Pattern of the Week

For the Lower School (Shell, Remove, Hundred), all lessons are given over to classroom teaching or supervised private study. In the Upper School (Lower Sixth, Upper Sixth), Study Periods (“studs”) allow pupils to take much more responsibility and ownership of their learning: they are unsupervised, and students may spend this time in their own Study, in the Memorial Library, in departmental libraries, or somewhere else where they can work productively, by arrangement. The pattern of the week varies according to the time of year and the House of which a pupil is a member; it also depends on individual commitments such as music lessons. In general terms, however, what follows is the routine followed by most of the school.

Monday to Saturday

The Morning

Pupils in the out College Houses of Preshute, Cotton, Littlefield and Summerfield, have breakfast in their Houses as do those in Barton Hill, Dancy, Elmhurst, Ivy House and Morris. Breakfast for pupils in all other Houses is in the Norwood Hall from 7.30am to 8.15am.

Lessons start at 8.45am and continue until 12.45pm and 1.00pm for the Lower School and until 1.15pm for the Upper School. Lessons last around 55 minutes and all year groups have a break from 10.40am – 11.05am.

The Afternoon

On “Winter Timetable” (Michaelmas and Lent terms), lessons resume on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 4.45pm and continue until 6.40pm depending on the timetable. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, there are no afternoon lessons, but instead whole school study time from 5.30pm – 6.40pm (6.30pm for Shell and Remove) which is taken in house.

On “Summer Timetable” (Summer term), afternoon lessons run from 2.15pm – 4.10pm on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, as on Winter Timetable, there are no afternoon lessons, but instead whole school study time from 5.30pm – 6.40pm (6.30pm for Shell and Remove).

On Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, games and other activities take place. In the Shell everyone participates in the major game on at least two afternoons per week and, in addition, a programme of academic enrichment, life skills, hobby and recreational pursuits operates on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons. Saturday afternoons are reserved for matches. The extent to which a pupil may choose his or her games activity depends upon their year in the school.

Wednesday Afternoons

Shell pupils take part in the “Shell Circus” which introduces the new pupils to the many different sporting facilities on offer at the school. The Remove spend half of the year on CCF (Combined Cadet Force) and the other half on OA (Outdoor Activities).

In the Hundred and above, Wednesday (or for some Monday) afternoons are reserved chiefly for service for those pupils who decide not to remain members of the CCF. There are a large number of options, including: assisting in primary schools, and in schools for those with special educational needs, working with our Swindon Academy partners, helping the elderly, the recycling group or various pupil publications, the Country Skills group, and the Rare Books group.

The Evening

Supper is served in the Norwood Hall from various starting times (depending upon the day) until 7.00pm. On Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays pupils in Cotton, Littlefield, Preshute and Summerfield have supper in their Houses.

Prep takes place from 7.30pm – 9.00pm every day except Saturday, after which pupils are free until bedtime.

The Lower School as a general rule are not allowed to leave their Houses after prep, although an HM may give special permission (on a “green chit”) for them to do so. For the Shell, bedtime will be between 9.30pm and 10.00pm, with the older year groups going to bed at roughly quarter hour intervals after that.

On Saturday evening there is no prep and social events are frequently organised on a yeargroup basis. Pupils are checked in their Houses at 7.30pm on Saturday nights, in addition to the later, final check-in.

Sundays

All pupils attend either of the Chapel services or a talk on Sundays, where they are checked in using their smart cards. All pupils check in with their HM or Resident House Tutor during the morning and again in the mid afternoon. They are encouraged to use the many facilities that are open, and later in the day many have tea in their Houses.

Inter-house matches may take place, cultural or adventurous activities may also be organised on a House or year-group basis. Duke of Edinburgh’s Award candidates may also be involved in outdoor activities on some weekends. Pupils are free to go out with HM’s permission if they wish, leaving after their Chapel option and returning in time for prep at 7.30pm. There are frequently concerts on Sunday evenings. 22