Spirit and Clans

Home › Learning › Student Life › Spirit and Clans

At our school, spirit plays a vital role in shaping our community. These traditions and activities create an environment where students can truly feel at home.

How to Apply

OUR CLANS

Our Clan system fosters friendly competition and collaboration, building strong connections across grade levels. In Clans, girls come together for friendly competition in groups spanning grades. Students might compete to support a charity or play games against another Clan. Spirit activities bring everyone together, creating a lively and inclusive atmosphere where school pride is celebrated

There are eight Clans in both the Junior School and Senior & Middle School, named for Branksome's Scottish roots.

CLANS FROM MACDONALD TO SCOTT

For generations, Clans have provided a forum for friendly sporting competition, community engagement, spirit-building and the transmission of traditions. Students enjoy belonging to their Clan, a small cross-grade group within the school community that promotes school spirit.

The Clans Prefect works with each Clan's Grade 12 Clan Leader, as well as elected students from Grades 8 and 10. In the Junior School, Grade 6 students are also Clan Leaders.

Our Clan System

Every student and every faculty and staff member belongs to a Clan.
Clan placement is also determined by a sibling’s clan or a related alum’s Clan.
Junior Clans are twinned with Clans in the Senior & Middle School.
Students moving from the Junior School to the Senior & Middle School will automatically be placed in their twinned Senior & Middle School Clan.
Each Senior & Middle School Clan has a Senior Leader, elected by its own members, and an elected representative from Grade 8.

Junior School Clans

MacDonald
Robertson
Gordon
Grant
Johnston
Duncan
Bruce
Fraser

Senior & Middle School Clans

Campbell
Douglas
MacGregor
MacLean
McAlpine
McLeod
Ross
Scott

ANNUAL SPIRIT EVENTS

Two girls dressed in yellow outfits, tutus, and pom-pom headbands smile and hug each other at a school event in a gym. Other students, many also wearing colorful clothes, are seated on the floor in the background.

So You Think You Clan Dance

Every fall, Senior & Middle School students work by Clan with local choreographers to perform dances for the Branksome community. Accompanied by music from exciting pop ballads to energetic hip-hop beats, students wow those at Assembly with their amazing dance moves and raise funds for a local community organization.

Highland Games

Dressed from head to toe in Clan colours, Junior School students and employees gather on the Lower Field at the end of May to enjoy a BBQ and summer treats, compete in Clan vs. Clan races and obstacle courses and so much more.

A large group of students sits on a gym floor facing a stage where people in yellow shirts are performing. Most students in the audience wear red or pink outfits and bandanas. School banners hang above on the wall.

Spirit Week

This grade-focused week in February adds some much-needed sunshine to the winter months. Students in Grades 7 to 12 take part in the Grade Cheer and Lip Sync Competition, as well as Pajama Day and poster making.

A large crowd of students, many wearing colorful shirts, gather outdoors at a campus event. Four people stand on a stage facing the crowd. Tents, balloons, and trees are visible in the background.

Welcome Back Party

Our annual Welcome Back Party celebrates the return to school in September with lively music, delicious food and fun activities for the entire family.

A young woman with face paint and a scarf cheers energetically at an event, holding a green banner that reads "BRANKSOME HALL." She appears excited and engaged in the lively atmosphere.

Hockey Day

The Branksome Highlanders face off against another school for this annual game at Mattamy Athletic Centre. This exciting event is a full community celebration in support of our Athletics Program.

ADVISOR

Our Advisor program provides personalized support and mentorship, helping students grow academically and socially while strengthening their sense of belonging.

Advisor groups are organized by grade and Clan, and Advisors usually remain with their assigned advisees until their graduation. The Advisor is an adult mentor who supports, guides and assists students to remain accountable to their goals and to the school’s expectations. Advisors help students balance their co-curricular commitments with their academic programs.

Three young women sit around a small table, smiling and laughing together. They are seated on colorful stools in front of beige lockers, appearing to enjoy a lively conversation or study session.

The Advisor ensures that students are engaged in balanced co-curricular activities through their involvement in the Middle Years Programme—Creativity, Activity and Service (MYP-CAS), including the Principal’s Award and Bronze Duke of Edinburgh Award.

Through their Advisors, Grades 11 and 12 students have additional assistance to support all aspects of the Ontario and IB Diplomas, and to prepare for their post-secondary decisions. This includes Advisors monitoring CAS during Grades 11 and 12 and assisting students to meet their overall goals in achieving success in the IB Diploma Programme.