Bruce House

Here in Bruce we - my AHM, tutors, superb pastoral support staff and myself - aim to create a House that has an atmosphere of mutual respect, encouragement and a sense of worth.

Bruce is the newest House in the School, opened in 1992 by the Duke of Edinburgh, and is currently home to 66 boys. In the first year boys are housed in dorms of four, with an individual study for each of them opposite the dorm or very close to it. Every boy has a bed with drawers in it, a wardrobe and a lockable cupboard, as well as bookshelves and poster boards in their study. Once boys move into Year 10 they then generally share for a limited period and by year 11 boys receive a room of their own for the rest of their time in the House. Rooms are rotated every term, so that everyone gets to know one another and all feel fully integrated into House life. The senior boy, or Head of House, has his own small flat, with a bedroom, lounge, kitchen and bathroom - something worth aspiring to from day one!

As well as the bedrooms and the necessary shower and toilet facilities, Bruce has a mixed and a Sixth Form common room, a tea room, a house shop, wireless connection for laptops, two heated drying rooms, a computer suite, games area and library. Digital television is available in the common rooms but the boys are encouraged to get out for fresh air and exercise!

On the social front, pupils organise an annual concert/cabaret in February and an annual carol concert which is held in the Michael Kirk in December.

The House Motto

The House emblem is a spider. This comes from the story of Robert the Bruce who, whilst living in his cave, watched a spider trying to climb its web. Despite six failures it eventually succeeded in climbing it's web at the seventh attempt, and this gave Robert the Bruce the will to keep trying in his quest to free Scotland. As a result of this, the House motto is 'Na Toir Suas' - Gaelic for 'Never Give Up'. We like to think boys in Bruce can be characterised by their determination to care and succeed in the face of adversity.