Information About the Primary House Captain Selection Process

Dear Year 5 Families,

As the current academic year draws to a close, the children are beginning to look ahead at the exciting opportunities that await them in Year 6, particularly leadership opportunities. 

Before the end of the year, children in Year 5 will have the opportunity to apply for one of the eight Primary House Captain positions. After successfully adopting a new selection approach last year, a similar approach will take place later this term. 

What will the selection process look like this year?

During the week beginning Monday 26th May, all of the children will be given the option to declare an interest in being considered for the role of House Captain. During this week, Mr Gallagher will host team-building activities, which will enable the children to demonstrate their leadership qualities and collaborative skills. After this, Mr Gallagher, with the Year 5 teaching team, will shortlist four candidates for each house. 

During the week beginning Monday 2nd June, the 16 shortlisted candidates will be informed and provided with possible questions so they can prepare for the group interview. The children will be provided with the opportunity to practise their interview skills in school with the current Primary House Captains and Mr Gallagher.

On Tuesday 10th June, Mrs Tait, Mrs Christiansen and Mr Gallagher will conduct the group interviews after which, eight House Captains will be selected. All shortlisted candidates will be provided with feedback from Mr Gallagher about their strengths and areas for improvement. Finally, before the end of the academic year, the 2025–26 House Captains will be unveiled in assembly. 

What do we need to do?

Being a House Captain is a highly sought-after position within the school, and there is an abundance of enthusiastic leaders at DBIS; however, naturally, some children will be disappointed at the end of this process. Next year, there will be a variety of student leadership roles, so we would encourage families to remind the children that not being selected does not mean they are not capable of being a truly terrific leader but, in fact, there may be other positions that allow them to showcase their talents more effectively.

If there are any questions, please contact Mr Gallagher ([email protected].hk).

Kind regards,

Ciaran Gallagher

Head of EYFS and Primary Houses 2025–26