Parents' Guide to Boarding

12 + Beginning and end of Terms Boarders are expected to return to their houses by 9.00pm on the evening before the start of term. The School cannot accommodate boarders before the publicised start of term, nor can we store the belongings of Upper Sixth once they have ‘moved on’. Parents are asked to inform the housemaster of any late arrival or early leaving that may be different from the published dates. School officially ends at 1pm on the last day of every term and at 5pm on the day prior to half term break. The houses need to be vacated by 5pm on the last day of term and 6pm on the day before half term break. The boarding houses are not staffed after this time so it is not possible for any boy to remain beyond this time and date, nor are they able to access the house at any stage over the school break. It is therefore very important that flights are arranged for the afternoon or evening that school ends. If it is not possible to secure a flight on this day, then the boys will be required to stay with their guardians until the date of their flight. The only exception to this is when a school excursion is leaving the day after school ends. On such occasions, one of the boarding houses will remain open until 9am the following day. Only those boarders who are going on the trip will be permitted to stay in the house on these occasions. Due to the requirements of the UK Home Office, all boarders with a Tier 4 visa are required to provide precise details of movements during weekends away and holidays, including flight details and the address at which they will be staying. May Bank Holiday Weekend The School does not have any exeat weekends. However there is an expectation that third and fourth year students are out of the house for the May Bank Holiday Weekend (usually the first weekend in May). They can either go on the organised activity trip away from school, or stay with parents or guardians. Fifth Year and the Sixth Form will be allowed to remain in the house. Transport Arrangements Booking Taxis We recommend that parents contact their son’s guardian to make transport arrangements between the airport and school. The School does not book taxis on behalf of pupils. This is the responsibility of the parent, the guardian or the boy himself. We do, however, know of two local taxi companies that the school has used in the past and who only employ CRB checked drivers. These companies are: Auto Taxis Abingdon, +44 1235527711 [email protected] Pryors Executive Car and Taxi Service, +44 1235812345 Parental permission for other forms of travel It is assumed that parents are willing for their sons to travel in a minibus or car driven by a member of staff. Only staff who have passed a professionally assessed test may drive minibuses. Staff are covered by the School’s insurance to take pupils in their cars. The housemaster will appreciate being informed by the parent of arrangements which involve their son travelling to school by any means other than the parent driving their son themselves (e.g. public transport, private car driven by a friend etc.). Bicycles Boys may keep bicycles at school and are encouraged to use the locked bicycle sheds. Boys may ride their bicycle outside the school grounds but helmets must be worn at all times. Older boarders and cars Due to the limited supply of parking space boarders are not allowed to keep their cars at school. Exceptional request should be made to the housemaster, who will keep the keys between the agreed times at which the pupils can use the car. It is expected that cars left at school are to be used only for commuting from school to home. Only the designated driver may use the car and they may not give lifts to anyone else.