Everyone in the school has now been sorted into a house – students and staff. Throughout the year there will be a series of competitions, events and ways in which house points can be won. Points are awarded for effort, participation and achievement in subjects and activities across the school.

There are prizes and rewards on offer for the winning house each term and each year.

Support your house, get involved and win as many points as you can.

Coborn is named after Prisca Coborn, a wealthy widow who gave much of her fortune to help the poor and needy people of Bow and Stepney. There are two roads named after her in the district: Coborn Road and Coborn Street. In 1701 the Prisca Coborn School for Girls was established in Bow as a result of her will using her life savings.

Gibson is named after Nicholas Gibson, a prominent citizen of the City of London who earned his living as a grocer. He founded the Nicholas Gibson Free School in 1536 which was later renamed the Coopers’ Company Boys School following his death in 1549 when his wife and the Coopers’ Company took over the running of the school.

A guild is an association of craftsmen in a particular trade. The Coopers’ Company is an ancient guild known as a Livery Company. The trade of a Cooper is barrel making and you will see this reference around the school (there are three barrel rings on the school badge). The guild of ’The Worshipful Company of Coopers’ is ranked 36th in order of precedence of Livery Companies of the City of London.

Our newest house, Ratcliffe, is a former hamlet (small village) in Stepney where the old boys school was located. It is situated on the north bank of the River Thames between Shadwell and Limehouse. Ratcliffe had a strong association with the Royal Navy and was a site of shipbuilding for many years.