The traditions we share and respect at Northlands strengthen the feeling of identification with our roots and with our commitment to educating honorable individuals, whose ethics will lead them to freely choose what is right. The Houses, the Student Council, the Captains, the Prefects and the Head Students are intended to integrate and generate spaces of participation and healthy competence among the students, since they should assume the responsibility of organizing different activities, representing their fellows, leading their groups and setting permanent example for all the students at School.
The Captain is a student who has excelled in academic, sport and service activities organized by her/his house. The Captains should also have the following qualities: leadership, communication, sense of justice and service.
Some of the Year 12 students are elected as Prefects by their classmates and teachers. These students are the ones who best embody the values of the School and they have earned the respect of the community and constitute a model for the other students. The Prefects are part of the Senior Council and they have certain responsibilities such us working in alliance with the tutors, cooperating with the organization of assemblies and representing the School at public events.
A prefect should have reached a relatively high academic level, be involved in extra curricular activities and be somebody who is committed to the School motto of Friendship and Service.
The Prefect with the largest number of votes becomes Head Girl/Boy, pending the approval of the Headmistress/Headmaster. Among the Head Student´s Duties are: organise the Student Council, chair regular meetings with the Senior Council and represent the school on formal occasions.
The Senior Council is composed by the students who have been elected as Prefects, Head Student and Deputy Head Student who conduct monthly meeting with the School authorities to exchange and discuss ideas relevant to the general well being of the School.
Students choose one class representative and one deputy representative for the Student Council. The Student Council’s function is to bring forward any doubts, suggestions or ideas to the Heads, promoting responsible social participation.
HOUSES
Since the early years at Northlands, our founder Miss Winifred Brightman was inspired by 4 exceptional women that during the past centuries had devoted their lives to helping others through selfless, brave and caring actions that had significant contributions to their communities and countries and are consequently the living example of our school motto “Friendship & Service”: These women were Edith Cavell, Elizabeth Fry, Helen Keller and Florence Nightingale. It is through each of their names that our School houses came to life. Each represented by a colour and generating school spirit through healthy competitive activities either academic or non academic, or merely as a form of grouping individuals to further strengthen bonds among them.
Starting Primary, students and their families are assigned one of these houses that will remain throughout their school life and beyond. Children and siblings of former pupils belong to the same house as a tradition. Throughout their school life they will engage in endless activities representing their house and adding points that build up during each year through diverse initiatives and healthy competitions. It is fun to watch how students and their families root full heartedly for their house in the different events.
