Why do private schools in the UK have houses

Question

I was looking at some private schools in Scotland (Heriots and George Watson's) and I noticed they have houses why is this? I noticed that they have competitions between the houses to see who gets the most points at the end of the school year. In state run schools they don't have this (or maybe some do) when I was at school we didn't have houses. Also why don't state run schools have the same PE lessons as private schools IE hockey, rugby, tennis, and rowing or horse riding is it because of the expense if my child went to a state run school and they offered these activities but at extra cost I would be willing to contribute. I have always wondered about the sports at state run schools versus privately funded schools.

Answer 1

It's not nessacerily just private schools that have houses, both my primary and secondary schools have had houses, you have termly competitions like you said but where I live every school has houses - think of it like harry potter houses compete in order to win prizes or longer break / lunchtimes.

and although you pay for private schooling it is also privately funded often by churches or people with more money than sense - depening on the religion or faith that the school follows meaning it has more money than many public schools.

and often private schools have compulsary extra curricular activities such as horse riding rowing and often quad biking.

most public schools will offer this aswell as surfing etc but these activities are often overpriced meaning only a few people participate in them resulting in the school thinking offering these activities is pointless and therefore many schools no longer offer this service.

hope I helpedxx

Answer 2

OK im in rugby school and it as over 500 years... the schools were allways in competition... houses are used for boarders and its a great way to make the school better and gain more money.

This are sports that rich public in uk schools use golf. tennis. rugby, sailing, cricket etc...

Answer 3

Because when they first opened they were bought as an estate and the person who owned it lived there and opened the school in their home grounds as a sort of 'home business'.

The schools tend to have the same sports nowadays. It's just that the school fee's may cover a module like horse riding where as in a state school funding would cover that so parents may have to pay around £2 a week for the six week block.

Answer 4

hi

lots of schools have house systems which encourgae chn to try harder in sports and all academic work for rewards at the end of year or term.  My school runs them successfully and each child is in the same house team as their siblings which also encourages team work and collaborative learning,

hope this helped.

Answer 5

The state school I went to has Houses - the points for good work and sports events went towards the House that had the most points had a fun day away from school during the summer term.

Hockey, Rugby, Tennis, Sailing and Bowls are standard sports at my school.

Answer 6

Both the junior school and secondary schools I went to had houses which we competed in (both were state schools).  ALthough during my time in secondary school the points seemed to phase out although the houses stayed.  In junior school we got points for various reasons, eg improving in something like reading, getting full marks in a spelling/maths test.  In secondary school we got the opportunity to play tennis for part of the summer, the girls played hockey in winter and the boys played rugby.  In junior school we played short tennis.