The academia “house system” is centuries old and began in the UK university system — universities like Oxford or Cambridge and public schools such as Eton.
It has moved to the U.S. with huge and measurable success including such schools as Harvard. (See House System: Increasing Community, Motivation, and Student Ownership — Bridget Glass.)
In our own Texas Catholic school system, schools such as Bishop Lynch, IWA, Saint Theresa, Saint Mary, St. John Paul II, Frassati, St. Thomas, and many others have adopted the house system. The house structure provides a way for students to have a sense of camaraderie and support that does not devolve into cliques as is natural. Studies show that the house system creates individual skills and a sense of belonging. Further studies show that those two attributes increase student academic performance and emotional intelligence. (See Welcome to the House System — Daniel Green.)