Housepoints

The House System at BSK operates throughout the Primary and Secondary phases. Every BSK student belongs to one of four Houses: England, Ireland, Scotland or Wales.

Teachers award exactly two housepoints (one for achievement and one for attitude) in every Year 6-13 lesson, except perhaps some very small Upper Department or Sixth Form classes.

The two points will almost always be given to different students.

Achievement	diligence, creativity, critical thinking, homework, test result, neat work, etc
Attitude	honesty, courtesy, generosity, effort, teamwork, service, leadership, etc

Double Housepoint Days

On the final day of each school week (usually Thursday) double housepoints are awarded. This means that four points, instead of two, will be awarded in each lesson that day. At least one of the four points will be for achievement and at least one will be for attitude. Points arising from assessment lessons, competitions, other special reasons or which are given on a discretionary basis (as detailed below) are not doubled.

Assessment Lessons

Housepoints are not awarded during any lesson that is devoted entirely to formal assessment. Instead, the two points for that lesson will be carried over to the lesson in which the test results are issued. The top performing student will receive the achievement point and the student who has secured the greatest improvement or otherwise demonstrated the most effort will receive the attitude point.

Behaviour Points

Beginning in September 2013, behaviour points will be subtracted from housepoint totals. So, for example, a student who receives 65 housepoints but also receives 10 behaviour points has 55 points (Bronze Award), not 65 (Silver Award).

Downloads and Links

• To download a poster explaining the housepoint system, please click here.
• To see the names of the top housepoint winning students, please click here.
• To see the overall results of the Secondary House Competition, please click here.

Aims of the Housepoint System

• to provide quick recognition and positive reinforcement of various desired actions;
• to be quick and simple for Class Tutors and Department Coordinators to administer;
• to reinforce the school’s focus on both achievement and attitude;
• to have published criteria so that students know how they can gain housepoints;
• to be just as applicable in Year 13 as in Year 6, through self-differentiating criteria;
• to have in-built consistency, so that students see the system as being fair;
• transparency: students should be able to see what housepoints they have received;
• to provide students with a fresh start in every lesson;
• to tap into the positive peer pressure effect of winning for the House;
• to trigger known rewards when students reach certain numbers of housepoints;
• to be high profile, so that the system also reduces the need to issue sanctions.

Operation of the Housepoint System

• Housepoints are usually awarded towards the end of a lesson, as part of a review or plenary.
• Students must not ask their teacher for a housepoint or nominate another student for one, unless this has been permitted by the teacher as part of a self- or peer-assessment activity.
• Teachers will always explain why they awarded the achievement and attitude points.
• Teachers record housepoints during each lesson using the SIMS database.

Competitions

• Sports Day: 15 housepoints for Gold, 10 for Silver, 5 for Bronze, 3 for 4th place, 2 for 5th place and 1 for 6th place. Another 10 points will be awarded for setting a new school record.
• House Debating Competition: 1st placed debaters and researchers (up to 5 students per House) receive 20 points each, 2nd place 15 each, 3rd place 10 each and 4th place 5 each.
• Art and Design competitions: Students winning a first prize are awarded 20 points, 2nd place wins 10 points and 3rd place wins 5 points. Every entrant receives up to 5 points for their entry, depending on the competition.
• UKMT Maths Challenge: 20 points for Gold, 10 points for Silver and 5 points for Bronze. Every non-prizewinning entrant from the Middle Department (Junior Challenge), Upper Department (Intermediate Challenge) or Sixth Form (Senior Challenge) receives one point.
• British Physics Olympiad: 20 housepoints for Gold, 10 housepoints for Silver and 5 housepoints for Bronze in any of the Year 11, AS or A2 Challenges. Every non-prizewinning entrant receives one housepoint. Students who are selected to advance into the Flagship Competition will win a further 20 housepoints for Gold, 10 housepoints for Silver and 5 housepoints for either Bronze I or Bronze II.
• Year 5-8 Science Fair: 20 housepoints for the overall winner, 10 housepoints for other category winners and 5 housepoints for all other entrants.
• Year 9-13 ExxonMobil Science Fair: 10 points for each student whose project is placed in the Best 100 in Kuwait, and another 10 points for each student whose project ranks in the Top 10 or which wins an Excellence or Special Award.
• Botball Robotics Competition: Team members at the Middle East finals in Qatar will receive 10 points each. Supporting club members who do not travel to Qatar will receive 5 points each.
• STEM Quiz: 20 housepoints for each member of the winning team, 10 points for each member of the second placed team and 5 points for each member of the third placed team.
  
• Islam and Qur'an Competitions: 20 housepoints for first place, 15 points for second place, 10 points for third place and 5 points for each 4th, 5th or 6th placed student.
• Ministry Arabic Competitions: 20 housepoints for first place, 15 points for second place, 10 points for third place and 5 points for each 4th, 5th or 6th placed student.
• MD Book Week Competitions: In each of Years 6, 7 and 8, the winners of each of the Prose, Poetry and Book Cover competitions will receive 10 housepoints. Second placed students will receive 5 housepoints and third placed students will receive 3 housepoints. All other students placed in the top 10 in each of these nine competitions will receive one housepoint.
• Year 9 Share Trading Competition: The overall winner (or winners, as pairs are permitted) will receive 10 housepoints (each). Students ranked 2nd through 5th will receive 5 housepoints each. Students ranked 6th through 10th will receive 3 housepoints each.
• Year 9 Business Enterprise Competition: Members of the winning team will receive 20 housepoints each. Students in the second placed team will receive 10 points each and members of the third placed team will receive 5 points each.
• International Day Quiz: In each year group, the winner will receive 3 housepoints, the second placed student will receive 2 points and the third placed student will receive 1 point.
• BSME Debating Competitions: Each BSK team member will receive 5 points, with an additional 5 if the team reaches the semi-final, an additional 10 (total 15) if the team reaches the final and an additional 15 (total 20) if the team wins the competition.
• ISACK Sports Medallists: Every member of an ISACK championship winning squad (not just the team that played in the final) receives 20 housepoints. Members of second placed squads receive 10 points each and members of third placed squads receive 5 points each.
• ISACK Swimming Medallists: Each gold medal in races or relays wins 10 housepoints. Each silver medal wins 5 housepoints and each bronze medal wins 3 housepoints.
• BSME Sports Medallists: Every BSME gold medallist receives 20 housepoints, every silver medallist receives 10 housepoints and every bronze medallist receives 5 housepoints.
• MD Punctuality Competitions: Every term, all of the students in the tutor group (in each of Years 6-8) with the least number of instances of morning lateness win two housepoints each.
• Facebook Competitions: The first student to correctly answer a quiz question posted on the BSK Facebook page will receive one housepoint.

Special Achievements

• Music Festival Week: Every performer, whether in a group or solo, whether playing an instrument or singing, receives 10 housepoints - as do students with technical or managerial roles.
• ABRSM Music Examinations: 10 housepoints for passing any grade (Preparatory - Grade 8), 15 points for Merit (Grades 1-8) and 20 points for Distinction (Grades 1-8). Any student who passes an ABRSM Diploma will receive 30 housepoints.
• RAD Dance Examinations: 10 housepoints for passing any grade (Preparatory - Grade 8), 15 points for Merit (Grades 1-8) and 20 points for Distinction (Grades 1-8).
• International Award for Young People: From 2013-14, recipients of the International Award will also receive housepoints: 10 for Bronze, 20 for Silver or 30 for Gold.
• Awards Evening: The Qur'an reader and each performer receives 10 housepoints.
• Festival of Achievement: The Qur'an reader and each performer receives 10 housepoints.
• Drama Productions: Every student who performs (either in a major or supporting role), has a technical role or performs a managerial function in the Middle Department Production, Senior School Show or a major BAIA production receives 10 housepoints.
• Excellence Awards: Recipients of Excellence Awards each receive 30 housepoints.
• Club Zero: Students who receive no behaviour points in any of Terms 1, 2, 3 or 4 will receive 10 housepoints for each term of Club Zero membership.

Housepoints for Service to the School Community

• Librarians who perform their duties well may earn up to one housepoint per week.
• Secondary School Councillors will receive one housepoint for each meeting they attend.
• National Anthem musicians will receive up to one housepoint per week.
• Students who help at the afterschool Science Club may earn up to one housepoint per week.
• Students who assist at the IGCSE Information Evening will receive up to 3 housepoints.
• Students who help at the annual Visions art exhibition may receive up to 3 housepoints.
• Sixth Formers who help at the BAS/BAIA Carnival may receive up to 5 housepoints.
• Students who help to organise or run a charity event may receive up to 5 housepoints.
• Participate in an assembly. The Department Coordinator may give you a housepoint.

Discretionary Housepoints

Department Coordinators, the Head Teacher and/or the Principal may reward exceptional achievements or attitudes by awarding up to two housepoints each. In addition, House Heads may award up to two housepoints to any student in their House who makes a special contribution to a House event.

Rewards for Gaining Housepoints

• The Award thresholds are based on the following net points totals:

Bronze	Silver	Gold	Platinum	Diamond	Double Gold	Double Platinum	Double Diamond
30	60	90	120	150	180	240	300

• Names and points (Silver or above) are published each week on the BSK Facebook page.
• Certificates are issued at the end of the school year for the highest award level achieved.
• The names of students who receive at least a Gold Award are archived on this website.
• Winter and summer reports include students' housepoints and behaviour points.