Houses
Every SWPS student is placed into one of the four Houses, in which they remain in throughout their entire time at school.
The house system at SWPS forms a fundamental part of school life, offering a sense of belonging, and opportunities for leadership and responsibility. All students at SWPS are assigned to one of four houses; Lonsdale, Montagu, Pankhurst, and Quant. The Houses are all named after historically important and influential women who have made significant differences to the world.
During the academic year, the head of house and house captains lead their houses into a range of inter-house competitions throughout the year including the annual sports day.
Lonsdale
Kathleen Lonsdale, born 1903, was one of the first two women elected as a fellow of the Royal Society, the first woman to become a professor at UCL, and the first female President of the British Association for the Advancement of Science.
She was known for establishing the science of crystallography and her work on X-Ray diffraction.
Montagu
Lady Mary Montagu, born 1689, was a writer and poet, and the first British woman to write about the Orient. She also pioneered inoculation against smallpox in England having had the disease herself and witnessed its effectiveness whilst in Turkey.
Pankhurst
Emmeline Pankhurst, born in 1858, named as one of the 100 most important people of the 20th century, was a political activist and leader of the suffragette movement helping women to get the right to vote.
Quant
Mary Quant is a fashion designer and business woman, an entrepreneur who encouraged people to use clothing as a means of expressing themselves. Her work can be seen in the V&A Museum and she was awarded an OBE in 1966.
House Leadership Opportunities
The House system provides the perfect opportunity for all members of the Sixth Form to develop leadership and teamwork skills, through a wide variety of roles and responsibilities.