Houses
The House System in RGS
There are five Houses in RGS, and each is named after one of five consecutive RGS principals who had served the school. Chronologically, the Houses are Tarbet (Red), Buckle (Green), Richardson (Blue), Waddle (Yellow), and Hadley (Purple). Established by Miss Hadley during her term as principal from 1946 to 1950, the House System has always been an integral part of RGS, and a source of much pride.
House Spirit
As a group, House leaders lead in organising and running House activities and Inter-House Games to encourage House spirit and nurture a sense of belonging in each student as they engage in healthy competition across Houses. They play a key role in integrating our Year 1s into the school culture and helping them develop a sense of pride in their House and in turn, the school.
The 5 Houses
Each Rafflesian, as well as staff member, is allocated to one of the 5 houses, each with their own unique mascots; the bull, elf, genie, duck and monkey respectively.
In 2011, Houses designed their own House Crests, which are proudly worn by House members, and can be seen on the house T-shirts until today.
All Y1 Rafflesians also participate in a series of House Practices, where they strengthen bonds with their fellow House members through the various activities and also learning their House cheers. House Practices are integral to the RGS culture, instilling a sense of House pride in each new House member.
Today, the House spirit continues to grow stronger, contributing to the blossoming of the school spirit.
Tarbet (Red, Axl the Bull)
Zeal, Tenacity
Tarbet House is named after Miss Tarbet, RGS principal from 1904 – 1910. She set up a training establishment within the school where students could be trained to be future teachers. This training centre was set up in 1906.
Buckle (Green, Genn the Elf)
Courage, Unity
Buckle House is named after RGS’s longest-serving principal, Miss Dorothy Martha Buckle, who was principal from 1910 – 1937. The teacher-training scheme which started in 1906 continued to make good progress under her principalship. She also introduced the school badge to be worn with the school uniform.
Richardson (Blue, Richard the Genie)
Bold, True
Richardson House is named after Miss C Richardson, RGS principal from 1938 – 1939. She was known for her zeal in equipping students with a good command of the English Language and her emphasis on discipline.
Waddle (Yellow, Quack the Duck)
Strength, Pride
Waddle House is named after Mrs K Waddle, RGS principal from 1939 – 1942. When World War Two broke out, she chose to remain in Singapore out of a sense of dedication to her job. She lost her life at sea when the evacuation boat that she was on was torpedoed, just before the Japanese occupied Singapore.
Hadley (Purple, Harley the Monkey)
Power, Conviction
Hadley House is named after Miss M M Hadley, RGS principal from 1946 – 1951. She took over the task of rehabilitating the school after the war and started the House system to develop in students a strong sense of belonging to the school. The RGS House system is one of the oldest House systems in Singapore.
Highlights
2020 House Banner Unveiling
House is where the Heart is!