The Houses

The school uses a system of ‘houses’ to organise pupils. Pupils are assigned to a house, which they will retain throughout their time at Stromness Academy. Each house is led by a staff House Champion and two pupil House Captains. All pupils have morning registration and PSE lessons within their house groups, and younger pupils also take many subject lessons within their house. Pupils earn house points in and out of lessons for effort and attitude as well as for achievement, and competitions and events such as sports day have a strong house element.  Our three houses are:

MAGNUS: House Colour green (Originally Yellow). Named after Saint Magnus (? – c. 1117 AD). Son of Erlend, joint Earl of Orkney, and himself a joint Earl with his brother Haakon, who murdered him on Egilsay. Buried in Birsay and later transferred to Kirkwall Cathedral. St. Magnus Cathedral is named in his honour.

ROGNVALD (Pronounced Ronald): House Colour Red. Named after Earl Rognvald of Orkney (? – 1158 AD), the nephew of Saint Magnus. He was baptised under the name of Kali, but took the name Rognvald. He founded Kirkwall Cathedral in 1137, and undertook a pilgrimage to the Mediterranean. He was canonised in 1192.

THORFINN: House Colour Blue. Named after Earl Thorfinn of Orkney (c. 1009-1065 AD), eldest son of Sigurd, by daughter of Malcolm II. He fought against Duncan I, his cousin (and the basis for King Duncan in ‘Macbeth’)., and he perhaps partitioned Scotland with Macbeth. He went to Rome c. 1050, and built a cathedral at Birsay for the bishop of his earldom of Orkney. His two sons fought with Harold Hardrada, King of Norway, at Stamford Bridge in 1066, and his daughter Ingibjorg married Malcolm III.

SIGURD (Disbanded): House Colour Green. (Disbanded in 2014 due to falling school roll) Named after Earl Sigurd of Orkney ( ? – 1014 AD). Thought to have been converted to Christianity by King Olaf Trygvasson c. 995; married a daughter of Malcolm II and was father of Thorfinn; killed at battle of Clontarf in Ireland.

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