Day-to-day routine

School Registration is taken at 8.40am and at the start of fifth period. Boarding house registration checks are made at breakfast, supper, prep and bed times. Full attendance at school is expected. Any planned absences from school should be discussed and agreed with both the Houseparents and School Tutor.

It is expected that you go to all meals, including breakfast. Your attendance is noted and should you miss a meal, you will be asked for a reason. If you are not going to be at a meal you should excuse yourself with your Houseparent in advance.

Breakfast Monday to Friday is at 8.00am. On Saturdays breakfast is delivered to each House and on Sundays we have brunch at 10.00am. Lunch is part of the school day except on Saturdays when it is at 12.30pm and Sundays when there is a full roast dinner at 4.00pm.

All weekday meals must be attended in School uniform, except supper or during study leave periods.

Full attendance on every school day is required, and unless given specific permission, or enjoying a specific senior privilege, you wouldn’t normally return to the boarding house during the school day.

For the boys, only 6th Formers may be on the High Street and other years must access Kim House via the Health Centre route. All girls are allowed on the High Street to access White House, but are asked to make their way swiftly to their boarding houses, without lingering on the high street.

Only Sixth Formers are allowed in the shops during school weekdays.

Senior pupils are allowed to change for Games in the Boarding Houses, but this is a privilege. Boarders in other years must change with the rest of their year group.

Sixth form pupils are permitted to work in their rooms during timetabled Private Study periods

Snacks are available for you to take for breaktime, and also after school from Louise and Mandy (the House Matrons).

There is always fruit available in both House as well as provisions to make toast, toasted sandwiches and hot drinks.

There are a whole host of after-school clubs to get involved in between 4.30pm and 6.00pm. These are school activities and registration for these will be with the relevant teacher or support staff.

Houseparents will do their best to find a suitable activity, if a pupil has any specific interests. Boarders are not permitted to be on the main school site in their own clothes until 5.00pm during the week.

On alternate Mondays there is Chapel at 5.30pm and all boarders are to attend. If you are unable to go for whatever reason, you must see your Houseparent and excuse yourself.

At 6.00pm during the week there is supper.

Both houses have a House Meeting on a Monday evening after supper. These meetings are an opportunity for everyone to come together and discuss what will be happening for the week, receive updates and to ensure everyone is comfortable and confident in what is to come for the week. You are encouraged to raise your own points at these meetings.

Unless you have a very good reason which you have spoken to your Houseparent about in advance, you must attend the House Meeting, if you cannot though, minutes are taken and circulated so you don’t miss anything.

A member of staff will take over from the House Matron and will be present in the house throughout the evening. The name of the member of staff on duty will be clearly displayed in each House.

Prep starts at 7.00pm, Monday to Thursday, and has varying end times depending on your academic year. If you are a 1st to 3rd former, you will work in the communal work spaces, everyone else will be expected to work in their own rooms during prep, unless instructed otherwise.

After prep, you can spend your time as you choose, until bed time.

Boarders have access to the Sports Hall and Swimming Pool on a number of evenings through the week.

There are a number of activities organised throughout the term for boarders, for example; board games evenings, trips out of school, and other wellness activities.

You must sign in and out of the House whenever you leave it, being specific about where you are going and using the systems in place. You should be contactable by phone at all times.

If you are returning from home or other places off-site, you are asked to inform the member of staff when you arrive back.

All boarders are expected to return to the house and sign back in at least half an hour before bedtime. You are not permitted to go to either of the village pubs or the bar at the cricket club.

Bed times are staggered according to your year group:

You are expected to go to your rooms and get ready for bed 15 minutes before bed time, so that you are ready for lights out.

The member of staff on duty will check that bedtimes are adhered to and that you remain in your room until the morning, with the exception of any emergencies or need to use the bathroom (showers are not permitted after lights out).

Junior members of the house must hand-in their electronic devices, to be stored safely overnight, ahead of bedtime.

All laundry is performed on a daily basis Monday- Friday within the House. Clean washing will be placed on your named laundry shelf ready for collection. Dirty laundry must be placed in the bins provided in each bathroom.

A dry cleaning service is also available.

All items of clothing and bed linen should be clearly named. Bedding is changed once every two weeks as notified by the Matron. All pupils must change their own bed and dirty linen should be placed in the laundry bins. Boarders are welcome to bring their own bed linen, or may use the House linen.

On weekends there are plenty of opportunities to represent the School sports teams, both at home and away matches.

There are also an array of activities organised, both within the individual Houses and communally. The Auxiliary House Parents collect input from pupils and organise activities and excursions that are tailored to collective interests. These include, for example; trips to the cinema, shopping, sports games, bowling and ice-skating.

4th Form students and above are permitted to take public transport for shopping trips at the weekend provided they have discussed the matter with their Houseparents and have arranged for written permission from their parents.

Boarders may choose to visit friends at the weekend. If they wish to do this, they must arrange their own transport and, provide their Houseparent with written permission from their parents or guardian, with at least 24 hours’ notice, wherever possible.

Please adhere to times and dates communicated by the Registrar when organising transportation at the beginning and end of terms.

At the start of term both houses open the day before term starts from 8am for overseas boarders and from 6pm for domestic boarders. After a half term or the boarders’ leave weekend houses open at 6pm for all boarders (both international and domestic). At the end of term and at the start of half terms both houses close at 6pm.

In the Summer Term there is a Boarders’ Leave weekend on the first May Bank Holiday. This is the only exeat weekend of the year. The Boarding Houses close after school matches on the Saturday (those who are not in a match may leave the boarding house after school on the Friday) and do not re- open until 6pm on the Monday.

Boarders will need to make sure they have made suitable arrangements. Pupils from overseas would normally stay with their guardian. All arrangements should be communicated to the Houseparents prior to the weekend starting.

Taxis: Normally these would be booked by the individual, but to have these charged to the school bill they should be booked through the School Office with as much notice as possible (usually at least two weeks).

Trains and buses: For pupils travelling by train or bus, we ask that parents let the Houseparent know which train the pupil is catching and what time they are expected to arrive. The Houseparent will ensure that parents are notified when the pupil arrives.

Cars: If cars are to be brought to school, the boarder will be required to fill in the appropriate paperwork, at the school office to register their car, and permission will be required from a parent or guardian. They will then be permitted to park their car in the swimming pool car park throughout the term.

There are a variety of trips on offer each weekend for Boarders and there are also lots of trips put on by the School for educational purposes.

School trips:

When going on a School trip, your consent form will automatically be sent home and to your Houseparent, so the process is quite simple. Your Houseparent can authorise School trips up to £100, any trips exceeding this amount will require a parent approval.

As school trips can return after supper times, it is important to ensure a meal is booked ahead of time, with your Matron or Houseparent.

Boarders’ trips:

For Boarders’ Trips, it is your responsibility to sign up and you are expected to do so!

Once you have signed up, you are committed. If you decide not to go, you will be billed the relevant amount on your next school bill.

You will be emailed about upcoming trips and given a deadline to sign up by. (It is important that you stick to these deadlines as tickets need to be bought, especially for the more popular trips, and transportation arranged.)

An email will be sent with the details you need to know (e.g. leaving time etc.) nearer the day of the trip.

You must make sure that you are aware of these details.

Unless otherwise advised, the cost of all boarders’ trips are covered in your School Fees (full boarders only).