House Shield Update

The 2026-27 House Shield campaign is officially underway and, if the opening fixtures are anything to go by, this season will be as hotly contested as ever. 

The season got off to a flying start with the Inter-House Cross Country. McClure were victorious in the Fourth Form competition, Winfield took the honours in the Remove race and Cedars proved strongest in the Senior event.

This week brought the much-anticipated House Singing Competition. Held once every two years and worth double points, alongside Sports Day it's the only event in which whole houses participate together. Podium places were awarded to Murray (3rd) for their energetic rendition of Justin Timberlake's Can't Stop the Feeling!, Winfield (2nd) for a brilliantly arranged Bruno Mars medley and Collinson (1st) for a show-stopping performance of Toto's Africa.

Congratulations to all involved. A special thank you goes to our guest adjudicator, Mr Frazer Scott. A professional singer and music teacher, Frazer has performed with companies including the Scottish Opera and English National Opera, and has appeared at the BBC Proms with the BBC Symphony Orchestra. With credentials like those, you might be forgiven for thinking that the judge's decision was beyond dispute.

Nevertheless, the following morning, lively debate about who really should have won could be heard across The Quad. The House Instrumental, a wonderful evening with an incredibly high standard of performance, sparked it's own post-event analysis. Judge and Old MillHillian, Ellen Baumring-Gledhill (a Royal Academy of Music Graduate and former finalist of BBC Young Musician of the Year) picking McClure, Winfield and Murray as her top three performances. But, with so many pupils enjoying performing, the evening was a celebration of talent across the school, and in that respect, music itself was the clear winner. 

House Shield success is not built on competition points alone. Every commendation earned by pupils contributes to their House's total, and after the first half-term the boarding houses have set the early pace. Collinson, Ridgeway, Macgregor and Burton Bank currently occupy the top four places for average commendations per pupil. The competition for commendations as eagerly contested as Cross Country and House Music. 

At the top of the overall standings, a fascinating battle is already taking shape. Collinson and Winfield are locked together in first place on 90 points, refusing to give an inch. McClure (78) and Cedars (73) occupy third and fourth respectively, but with plenty of competitions still to come, the chasing pack will be hoping that the leaders have peaked a little too soon.

The race for the House Shield remains wide open... though a few Houses may already be checking how many points are available before Christmas.