Housepoint Competitions

These are the Housepoint Competitions we run:

• Sports Days: 10 housepoints for Gold, 7 for Silver, 5 for Bronze, 3 for 4th place, 2 for 5th place and 1 for 6th place. Another 10 points will be awarded for setting a new school record. The results of the relay races contribute towards the Sports Day competition but are not credited to the individual runners or towards the overall House Competition.
• Curricular Project Work: Extended work may be structured as a competition. In such cases, the teacher will first liaise with the Head Teacher to decide a proportionate allocation of housepoints - usually for the first, second and third placed students or groups.
• House Debating Competition: 1st placed debaters and researchers (up to 5 students per House) in each of the Junior and Senior categories receive 20 points each, 2nd place 15 each, 3rd place 10 each and 4th place 5 each. Other students who take part in preliminary rounds will receive 3 points each.
• Debate Dubai and BSME Debating Competitions: Each member of Team BSK will receive 5 housepoints, with an additional 5 points for students who reach a semifinal, an additional 10 (total 15) for students who reach a final and an additional 15 (total 20) for students who win a final.
• Art and Design competitions: Students winning a first prize are awarded 20 points, 2nd place wins 10 points and 3rd place wins 5 points. Every entrant receives up to 5 points for their entry, depending on the competition.
• UKMT Mathematics Challenge: 20 points for Gold, 10 points for Silver and 5 points for Bronze. Every non-prizewinning entrant from the Middle Phase (Junior Challenge), Upper Department (Intermediate Challenge) or Sixth Form (Senior Challenge) receives one point.
• Inter-School Mathematics Competition: If a BSK team wins, each team member will receive 20 points. For second place, each team member will receive 10 points. For third place, each team member will receive 5 housepoints.
• British Physics Olympiad: 20 housepoints for Gold, 10 housepoints for Silver and 5 housepoints for Bronze in any of the Year 11, AS or A2 Challenges. Every non-prizewinning entrant receives one housepoint. Students who are selected to advance into the Flagship Competition will win a further 20 housepoints for Gold, 10 housepoints for Silver and 5 housepoints for either Bronze I or Bronze II.
• BSK Science Fair: 10 housepoints for category winners and 5 housepoints for all other entrants.
• Kuwait Science and Engineering Competition: 10 housepoints for winning a category and an additional 5, 10 or 20 points for placing 3rd, 2nd or 1st in the overall competition.
• Islam and Qur'an Competitions: 20 housepoints for first place, 15 points for second place, 10 points for third place and 5 points for each 4th, 5th or 6th placed student.
• Ministry Arabic Competitions: 20 housepoints for first place, 15 points for second place, 10 points for third place and 5 points for each 4th, 5th or 6th placed student.
• Book Week Competitions: In each of Years 6, 7 and 8, the winners of each of the Prose, Poetry Writing, Poetry by Heart, Spelling Bee, Book Cover and Character Parade competitions will receive 10 housepoints. Second placed students will receive 5 housepoints and third placed students (if awarded) will receive 3 housepoints. All other students placed in the top 10 in each of these sixteen competitions will receive one housepoint, with the addition that all entrants of the 'Poetry by Heart' competition will receive one housepoint.
• English Short Writing Competition: Each participant will receive 1 point and the winner will receive 5 points.
• English Challenge Week: Students can be awarded up to 5 points for their success in different activities.
• Secondary Reading Challenge: Read any 5 books from the list - Bronze Award (badge, certificate and 5 points). Read a further 5 books - Silver Award (badge, certificate and another 5 points). Read a further 10 books - Gold Award (badge, certificate and another 10 points).
• Year 10 Share Trading Competition: The overall winner (or winners, as pairs are permitted) will receive 9 housepoints (each). Students ranked 2nd will receive 6 housepoints each. Students ranked 3rd through 5th will receive 3 housepoints each.
• Year 10 Business Enterprise Competition: Members of the winning team will receive 20 housepoints each. Students in the second placed team will receive 10 points each and members of the third placed team will receive 5 points each.
• International Day Quiz: Each participant will receive 1 housepoint. The winner will receive 7 housepoints, the second placed student will receive 5 points and the third placed student will receive 3 points.
• World Water Day Poster Competition: 10 housepoints for 1st place, 5 points for 2nd and 3 points for 3rd in each Year Group to which the competition is opened.
• ISACK/KFSAC Sports Medallists: Every member of an ISACK/KFSAC championship winning squad (not just the team that played in the final) receives 20 housepoints. Members of second placed squads receive 10 points each and members of third placed squads receive 5 points each. Note: For ISACK championships which are based on the aggregate of two legs, housepoints are awarded as above for each leg, but not for the aggregate.
• ISACK/KFSAC Swimming Medallists: Each gold medal in races or relays wins 10 housepoints. Each silver medal wins 5 housepoints and each bronze medal wins 3 housepoints.
• BSME Sports: Every BSME gold medallist receives 20 housepoints, every silver medallist receives 10 housepoints and every bronze medallist receives 5 housepoints. Every other participant receives 3 housepoints and student helpers, in the event that BSK hosts a BSME event, receive up to 3 housepoints.
• Interschool sports tournaments (friendlies): Every member of a tournament-winning squad will receive 5 housepoints.
• Facebook Competitions: The first student to correctly answer a quiz question posted on the BSK Facebook page will receive one housepoint.
• Inter-house Competition: Students who participate in selected inter house competitions will receive one or more housepoints.
• INJAZ PSHE Programmes: Students who form part of the winning team for any INJAZ PSHE competitions or challenges will each receive one housepoint.
• BSME Young Musicians of the Gulf: Every student who places first (whether as a soloist or as part of an ensemble) receives 20 housepoints, every runner up receives 10 housepoints and every semi-finalist receives 5 housepoints. Every other participant receives 3 housepoints.

Special Achievements

• Music Festival Week: Every performer, whether in a group or solo, whether playing an instrument or singing, receives 5 housepoints - as do students with technical or managerial roles.
• ABRSM Music Examinations: 10 housepoints for passing any grade (Preparatory - Grade 8), 15 points for Merit (Grades 1-8) or 20 points for Distinction (Grades 1-8). Any student who passes an ABRSM Diploma will receive 30 housepoints.
• RAD or BBO Dance Examinations: 10 housepoints for passing any grade (Preparatory - Grade 8), 15 points for Merit (Grades 1-8) or 20 points for Distinction (Grades 1-8).
• Goethe-Institut German Language Examinations: 10 housepoints for passing any level (A1, A2, B1, B2, C1 or C2), 15 points for Merit or 20 points for Distinction.
• Diplôme d'Etudes en Langue Française Examinations: 10 housepoints for passing any level (A1, A2, B1, B2, C1 or C2), 15 points for Merit or 20 points for Distinction.
• The Duke of Edinburgh's International Award: Recipients of the International Award receive housepoints: 10 for Bronze, 20 for Silver or 30 for Gold.
• Sports Leaders Award: 10 housepoints on completion of 30 practical hours; 5 house points on completion of 20 practical hours. 
• Awards Evening: The Qur'an reader and each performer receives 5 housepoints.
• Festival of Achievement: The Qur'an reader and each performer receives 5 housepoints.
• High Achiever Awards: Any student who achieves 'Top in Country' status for their performance in CIE, Edexcel or AQA subject examinations will receive 20 housepoints.
• Edexcel Outstanding Learner Awards: Any student who achieves 'Outstanding Learner' status for their performance in Edexcel subject examinations will receive 15 housepoints.
• Drama Productions: Every student who performs (either in a major or supporting role), has a technical role or performs a managerial function in the Middle Phase Production, Senior School Show or a major BAIA production receives 10 housepoints.
• Talent Show: Every student who passes their audition, attends all required rehearsals and performs in the annual BSK Talent Show receives 5 housepoints.
• Model United Nations: Students who participate fully in a weekend MUN conference will receive 5 housepoints each.
• Dar al-Athar al-Islamiyyah Carnival al-Khayal: Every BSK team member will receive 10 housepoints.
• LoYAC Dow Eco Quest: Every BSK team member will receive 5 housepoints.
• Crest Awards: Recipients of the British Science Association Crest Award (Bronze) receive 10 housepoints each. Sixth Form Crest Mentors receive 5 housepoints each.
• BBC School Report: Students who produce published pieces will receive 10 housepoints each. Those assisting in other ways will receive up to 5 housepoints each.
• Excellence Awards: Recipients of regular Excellence Awards each receive 5 housepoints. Those with 'Merit' will receive 10 housepoints and those with 'Distinction' will get 20 housepoints.
• Subject Awards: Recipients of Subject Commendations will receive 5 housepoints. Those receiving Subject Prizes will get 10 housepoints.
• Club Zero: Students who receive no negative points in any of Terms 1, 2, 3 or 4 will receive 10 bonus housepoints for each term of Club Zero membership. Year 6 students, and those who are new to the school, have done particularly well if they manage to avoid any negative points during Term 1, so they receive 20 bonus points instead of the usual 10 for Term 1. The higher bonus does not apply to any students who left the school and then rejoined.
• Representation at international level: Students who represent a country at an international competition will be awarded 10 house points. Bronze, silver and gold medals would be awarded an additional 5, 10 or 20 house points respectively. 
• Sports Awards: Students who receive Players' Player, Coach's Player or Most Improved Player awards receive 10 housepoints each. Those who receive Unsung Hero, Sportsperson, Outstanding Contribution or Lifetime Achievement awards each receive 20 housepoints.
• Language Clubs: Students who regularly attend language clubs may receive up to 5 housepoints per academic year.
• English Independent Extended Project: students who successfully complete this project will receive up to 10 housepoints.
• Higher Phase Enrichment Day Activities: Students who place first in scored events may receive up to 5 housepoints each.
• Inter-School Chess Tournaments: Students who participate may receive up to 5 housepoints each.

House Sports Competition

In May, after the Year 11-13 students go on study leave, the House Heads and PE Team organise a series of inter-House sports competitions with the Year 6-10 students over three weeks. These competitions typically include boys' and girls' swimming galas, CrossFit, running, and football and basketball competitions for each of Years 6-10.

House Captains are responsible for team selection. Limits are set on the number of ISACK squad members who may take part in each House team, so as to promote wider participation in competitive sport.

In each of these competitions, first place wins 100 housepoints, second place 75, third 60 and fourth 50. These points are awarded to the House, not to the individual participants. This system is intended to develop an altruistic House spirit.