to bounce a tennis ball on a tennis racquet round a human bollard and return to where they started for which each house gained a point.
The event was divided into Infants, Lower Juniors and Upper Juniors. The children then all came together in the hall where Mr Maxwell calculated the overall scores.
All the children had lots of fun and showed great skill and commitment in this House challenge.
Our Autumn term House Challenge was The Potato Olympics!
In house teams, Years 5 and 6, Years 3 and 4 and Years 1 and 2 created a ‘spudlete’ which competed in a range of challenging elite sports (Potato Sprint; Potato High Jump; Potato Shot Put; Potato Long Jump; Potato Weightlifting and Potato Diving).
Points were given for success in each event and for teamwork skills. 500 housepoints were given to the house who collected the most Potato Olympic points.
Holly Park Primary School 