The House System

The House system is one of the most traditional aspects of William Hulme's Grammar School. Every new pupil is allocated to a House on their arrival at school. Siblings are always in the same House, even though they may be years apart in age group. Pupils value their membership of a House and are proud to compete for their House, both on the sports field and in the academic world. The loud cheer which goes up when the winner is announced of the hotly contested House Challenge at the end of the year is testimony to the great spirit of friendly competition between the four Houses.

The original House system operated for more than 100 years until changes were made in 2002. The original houses were Whitworth, Gaskell, Byrom, Fraser, Heywood and Dalton. These were replaced by Hulme, Jones, Bonnick and Roberts, all named after benefactors of the School.  However, in 2016, a decision was made to revert back to four of the original houses in order to restore tradition and a reconnection to the Manchester area, with the houses being named after influential Mancunians.

The students have ownership of the House system with the Sixth Form Deputy Heads of School being the House Leaders. Underneath the House Leaders, in each year group, are a female and male House Captain. Their role is to organise their year group for House Competitions.

Byrom (formerly Hulme)

Named after John Byrom (1692-1763) who was a poet and the inventor of shorthand. Byrom was born on 29 February 1692, at the Wellington Inn, the oldest surviving building in Manchester (next to the cathedral). He is famous for the invention of the characters Tweedledum and Tweedledee, who have been used by other authors like Lewis Carroll, to describe two comical characters who look and act in identical ways. Byrom wrote hymns such as ‘Christians Awake; Salute the Happy Morn’ and the religious verse ‘My Spirit Longeth for Thee’.

Byrom Leadership Team

Dalton (formerly Bonnick)

Named after John Dalton (1766-1844) who was a chemist, physicist, and meteorologist. Dalton started his career as a teacher at ‘New College’ in Manchester and is most famous today for his atomic theory and his study of colour-blindness. Dalton was also pioneer meteorologist. His fascination with weather and the atmosphere led to his research into the nature of gases, which in turn became the foundation on which he built his atomic theory. He has a street named after him in the centre of Manchester.

Dalton Leadership Team

Gaskell (formerly Jones)

Named after Elizabeth Gaskell (1810-1865) who was an author, famous for writing about life in Manchester. Gaskell’s best known works are ‘Cranford’, ‘North and South’, ‘Mary Barton’ and a biography of the author Charlotte Brontë. Her greatest books were written in reaction to the industrialisation of Manchester, where she lived for much of her life. “I had always felt a deep sympathy with the care-worn men, who looked as if doomed to struggle through their lives in strange alternations between work and want”.

Gaskell Leadership Team

Heywood (formerly Roberts)

Named after Oliver Heywood (1825-92) who was a banker and philanthropist who gave much of his wealth to charity. It was said of Oliver Heywood that “he took the deepest interest in all that made for the social, intellectual, material and moral welfare” of Manchester. After his death, it was remarked that he had donated to an enormous amount of wealth to many good causes. As well as donating money, he served on the governing bodies of numerous charities. The statue of Heywood, created by Albert Bruce Joy, was erected in Albert Square in 1894.

Heywood Leadership Team

House Plans for 2019

Star Students - Spring 2019

House Results - Autumn 2018