With space for 75 day boys, Head’s is the largest House in the school. First occupied in 1857 as the Head Master’s boarding House, it has since been converted into generous accommodation for the day boys at Lancing. Its purpose is to provide the day pupils with a House of their own to give them parity of facilities and pastoral structures to the boarders. Its principal aim is to allow them to properly experience the immersive and rewarding richness of boarding school life (and see their parents every day!).
Younger boys in the Third to Fifth Forms have their own alley (desk), and in the Sixth Form have individual pitts (rooms), as well as access to communal facilities such as common rooms, lockers, a pool room, showers, etc. spread over four floors. These facilities were refurbished in 2016.
Head’s boys are unashamedly ambitious and show strength in all areas of the academic and co-curricular life of the school, but that is not to say that the House is in any way elitist: non-polymaths are encouraged and nurtured in equal measure. The mantra here is very much to handle people as individuals, rather than types, and we take great pride in the diversity of background and interests within the House.
On a practical level, Head’s is very close to the Dining Hall and the sports fields, so the House has a tradition of attracting those with healthy appetites. In recent years Head’s has achieved notable successes in the fields of sport, drama, literature and music, with numerous OLs going on to study these subjects at Russell Group universities, or to excel as professional sportsmen and musicians. Even more importantly, great emphasis is placed on promoting the happiness and success of every boy; and we firmly believe that one leads to the other. We pride ourselves on being a sociable, caring and friendly community where humour, tolerance, excellence and liveliness of mind are celebrated.
Housemistress; Teacher of Mathematics