There are six houses:

• Broughton — Named in memory of William Grant Broughton, an Old Elizabethan, who was appointed Archdeacon of New South Wales in 1828 and subsequently became the first Bishop of Australia
• Harrisons' — The only House to honour two people, Harrisons' was established in 1954. It was named after a senior master, G.W.N. Harrison, who had taught at the School for 41 years until 1929, and E.W. Harrison (no relation), another long-serving and dedicated Schoolmaster who retired in 1950.
• Leicester —A continuing reminder of the School’s beginnings: Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester made the request to Queen Elizabeth I for a charter for the School in 1573
• Pearce — John Pearce began his teaching career at the School in 1932, aged 23. In 1950 he became Senior Master, a post he held until he retired in 1971. The sixth house was named after him when it was created in 1971 when the School became comprehensive and expanded.
• Stapylton — Named after former Headmaster H. E. Chetwynd Stapylton, who in 1885 bought the Stapylton field for the School, which is still in use today.
• Underne — Once Queen Elizabeth I had granted the Charter for the School, funds were needed to finance it. Edward Underne, Rector of Chipping Barnet Church, was responsible for raising the money for the original building of the School in the 1570s.

The house system is run by the boys, with each house having a house captain, deputy house captain and charities officer. Each form within every year group also has a house representative. The houses individually raise money for a local charity every year.

Boys can also earn house commendations and, in the Lower School, there is a house merit competition, the results of which are counted each week and displayed on the houses’ own notice boards.

Competition is central to the system, with competitive events run by departments and the results recorded centrally and displayed on the house boards. Each year, a cup is awarded to the overall winning house.

House competitions are run in:

• Poetry Reading
• Geography
• Drama
• Debating
• Creative Writing
• Public Speaking
• Instrumental
• Art
• Spelling Bee
• Mini-Enterprise
• Languages
• Water-polo
• Rugby
• Athletics
• Basketball
• Swimming
• Tennis
• Cross Country
• Cricket
• Chess

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