Death of the House Tie?

bradford_yellow_small Greenwich_lilac_small havelock_black_small latimer_lime_small norwich_marron_small Plym_tie_blue_small Severn_green_small sheffield_tie_red_small

On the front page of the Kingham Hill School website (http://www.kinghamhill.org.uk) there was a survey is being taken, primarily aimed at current pupils and their parents about the KHS uniform, although input from other interested parties is welcome. This survey has now been removed after the school's website went offline earlier this month.

At first glance the feedback the school seeks does, in practical terms, only affect current wearers of the KHS uniform. There is however one question with a great deal of significance in an historical context and could significantly impact the core value of the house system today and in the future.

The question asks if the individually coloured House Tie should be abandoned?

Rather than complete a survey on questions which do not affect you we ask you for your thoughts on this very specific question and will of course forward the results of the vote and any comments you make on to the school.

Here are some open questions to consider;

Is there any significant financial benefit to current parents by removing the need to buy a house tie?
Would the theory of inter-house competition and house team spirit be affected or is it being abandoned?
If the only item that identifies you with your house is removed what will that actually achieve?
Should the long history of house colours be continued or consigned to the past?
Were you proud of your house colour, if so how important was it to you then?
How important do you think a house tie is in the modern world?
Do you feel strongly about this issue or does it have no relevance?

Answer our KHSD survey question (you can only vote once and your vote is anonymous!) and / or make your views known by posting a comment on this article or if you wish to start a debate to examine the issues then feel free to start a forum topic on the subject.

Should we KEEP House Ties?

	SCREAM YES!
	Shout YES!
	I think yes
	Why change things?
	Not an issue
	Change is good
	I think no
	Shout NO!
	SCREAM NO!

Comments

#7 Peter Ellis Rozycki 2010-11-28 22:29

[quote name="Peter Ellis Rozycki"]Team clours are like House ties.

That should be 'team colours' - sorry! Pete

#6 Peter Ellis Rozycki 2010-11-28 19:41

Simon - I thought that was probably the reason, don't take it as criticism, in fact I have no idea what the colours are now with the changes of houses.

Mike Kent - Agree again. Left to their own devices, without guidance, children will invent their own gangs anyway with their own colours and sense of pride. It's one of the driving forces of adolescence, a need to belong. And sport needn't be everything, one can shine and excel in other areas, even with disadvantages. And yes help the less able, that was a central plank of the CEBY ethos. If we want excellent future footballers and sportsmen/women it needs to start early. If everybody gets the same number of goals at a football match who would bother to turn up? Team clours are like House ties. Incidentally Mike, Frank, Durham was the best house and I still have the unbroken conker to prove it.

#5 Simon Howlett 2010-11-28 15:13

Quoting Peter Ellis Rozycki:

I don't know whether the ties above are existing KHS ties but they don't look much like the ones I remember and with a lack of strong primary colours.

This is my fault - the ties used were the best I could find at the time.

I'll do better next time. :lol:

+1 #4 michael philip kent 2010-11-28 11:47

Mike Kent
What reason is there for doing away with House ties? cost? you would still need to buy a second one to replace it.As usual someone has come up with an 'initiative', probably from the loony left. ( Yes I know that is not politically correct,but my era don't do PC!)
The Telegraph reported two weeks ago that large numbers of state day schools were introducing 'Houses' within their schools, with seperate identifying colours! as in Independent boardig schools.This was to foster team spirit and encourage competition!
It has also been found( by Universities, Business, Armed Forces etc.) that pupils
from such backgrounds eg. boarding schools, have a better ethos of working together,better discipline,bett er everything.
Every Army Regiment has their own colour, Navy Ships and Boats theirs and so on.
What's the next good idea at KHS?, ban competitive sport like my nieces school in South Croydon, where on sports day no-one was allowed to win only teams took part and they all tied, it was total chaos. The head thought it all went 'very well'.
The other dreadful happening at KHS was the re-naming of Norwich, Clyde,Pymouth houses etc such desecration of History and Heritage should never be allowed to happen again.
So NO, House ties should stay.
My apology for the rant,but as an ex- Bradford boy ( yes we all know the best House on the Hill) I feel quite strong about it all.

+1 #3 Peter Ellis Rozycki 2010-11-27 20:40

I don't know whether the ties above are existing KHS ties but they don't look much like the ones I remember and with a lack of strong primary colours. I agree with Frank that the House tie is rather a symbolic Badge of Honour, similar to what an individual in any organization or institution wears, be it The Forces, a charity or a company, or university. Go to Oxford High St and you see people eagerly buying the various identifying Oxford College scarves or T-shirts, it's a mark of pride like a festival wristband or a lapel commemoration ribbon or flower. Not something consigned to the past, it signifies continuation into the future and a sense of belonging. Yes at KHS for us there was enormous inter house competition which encouraged a definite team spirit. The blue of Durham has stayed with me as my fave colour. Strangely my comment here reminds me of my last KHS exam, Use of English which I think was meant to be an exam for university entrance. Part of the exam was to write a letter from a headmaster to a parent extolling the virtues of a school uniform. I think my arguments were pretty similar then to now.

#2 Simon Howlett 2010-11-25 18:58

I thought the first tie on the left might be yellow?

+1 #1 Frank Foster 2010-11-25 18:47

As a Bradford boy, I was disappointed at NOT seeing a yellow tie above!!
I think it is rather pathetic to even consider doing away with the House tie. What will be next? Naming the houses after Harry Potters school? Why then have houses? Why have uniform?
Please let's keep some history or there will soon be no need for the KHA

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