Eton College - Prefects

Prefects

In addition to the masters, the following three categories of senior boys are entitled to exercise school discipline. Boys who belong to any of these categories, in addition to a limited number of other boy office holders, are entitled to wear winged collars with bow ties.

• Eton Society: commonly known as Pop. Over the years its power and privileges have grown. Pop is the oldest self-electing society at Eton. The rules were altered in 1987 and again in 2005 so that the new intake are not elected solely by the existing year and a committee of masters. Members of Pop are entitled to wear checked spongebag trousers, and a waistcoat designed as they wish. Historically, only members of Pop were entitled to furl their umbrellas or sit the wall on the Long Walk, in front of the main building. However, this tradition has died out. They perform roles at many of the routine events of the school year, including School Plays, parents' evenings and other official events. Notable ex-members of Pop include Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, and Boris Johnson.
• Sixth Form Select: an academically selected prefectorial group consisting, by custom, of the 10 senior King's Scholars and the 10 senior Oppidan Scholars. Members of Sixth Form Select are entitled to wear silver buttons on their waistcoats. They also act as Praepostors: they enter classrooms and ask, "Is (family name) in this division?" followed by "He's to see the Head Master at (time)" (the Bill, see above). Members of Sixth Form Select maintain dress codes, and perform "Speeches", a formal event held five times a year.
• House Captains: The captains of each of the 25 boys' houses (see above) have disciplinary powers at school level. House Captains are entitled to wear a mottled-grey waistcoat.

It is possible to belong to the Eton Society and Sixth Form Select at the same time.

In the era of Elizabeth I, there were two praepostors in every form, who noted down the names of absentees. Until the late 19th century, there was a praepostor for every division of the school.