House Spirit
Teamwork, participation and community spirit are essential elements of the Ravenswood House system, which provides students with an opportunity to build meaningful connections with one another.
Houses were first introduced at Ravenswood in 1930 under Headmistress Miss Frances Craig, with additional Houses added in later years. All Junior School students and staff are placed in one of the Houses: Stuart, Tudor, Windsor or York.
Ravenswood’s House system fosters RAVO spirit, leadership, gratitude and service by creating a community within a community – a peer-supported environment. This includes opportunities for cross-year mentoring across the Junior and Senior Schools and closer relationships with all peers in the same House, creating camaraderie and a sense of belonging.
Students proudly wear their House colours to carnivals, encourage teammates competing for their House, and decorate the House boards in their colours. In Junior School, House teachers also actively engage with the students and encourage them to take part in House activities.
Students participate in their House for Debating, Swimming, Diving, Athletics and Cross-Country. All students can gain points for their House throughout the year, and the House Shield is awarded to the winning House at the Junior School Presentation Ceremony at the end of year.
Leadership
In Kindergarten to Year 2, students are encouraged to become responsible organisers and positive role models. Class leadership roles are shared, helping to ensure an inclusive culture.
In Years 3 to 6, each class elects Class Captains every term, and a Student Representative Council member and Green Team representative each year.
All Year 6 students have the opportunity to take up additional leadership roles, including Buddy Leader, Tech Team Leader, Chapel Monitor, Morning Lines Presenter and Library Monitor. There are also Sports Team Captains, as well as House Captains in the areas of Community and Wellbeing, Sustainability, Creative and Performing Arts, and Sport.
We are committed to developing the leadership potential of every student and believe that this begins in the early years. Ravenswood’s Guiding Principles of Excellence, Respect, Optimism, Courage and Compassion promote positive leadership behaviour and skills in all students.
Student Representative Council
As the student voice, Junior School Student Representative Council (SRC) members discuss and action ideas, provide feedback to their classes and present information at Junior School Assemblies. The SRC fundraises throughout the year and the money raised is directed towards projects chosen by the students.
Each year, the SRC also assists with the student-led Spirit Week initiatives and other School events, in collaboration with student leaders in the Senior School. SRC initiatives are often linked to the IB PYP ‘Who we Are’ Units of Inquiry.
Green Team
The student-elected Green Team comprises representatives from Years 3 to 6. These include four Year 6 Sustainability Captains, who take leadership responsibility in the Junior School.
The group meets regularly under the guidance of a teacher-mentor to discuss, plan and organise initiatives that support environmental sustainability. These initiatives are often linked to the IB PYP ‘Sharing the Planet’ Units of Inquiry.
The Green Team’s initiatives provide the School and the wider community with opportunities to be involved in environmentally sustainable projects – reducing waste, developing sustainable practices for the future and encouraging active participation in local, national and international environmental initiatives.
