Students in the Primary School have several opportunities to develop leadership skills. The Student Parliament and the House System offer multifaceted roles and events for students to develop not only leadership qualities but also teamwork skills.
DePS operates a traditional British house system that fosters teamwork, resilience, and sporting etiquette. There are four houses, which are named after character traits that we aspire to cultivate in our students: Respect House (represented by the Elephant), Courage House (represented by the Lion), Wisdom House (represented by the Owl), and Spirit House (represented by the Horse).
Every student is assigned to a house for the duration of their time at DePS. All school staff are also assigned to a house and remain in that house for the duration of their time at DePS.
Being part of a house enhances each student’s sense of identity and belonging and creates a spirit of friendly collaboration and cooperation. This friendly rivalry is given ample opportunity to manifest itself through a wide range of inter-house competitions and events across year groups, Key Stages, and the whole school.
Houses provide a mutually supportive and positive vertical structure in which older students support and interact with younger students. Fun and friendly competition across both sporting and academic pursuits brings out the very best in our children and gives every student the opportunity to contribute to their house, the school, and the wider community.
House points are awarded on a daily basis, and any member of staff may award house points. Points are given for high standards of work, visible progress, consistent improvement, and sustained effort.
There is a strong link between the House System and our aim of promoting the DePS Values. The DePS Values define the key attributes of a DePS student and encapsulate our aspirations for the whole school community.
The House System provides exciting opportunities for the development of leadership skills among our students.
At DePS, we strongly believe that Student Leaders have an important role to play in the day-to-day organisation of our school. These positions not only provide students with opportunities to demonstrate confident leadership, resilience, and responsibility, but also encourage younger students to aspire to leadership and learn from positive peer role models.
The information below will help you understand the roles and opportunities available to students at DePS.
Head Students represent the pinnacle of student leadership in the school. They lead school tours, open and close formal events, welcome and meet guests at formal events, deliver end-of-year speeches, and represent the school to the KHDA. They are also responsible for chairing Whole School Student Parliament meetings.
The purpose of the Student Parliament is to provide students with opportunities to develop leadership skills by organising and carrying out school activities and service projects. In addition to planning events that contribute to school spirit and community welfare, the Student Parliament serves as the voice of the student body.
House Captains play a vital role in developing a strong sense of house community by planning and leading a range of inter-house activities across the school. They are responsible for developing inter-house competitions and finding exciting ways to promote their house identity.