House Cup 2026
Congratulations to Richmond House, winners of this year's House Cup. And a big thank you to all of this year's House Officials teams who have led the entire school through so many challenges and competitions. It's been a brilliant year for each and every House, and you should all be really proud of all that you have achieved.
Richmond House Officials reflect on the year just passed,
"As a House, the feeling of winning the House Cup is one of elation coupled with a deep sense of reward. This past year has been defined by dedication, energy, and hard work from the entire House, making the win a hugely gratifying outcome.
Consistency has been what resulted in the victory for Richmond this year. As a team, we maintained the view throughout the programme of House events since last spring that a consistent Top 3 placing in each event was what would give us the greatest chance of success. Missing out on the win in larger events, such as Drama, Music, and Dance, was at times demoralising, and failed to adequately recognise Richmond’s huge efforts. However, the overall result was testament to the remarkable effort of each and every member of the House that was sustained throughout the year, demonstrating the resilience and commitment of our incredible cohort of Richmonders.
What is truly special about Richmond is the loyalty and dedication of every individual. Victory was only a possibility if we as a House Official team could rely on students lower down the school to participate in and commit to each event, regardless of how far outside their comfort zone they were asked to go. Everyone who took part in an event this year should take huge pride from this win, as that was due to their hard work and commitment, both in showcasing their talents but also in participating out of loyalty to and love for the House.
It is impossible, however, to reference this past year of House events without mentioning the other Houses. We as a House Official team learnt a great deal from the other House Official teams and the conduct of other Houses, and it was due to this fierce competition that we constantly strove to improve. The Cup could have gone to anyone, and we felt privileged to compete alongside four brilliant teams over the course of the year.
For us as a House Official team, winning the House Cup feels totally surreal, and, at times, unbelievable. Richmond had not won the House Cup since 2020, Year 7 for our team of House Officials, which motivated us even further, yet even with the dedicated set of Richmonders that we worked with this year, it seemed like a distant dream given the long stretch of having to settle for something other than the prize. We are so proud, of ourselves but predominantly of the House as a whole, and also gratified that everyone’s exceptionally hard work paid off to secure us the overall win. It is hard to explain to anyone that has not been immersed in the House System at Pate’s the immense emotion of winning, but it is a deep sense of pride, joy, and love for the House, that we will all be able to hold onto for a long time to come."
Reflections from Beaufort House Officials 2025 - 2026
From the announcement assembly to the handover assembly, being a Head Official for Beaufort has been an unforgettable year that has exceeded all of my expectations. Every House Official team we have had during my time in Beaufort has shaped my passion and ambition for the house system, and I am so grateful that I have had the opportunity to be in that same position and hopefully inspire the next generation of Beaufort Officials to continue giving their all for the house. It has been the greatest pleasure to work with the most amazing team around me this year, and watching our performances transform from ideas on a page to stories on stage has been unbelievably rewarding.
Throughout the year, we created a cosmic journey in House Music, ran laps of the school field in House Cross Country, became Manchester City’s football team in House Swimming Gala, created hybrid creatures in House Art, brought team spirit to a number of House Sports, and put our brains to the test in House Maths Challenge and University Challenge, to name a few, but here were my top three moments.
Starting in May with a win in Sports Day kicked our year off to the most amazing start, thanks to the dedication of everyone who took part. We carried this momentum forward to House Drama when we selected 'The Greatest Showman'. Writing the script, choreographing dances, and creating the set as a team - which the whole house then brought to life - was an exhausting but unforgettable few weeks, and the hard work of every member of the house resulted in our second win of the year. Sitting at the front of the stage and hearing the judge announce Beaufort as the winners, breaking down into tears, and celebrating with the rest of the house has to be my favourite moment of the year and a memory I will never forget.
My final highlight was our House Dance performance. Through group dances and solos, we presented the theme of 'Growing Up'. Starting with the House Officials’ dance, we took a trip through our childhood and brought out our Year 7 ‘Mini-Mes’ before working our way through the year groups to our whole-house dance. As our last stage event at Pate’s, to come away with the win and Best Choreography was incredible, and I couldn’t have been prouder of everyone.
Pate’s has been such a special place for me over the past seven years, and the House System has given me experiences that I will take forward with me forever. Well done to all of the Houses this year, the standard has been insane. Good luck to the new House Officials, you are going to smash it, and thank you to all the teachers for their support it has been amazing.
Isla (Year 13).
Leading Beaufort has been one of the biggest honours of my life, something I have dreamed of doing since joining Pate’s 7 years ago. Being able to create such incredible performances, lead such talented people, and foster an exciting atmosphere for each member of the House has ended my time at Pate’s with memories I’ll cherish for the rest of my life. I have been super fortunate to share the role with 11 other amazing House Officials, and getting to bond so strongly with them has been an absolute pleasure and together we created an unforgettable year:
- Sports Day: one of our first experiences in leadership, and an incredible day, seeing us win thanks to the athletic prowess of the whole of Beaufort
- Drama: crafting an unforgettable production of The Greatest Showman, taking home the win once again and making me and plenty of the House Officials cry
- Music: each performance was so special, the musical talent on display was phenomenal, and arranging the pieces was so much fun
- Dance: winning this one too, with the highlight being the adorable House Official dance with ‘Mini-Me’s
- University challenge: coming a valiant second to a fantastic York team
Each event (the many not listed included) has given me a newfound gratitude for being in the position of Head Official. It is such a privilege, and something I will hold close to me for years. Every House Official team is different, has its own spirit and connection, and ours was built on passion and togetherness, making the last year so rewarding and enjoyable. Every good thing must come to an end sooner or later, and as the brilliant new team takes our place, I want to thank every staff member who has helped us, every person in Beaufort for showing up and having fun, and finally, the amazing House Official team around me who have made the last year so special.
Will (Year 13).
Reflections from Gloucester House Officials 2025 - 2026
Leading Gloucester this past year has been an amazing experience for all of us, and it’s something we’ll definitely look back on. More than anything, it’s been great seeing everyone actually get involved and enjoy moments together; that energy across the year is what really made it.
Winning big events like Music and Swimming were definite highlights for us. The feeling in those moments is out of this world - having absolutely everyone celebrating together is really hard to beat.
At the same time, there were some great displays of talent in the smaller events too, where people who might not usually be in the spotlight stepped up and had their chance to shine. Seeing different people contribute in their own ways made a big difference and really showed what the House is about!
Leading Gloucester this past year has been an amazing experience for all of us, and it’s something we’ll definitely look back on. More than anything, it’s been great seeing everyone actually get involved and enjoy moments together; that energy across the year is what really made it.
Winning big events like Music and Swimming were definite highlights for us. The feeling in those moments is out of this world - having absolutely everyone celebrating together is really hard to beat. At the same time, there were some great displays of talent in the smaller events too, where people who might not usually be in the spotlight stepped up and had their chance to shine. Seeing different people contribute in their own ways made a big difference and really showed what the house is about!
Welcome to our new House Officials teams and all the best for your year ahead.
