Whether you are a sturdy Elm, a mighty Oak or a robust Ash it is what you put in that determines how you grow.

The House system at Tytherington School House is integral to building an ethos of pride, healthy competition and collaboration, and a sense of achievement amongst students.

The House system promotes a sense of belonging, identity and solidarity amongst our students and staff, with an aim of promoting participation and connection across all year groups. Through House events and competitions, students and staff can take an active part in school life which maintains a healthy and positive atmosphere throughout the entire Tytherington School community.

Our Houses

Tytherington School’s Houses are named after three trees that grace our landscape and have, for thousands of years, been a source of inspiration, shelter, industrialism and wonder.

Within the House system, as with the trees that represent the Houses, strong roots provide opportunity for all to flourish.

House Name	Ash	Elm	Oak
House Logo
House Colour	Green	Light Blue	Dark Blue
Staff Head of House	Ms Cath Linaker	Mrs Kirsty Pearson	Mr Dave Fitzsimmons
Interesting Info	Ash, or European ash as it is sometimes known, is related to olive trees and occurs naturally throughout much of Europe and western parts of Asia. The ash tree, called Uinnseann in Gaelic, has strong links in with the Vikings, but also has its place in British folklore. Yggdrasil, the World Tree in Viking mythology, was an Ash. In British folklore the ash was credited with a range of protective and healing properties, most frequently related to child health. Ash wood is very strong, tough and elastic, and it is said that a joint of ash will bear more weight than any other wood. Chariot and coach axles were made of ash as were oars and tool handles.	Elm often has multiple large branches coming off its smoothly barked main trunk quite low down on the tree, which give it a broad, spreading crown. In Greek mythology, the hero Orpheus, having rescued his beloved wife Eurydice from the Underworld by enchanting everyone there with his harp music, paused to play her a love song, at which spot the first Elm grove was said to have sprung up. In Celtic mythology, too, Elm trees were associated with the Underworld and had a special affinity with elves. Elm wood withstands wet conditions very well, making it a popular choice for the building of boat and barge hulls, bridge foundations, and cartwheels.	Oaks are members of the beech family and are long-lived trees which grow relatively slowly, at least in their initial years, but reaching up to 40 metres in height. To the Greeks, Romans, Celts, Slavs and Teutonic tribes the oak was foremost amongst venerated trees, and in each case associated with the supreme god in their pantheon, oak being sacred to Zeus, Jupiter, Dagda, Perun and Thor, respectively. Oak wood is favoured for its strength and durability, used in the construction of many timbered houses. Artists use its even-grained, honey-coloured beauty for carving and turning. Oak galls (i.e. Oak apples) give a strong black dye from which ink was made.

The House Year and House Cup & Flags

The ‘House Year’ at Tytherington School runs from Easter to Easter, allowing opportunity for all year groups to celebrate their House’s overall achievements at the whole school Easter assembly – before Year 11 & 13 students begin their examinations. At the Easter assembly, the overall House Cup will be awarded to the Student and Staff Heads of House of the House that has received the most points through House Events and Competitions during the House Year. The winning House will also receive the honour of having their flag fly on the school flag pole for the whole of the next House Year.

House Events & Competitions

Our House Events give students and staff opportunity to participate in events without a competitive element to the proceedings. Students and staff can earn participation points for their Houses through taking part in the events, but no form of judging or additional scoring will take place.

Our House Competitions provide students and staff with the opportunity to participate and score additional points for their House through the results that they achieve.

Students and staff can propose House Events & Competitions to become part of the House Year – Please do so by emailing Mr Pilbury and Mrs Pearson.

Schedule

Events & Competition Scoring

Events Participation

Each student and member of staff will receive 3 points for participating in a House Event. These will be totalled up following each event and added to the points progressing towards the overall House Cup.

House-tings

‘House-tings’ takes place in September and October. They are a celebration of the House System and the time when students put themselves forward to become House Captains (within their respective Tutor Groups) and Student Heads of House.

House Captains and Student Heads of House will work closely with the Staff Head of House to lead their respective Houses, encouraging engagement in House events and competitions, and planning and organising charity events. Student Heads of House are voted for by the members of each respective House and are considered senior leaders of their House with the responsibility for ensuring that their House Captains team works well together.

Each student that makes an application will receive 3 points for participating in the ‘House-tings’ event. Emails inviting students to apply are sent to their Office 365 Email Accounts in September – click here to go to Office 365.

Run Macc Fest

Held annually, late in September, the Macc Run Fest is a Macclesfield community event that brings many people together to run a range of distances. Each participant’s entry raises funds for local charities. One of which is Just Drop-In, who support our counselling provision in school.

Any student running in the Macc Run Fest will receive 3 points for participating.

Macclesfield Castle Rotary Swimming Gala

Held annually in March, the Macclesfield Castle Rotary Swimming Gala is a community event that brings many young swimmers together to compete.

Any student that enters and competes within the Macclesfield Castle Rotary Swimming Gala will receive 3 points for participating.

House Competitions (not including the M@ths Challenge & Athletics Championship – see below)

Each student that participates receives 3 points, with additional points being awarded based on the positions of each House at the end of the competition:

M@ths Challenge

Each student that competes within a M@ths Challenge Team will receive the points that they achieve through their team’s success in the challenges. Therefore receiving at least 1 point for participation, with additional points being received through success in the challenges.

Athletics Championship

Each student that competes will receive the points that they achieve through their position in the events that they enter. Therefore receiving at least 1 point for participation, with additional points being received through their position.

Charity

Each of our Houses will choose a charity or cause to raise funds for during the House Year and then organise events for that purpose. One House Point will be awarded for every pound raised.

If a House requests a non-uniform day as a fundraising event, it must include other fundraising activities as part of the day.

Achievement Points

Every student in Years 7-11 will feed into the Achievement Points competition for their House through working hard and ensuring their conduct is appropriate. Points will increase during the year and be added to the progress towards the overall House Cup through the following calculation:

Attendance

All students will provide points for their House through their own Attendance percentage. This is the only figure that could both increase and decrease during the year and is worked out using the following calculation: