Boarding Handbook
Best times to contact boarders Weekdays: 7.30am - 8.30am and 5pm - 6pm UK time Weekends: please liaise with your child to find out what activities and trips they are involved in School House HEAD OF HOUSE: MIKE LITCHFIELD Duty Mobile number: +44 7557 441058 [email protected] School House, Abingdon School, Abingdon, Oxfordshire, OX14 1DE, UK HEAD OF HOUSE: MATTHEW KENDRY Duty Mobile number: +44 7557 443150 [email protected] 21 Park Crescent, Abingdon, Oxfordshire, OX14 1DD, UK Crescent House Austin House HEAD OF HOUSE: JAMES GOLDING Duty Mobile number: +44 7557 667078 [email protected] 76 Bath Street, Abingdon, Oxfordshire, OX14 1EB, UK Abingdon School PARCELS SHOULD BE SENT TO: Abingdon School, Faringdon Lodge, Faringdon Road, Abingdon, Oxfordshire, OX14 1BQ, UK Contact details A member of staff is on duty at all times, and can be contacted on the House duty mobile phone, 24 hours a day during term time. Parcels should be addressed to your child and sent to the main school address at Faringdon Lodge. 01
Contents PAGE 13 Boarding provision PAGE 15 Pastoral care PAGE 12 Transport PAGE 03 Welcome PAGE 04 About Abingdon and Location PAGE 05 Boarding at Abingdon PAGE 06 Our statement of principles PAGE 07 Guardians PAGE 08 Visas PAGE 09 Settling in PAGE 10 Arrival and departure PAGE 01 Contact details PAGE 19 Registration PAGE 20 Visitors and absence PAGE 21 Safety and security PAGE 22 Behaviour, rewards and sanctions PAGE 23 Medical information PAGE 25 Timetables and routines PAGE 17 Personal belongings 02
I thought settling into boarding would be very hard, but I was wrong. I’ve been here for almost 3 years, and I wake up at home every day. - A boarder 03 At Abingdon we aim to teach and develop the resources, skills and resilience that your children will need in order to feel confident in embracing their future. We encourage them to seize opportunities and to appreciate their responsibilities - not only to one another but also to society as a whole. Our school promotes a culture of mutual respect and equality and we celebrate diversity. Abingdon enjoys the very best in academic standards, music, sport and the arts, in a caring and supportive environment where students are motivated to succeed. The health and wellbeing of our students is paramount and the school has a comprehensive pastoral care system centred around a student's tutor and Head of House. Welcome
About Abingdon At Abingdon we aim to teach and develop the resources, skills and resilience that your children will need in order to feel confident in embracing their future. We encourage them to seize opportunities and to appreciate their responsibilities - not only to one another but also to society as a whole. Our school promotes a culture of mutual respect and equality and we celebrate diversity. Abingdon enjoys the very best in academic standards, music, sport and the arts, in a caring and supportive environment where students are motivated to succeed. The health and wellbeing of our students is paramount and the school has a comprehensive pastoral care system centred around a student's tutor and Head of House. Location The school is situated in 35 acres of beautiful grounds in the centre of Abingdon, just south of the university city of Oxford. Abingdon is ideally located for access to the cities of Oxford and London. Both London Heathrow and London Gatwick airports are within an easy distance of the school, with journey times taking approximately 1 hour and 1 hour 30 minutes, by road, respectively. 04
Boarders play an integral role at Abingdon – both as part of their house and across the school community. Above all, however, they are valued as individuals with each pupil’s talents, skills and character, nurtured and appreciated. We offer weekly and full boarding from the Third Year (age 13) and our boarders benefit from an enhanced and lively activities programme in the evenings and over weekends. Activities range from informal BBQs, movie nights and cake baking sessions; to house dinners, escape room experiences and recreational trips to nearby Oxford. Day students are an intrinsic part of each of our three boarding houses, helping to ensure that friendships grow and extend across both day and boarding pupils. This structure allows students to mix freely in lessons, activities and sports, in addition to spending time together socially and boarders particularly welcome the opportunity to spend time out of school with day pupil friends and their families. Boarding at Abingdon Plenty of activities to keep boarders busy Numerous opportunities for boarders to go on trips 05
Our statement of principles A culture of consideration and kindness Students from 25 countries around the world At Abingdon we aim to: develop each boarder, encourage them in all that they do, support them in an environment that is safe and secure, and help prepare them for adulthood. ensure that every boarder can live in a community where relationships with others (students and staff) are respectful, tolerant and positive. celebrate and encourage the individuality of those in our boarding community, encouraging each to achieve their potential and discover new opportunities. communicate with boarding parents and guardians effectively and honestly, trusting in a collaborative partnership for the benefit of the boarders in our care. The school ensures its boarding practice complies with the National Minimum Standards 2022 for Boarding - this was confirmed by the Independent Schools Inspectorate in May 2023 when they conducted a full Educational Quality and Compliance inspection. The statement is available in different languages if required. Please contact the Head of Boarding or your child's head of house to request this. 06 06
It is Abingdon School policy that all students whose parents live abroad, must appoint a UK based guardian. Abingdon School is unable to recommend guardians. However, parents can find details of the BSA Certified Guardians Scheme and the AEGIS Accredited Guardianship Organisations. Guardians should live close enough to school (typically within 90 minutes) for the pupil to visit for weekends away and half terms and on the occasions when the school is closed. The typical role of a guardian would include: transport to and from school and the airport providing accommodation during holidays, including half terms and bank holidays collecting the pupil in case of exclusion from school bridging the gap between term dates and flights to and from home looking after the pupil in the event of illness (in liaison with the School’s medical centre) providing accommodation during any quarantine period and possible periods of self isolation A good guardian will also play an active role in supporting the pupil. For example, attending parents' evenings and other school events. Guardians will be included in correspondence (excluding school fee invoices) unless parents have agreed another arrangement with the school. Further details can be found in the Guardianship guidance notes. Guardians 07 Our focus is on wellbeing
It is the responsibility of parents to ensure their child has the correct entry Visa for the UK. Information can be obtained by visiting gov.uk/child-study-visa or ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk Any student who is a citizen of a country outside the UK and Ireland, and who wishes to study in the UK for a period of more than six months, requires a visa to study in the UK. This includes EEA students who arrive in the UK after 1 January 2021. Abingdon School has a licence to sponsor Child Student Visa students. Where a student is sponsored to obtain a Child Student Visa, it is a policy of Abingdon School that the student must remain a full boarder for the duration of their time at Abingdon. Abingdon School makes every effort to make this process as easy as possible, working with an immigration lawyer who manages the visa process throughout. Please note that if a student is studying in the UK on a Child Student Visa, they are required by the UK Home Office to provide precise details of movements during weekends away and holidays, including flight details and the address at which they will be staying. Where a student is not sponsored, Abingdon School will request evidence of the student’s right to study in the UK before the student starts at school. This could be by virtue of a parent’s visa or under the EU settlement scheme. Further information may be obtained from the UK Government Visa and Immigration. Visas 08
Settling in The first day On the first Sunday of the School year, we host a welcome reception for new boarders and their parents. This is a good opportunity to meet key staff, see the boarding houses and tour the wider school. We ask that all parents leave at this point so boarders can enjoy the fun induction activities that we have planned. The first few weeks To help new boarders settle in, we have a thorough induction programme in place, beginning from the moment they arrive in September right through to the end of the Michaelmas Term in December. The timetable, daily and weekend routine, school layout, medical, spiritual and uniform matters will all be covered, as will a trip to Oxford using public transport. During the first full weekend at School, we ask that all full boarders and, if possible, weekly boarders, stay in the Houses as we also have exciting team-building activities and a welcome dinner. As part of our peer support programme, every boarder will be paired with a ‘mentor’, usually a sixth form boarder who will be there to support and assist your child as they start to settle into life as a boarder. Feeling homesick Your child will, inevitably, experience a wide range of emotions in the initial settling in period. This is quite normal and we simply ask that you allow them to settle into their new environment by encouraging them to mix with new friends and take part in the activities. Initially, please resist the urge to be in contact daily. Boarders generally settle quite quickly into boarding life and the security of a routine, but can also experience some homesickness. Contact with parents at home can alleviate this, but a reliance on too much contact can often make the situation worse. 09
Arrival and departure Peer mentoring - care and support 03 Start of term/re-start of half-term Boarders are expected to return to their houses between 5pm and 9pm on the evening before the start of term or re-start of half-term. The school cannot accommodate boarders before the published start of term. Parents are asked to inform the Head of House of any late arrival that may be different from the published dates. End of term/half-term break School officially ends at 1pm on the last day of every term and at 5.00pm 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 boarder to remain beyond this time, nor are they able to access the house at any stage over the School holidays. 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 9.00am the following day. Only those boarders who are going on the trip will be permitted to stay in the house on these occasions. Exeats/May Day Bank Holiday The school does not have any exeat weekends, and full boarders are able to stay in school throughout term time. However there is an expectation that third and fourth year students are out of the house for the May Bank Holiday Weekend (Saturday to Monday inclusive). Third and Fourth Year can either go on the activities organised by boarding staff for each day, or stay with parents or guardians. Fifth Year and Sixth Form boarders will be allowed to remain in the house, as many will be preparing for public exams. 10
Arrival and departure Travel arrangements for half-terms and holidays All boarders should provide precise details of their movements during half-terms and holidays so we know when our boarders are coming and going from the house, where they are staying, and any flight information for students leaving from, and returning to, the UK. We will send out a request for this information approximately two weeks beforehand and we appreciate your support in completing this as soon as possible. Missing school should be avoided wherever possible, but we are aware that boarders' travel plans don't always fit neatly with the terms dates and times. We encourage parents to make flight bookings early; term dates are published two years in advance to ensure that this is possible, and can be found here.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 boarder to remain beyond this time, nor are they able to access the house at any stage over the school holidays. 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. 11
Transport Booking taxis Parents should contact their child’s guardian to make transport arrangements between the airport and school. The school does not book taxis on behalf of pupils. Parental permission for other forms of travel It is assumed that parents are willing for their children to travel in a vehicle driven by a member of staff, who are covered by the school’s insurance. If you are not driving your child to school, please inform your Head of House of other travel arrangements (e.g. public transport, private car driven by a friend etc.). Bicycles Boarders may keep bicycles at school and should use the locked bicycle sheds. Boarders may ride their bicycle outside the school grounds but helmets must be worn at all times. Cars Boarders are not allowed to keep their cars at school. In exceptional circumstances, requests should be made to the head of house, 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. 03 12
Room allocations We try very hard to ensure room allocations are carried out fairly and appropriately and consideration is given to boarders' preference. Accommodation In 2023, we completed the renovation and extension of two of our three boarding houses (with plans to renovate the third in due course). Each boarding house has its own unique feel and character and all integrate day students and boarders together. Bedrooms: Bedrooms feature a desk, drawers, cupboard and washbasin. Sixth Formers are allocated single rooms. Students are encouraged to personalise their own space and using posters is a great way of doing this. Boarders are expected to keep their rooms tidy to help the cleaners who come into the house each morning. Each boarder also has a safe, and a lockable cupboard for valuables. Kitchen: Each house has a kitchen for eating and preparing snacks. This is stocked with bread, butter, milk, jam and spreads. A snack tea is provided each day at 5pm. Take-aways are permitted on Friday and Saturday nights. Boarders are expected to wash up their own dishes and cutlery and duty teams of boarders do a final tidy up each evening. This is known colloquially as ‘Squads’. Games rooms: comprise a range of activities such as table tennis, pool tables and table football. TV rooms have large screen televisions and facilities for movie nights. Movies are aimed at the age range of the children watching. Bathroom facilities: there are showers, toilets and washbasins for the boarders. Boarding provision 13
Food Breakfast and supper are taken in the Dining Hall and boarders are expected to attend. Menus are published in advance and a considerable choice of hot and cold dishes is available. All dietary requirements are catered for, including vegetarian, vegan, halal, kosher and gluten free. Students are encouraged to discuss catering issues and concerns through a polite, direct approach or through the School Food Committee or Boarders’ Council nominated representatives. Devices All pupils are expected to have a laptop to use for school work, and each house has wireless internet throughout. Abingdon aims to provide boarders with the same internet freedoms they would enjoy at home, but the school has an additional duty of care towards its boarding community to provide a safe, secure and healthy environment in which to live and work. This includes a duty of care towards the pupils with regard to adequate sleep and development of social skills. Long periods spent online or using computers can be a cause for concern and heads of house will exercise their duty of care when necessary in this regard. Laptops and phones should not be used during lesson time, prep or after lights out. Boarders in the Third and Fourth Years need to hand all electronic devices in before bedtime during the school week for safekeeping. Please make sure laptops and phones are named and insured. Personal items are not covered by the school's insurance. Boarding provision 14
Pastoral care 15 Role of staff The boarding heads of house have overall responsibility for the welfare of pupils in their houses and are in loco parentis. They are ably assisted by an assistant boarding head of house, a team of tutors, a house manager and a team of cleaners. Boarding as a teenager brings with it all the hopes and expectations of children growing up to be young adults, ready for university and whatever life has to offer. Along the way, there will inevitably be times of anxiety, concern and difficulty as well as times of real celebration and happiness. Supported by a highly experienced team of tutors, house managers, the Chaplaincy, Counsellor and Health Centre doctor and nurses, we aim to offer the support, care and personal attention to every student in our houses so that they genuinely look back on a very special, and successful time as boarders. Wellbeing of boarders We hope that your child will feel able to talk to staff about any issue. Often pupils will talk to certain teachers or their house manager; it doesn’t matter who they talk to as long as we can help and be there for them. All staff are trained to deal with issues, understand confidentiality and the need to refer matters at other times. Each house has a mobile phone with a member of staff on duty at any given time. Your child should make sure this number is in their mobile, so that they are always able to make contact with the house. Parents are also encouraged to use this number as it is a good first point of contact for general enquiries. Unless it is an emergency, please call between 8am and 10pm UK time. Each time a boarder updates their phone, they must provide updated mobile numbers to their head of house. A confidential box can be found in each house and is checked regularly for any concerns that have been posted by boarders. A whistleblower policy exists to support anyone who wishes to raise concerns but is worried about the implications. There is a caring atmosphere throughout the school. - ISI Inspection
Role of tutors Your child’s tutor is normally the first point of contact about school-related matters. You will receive reports throughout the year and we will contact you on any specific issues relating to your child’s education or welfare. Please contact your child’s tutor with any information that might influence their welfare and happiness or if you have any concerns about their life at school. Tutors will make contact with parents early in the first term and exchange contact details. Prefects/mentors The senior house prefect and house prefects are appointed from the Upper Sixth by the head of house. They are essentially the conduit between boarder and the house staff where necessary. Prefects’ responsibilities include assisting the staff in the running of the boarding house and helping in both the pastoral support and safeguarding of welfare of the pupils in their house. Prefects are expected to use their status and authority in a mature and sensitive manner and, in turn, expect the respect of those under their care. They are given guidance by the head of house in how to carry out their duties and in safeguarding and child protection. Pastoral care 16
Naming clothes Name tapes for labelling all clothes are required and parents should order these in good time. Spare labels should be given to your child’s House Manager. Please ensureeverything is named prior to your child arriving at Abingdon. Clothing requirements Boarders wear school uniform until 5pm when they may change into their own clothes. School uniform can be purchased online from our uniform supplier, Stevensons. In addition to school uniform, we suggest that boarders should have: 10 pairs of socks and underwear 2 changes of nightwear Own clothes for evenings and weekends Slippers / flip-flops 2 bath towels Personal toiletries Single duvet A pillow 2 duvet covers only (please do not bring duvets as these are provided) 2 pillow cases only (please do not bring pillows as these are provided) For new boarders, uniform and other essential items may be purchased online and sent to your child at the Faringdon Lodge address (available on page 1). How much to bring? Please do not send your child with excessive amounts of clothing and personal items. As a guide, everything should be able to fit in one suitcase and one holdall. Personal belongings 17
10 Laundry All school laundry is done on site. Boarders will have a named shelf on which to store spare clothes and matrons will place clean laundry on the shelf. Bed linen is changed weekly and boarders place used sheets and pillowcases in the laundry baskets by 8.30am on change-over day. Socks are packed into sock bags (please note, these are provided by the school and charged to your account). Money Bank accounts can be set up with any bank in Abingdon. If necessary, Heads of House will provide a letter from the school confirming your child’s residence at Abingdon. If possible, international students should seek assistance from their guardians in setting up a bank account prior to arriving at school. House bank Each boarding house runs a ‘house bank‘ overseen by the Assistant Boarding Heads of House, from which boarders can deposit and withdraw money. Parents can also set a limit on how much money they would like their child to withdraw each week. Caring for belongings Boarders should take care of their own property and show respect for the property of others and of the school at all times. - All items should be clearly named. - Valuables should be stored in the boarder‘s individual safe or lockable cupboard. - Pupils should not borrow items from others without asking. - Damage to property should be reported to the house manager so that repairs can be made quickly. - If damage is caused deliberately, parents will be informed and the cost of repair to the property belonging either to the school or another pupil may be charged to a parents’ bill. - In the rare event of a suspected theft, it should be reported swiftly and will be investigated. - Valuable items and passports may be handed into house staff for safekeeping. Personal belongings 18
Signing in and out Signing in and out The heads of house and the house staff have a duty to know the whereabouts, and ensure the safety, of the boarders at all times during the term. Any time a boarder wants to go off-site in the evenings or at the weekend, they need to sign in and out in person with the duty tutor, saying where they are going, who they are going with and what time they expect to be back. Boarders are required to inform the member of staff on duty as soon as they return to the house. Regular registrations are taken as follows: Weekday registration: 8.25am each day: Registration in house During the school day: all students, day and boarding, are registered in their tutor periods and in Period 7 5pm each day: Registration in house 7pm each day: Registration in house A register is also taken at lights-out. Weekend registration: Saturday: Registration at 9.45am, 1pm and 7pm Sunday: Registration at 1pm and 7pm A register is also taken at lights-out on Saturday and Sunday, and the tutor on duty on Sunday does a walk of the house and takes the register at the start of their duty. Registration 19
Visitors Boarders can invite other pupils into their house as guests but must ask permission from the duty staff member and sign the guests in and out. Guests should be accompanied at alltimes, and only visit the common areas of the house. Any guests from outside the school will require permission from the Head of House to come into the house. Parents and guardians are always welcome to come and visit their children during term time. Please contact the head of house in advance of any visit. On arrival, please let the duty member of staff know you have arrived. For safeguarding reasons, we ask that parents and guardians do not go into boarders' bedrooms but remain in the communal areas of the house (the exception to this is at the beginning and end of terms to help your child pack or unpack). Absence from school lessons and fixtures Permission needs to be sought and granted if children are to be absent from school. Heads of House can approve a single day of absence but longer periods need to be approved by the Head or Senior Deputy Head. Permission to be absent from an allocated sports fixture must be sought at least a week in advance from the Head. Weekend absence for full boarders Full boarders requesting weekend leave need permission from the Head of House. Written authorisation from their parents and the responsible hosting adult is also required and should be received by 9pm on the Thursday before the relevant weekend. Weekly boarders wishing to stay in school over the weekend also need permission from the Head of House. Visitors and absence Through boarding, I have been able to get to know people of many different nationalities; my understanding of varied cultures has risen and my grasp of different languages has grown. -A boarder Parents and guardians welcome to visit 20
Safety and security 21 School gates are closed at night. Electric sockets must not be overloaded. Windows are fitted with safety restrictors. Pupils must not climb over gates or walls. Cooking equipment (e.g. kettles) is only allowed in the house kitchens and not in bedrooms. Fire regulations and practice Fire-extinguishing equipment is checked monthly, fire safety checks are carried out regularly and fire practices are held at least once a term. All boarders are briefed on fire evacuation procedures. Electrical appliances are checked every term for safety and every boarder’s electrical items are regularly tested. The boarding houses are kept secure and the safety of boarders is enhanced in various ways: Boarders may contact duty staff at any time on the house duty mobile. Doors leading into the boarding houses are fitted with keypad locks. Visitors must be signed in and out of boarding houses. Boarders must inform the duty staff whenever they go off-site and as soon as they return. Houses are kept secure and the safety of boarders is a priority Duty staff may be contacted at any time
The boarding houses follow the school’s system of rewards and sanctions, which can be viewed here. As a boarding community, we also approach discipline as parents might at home, matching sanction to inconsiderate behaviour. In addition, boarders’ equipment such as mobile phones and computers may be confiscated for improper use. Peer relations and bullying We acknowledge that living together can be challenging and requires the development of patience, consideration and diplomacy. The School has an effective policy on bullying and all pupils are encouraged to speak up swiftly about bullying or any physical or verbal abuse. Attempts are then made to defuse tensions where they occur between particular pupils and to repair relations before any pupil is tempted to engage in verbal or physical bullying. Drugs; alcohol and smoking; and management of disciplinary incidents We adhere to the School policies on drugs and substances, alcohol and smoking. However, boarders over the age of 18 may sign out and visit a pub with permission from the Head of House and, on occasion, the Head of House may offer an alcoholic drink to sixth form students at house social occasions. In any disciplinary matter, the school policy on guidelines for disciplinary interviews with pupils will be followed and parents will be informed. 22 Behaviour, rewards and sanctions
Medical information 23 Health Centre Contact Details Telephone: +44 (0)1235 849059 Duty mobile: +44 (0)7748 591057 Email: [email protected] Opening times 8am - 6pm Monday to Friday 9am - 5pm on Saturdays (Michaelmas and Lent terms) 10am - 2pm on Saturdays (Summer term) Out of hours - one of the Health Centre team is on call outside opening hours. The experienced Health Centre team is made up of: The senior nurse, assistant nurse and four health care assistants. A doctor, the senior nurse, a paramedic, physiotherapist and first-aiders provide pitch-side support for rugby and football matches. Registering with a GP Boarders are registered with Dr Khan of The Malthouse Surgery in Abingdon. Dr Khan holds a weekly surgery at 8am every Tuesday in our Health Centre and children may also have appointments at The Malthouse Surgery at other times. A brief medical examination is made of new boarders shortly after their arrival at school. This helps to identify any medical problems and allows your child to familiarise themselves with our Health Centre. Any significant medical condition needs to be communicated by parents to the Health Centre and your child’s Head of House. GP Referrals We will let parents know if their child needs to be referred to a specialist. Boarders may go to appointments with parents (if practical), guardians, or school staff. Referrals can be made on the NHS or privately for those who have private medical insurance. The school offers a private medical scheme, details of which are available through the Finance Department. Medication All medication, including natural or herbal remedies, should be supplied in its original packaging, labelled with your child’s name and handed to the Senior Nurse or House Manager on arrival at school. If your child has an Autoinjector or Asthma inhaler, the Senior Nurse or House Manager will advise what to do. Please note, we can only accept medications with instructions in English.
Medical information 10 House Managers The Health Centre team works closely with boarding House Managers who may treat minor illnesses and can seek advice when needed. They also support taking boarders to the minor injuries unit and hospital when necessary and play a key role in liaising between home and school on medical matters. Medical consent Parents should complete the medical form before their child starts school. The form will ask for details of your child’s medical history. It requires parents to give consent for medical staff to administer medicines (including Paracetamol or Ibuprofen) and first-aid treatment; for an annual influenza vaccination to be given; and for other immunisations to be administered as recommended by the Department of Health. It also asks for permission for a Head of House to act in loco parentis so that, on rare occasions when a parent cannot be contacted, consent can be given for emergency treatment, operations etc. Local hospitals The minor injuries unit is at Abingdon Hospital and the Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust (John Radcliffe Hospital, Churchill Hospital and Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre) are within easy access. Most private referrals are made to the Manor Hospital, Oxford. Medical treatment during holidays In the event of your child being ill during the holidays, they will not be able to stay in the Health Centre and you or their guardian should be prepared to collect them. The same applies at weekends for weekly boarders. If your child requires treatment in the UK during the holidays, you can register them as a ‘Temporary Resident’. Remember to inform the Health Centre of any treatment upon your child’s return to school. Medical confidentiality Medical computer record systems are separate and secure from the school system to ensure confidentiality, although it is often best if staff know what is happening. Pupils are encouraged to discuss their medical care with their parents. Children over 16 may give consent for their own treatment. If under 16, but considered mature enough, they can also give consent. All pupils are entitled to the same level of medical confidentiality as anyone else. Please note, this may mean your child chooses not to tell you about any treatment they are receiving. 24
Weekday timetable During the week, the school day follows the timetable below: 25 Lights out 3rd Year: 9.45pm 4th Year: 10pm 5th Year: 10.15pm Lower Sixth: 10.45pm In room Upper Sixth: 11pm School Day 8.35am - 8.55am 9.00am - 10.45am 10.45am - 11.05am 11.10am - 12.05pm 12.10pm - 1.05pm 1.05pm - 1.55pm 2.00pm - 2.55pm 3.00pm - 3.55pm 4.00pm - 5pm Evening 5.00pm - 5.15pm 5.05pm - 6.30pm 6.15pm - 6.45pm 7.00pm - 8.30pm 8.30pm - Bed Before School 7.30am 7.30am - 8am 8.25am - 8.35am Wake up Breakfast Boarding Registration Tutor period / Chapel / assembly Lessons Break Lesson Lesson / lunch / activity Lunch Lesson Lessons / Other Half activities on Wednesdays Other Half activities Registration and tea Free time / activities Dinner, followed by registration Prep In-house activities / Free time
Weekend routine Activity programme There is a boarders’ activity programme every weekend with activities arranged on differing times and days, including occasional Friday evenings. Younger boarders are required to sign up for a range of trips and activities, while sixth form boarders are also strongly encouraged to take part. There are also weekly sports fixtures that all pupils are regularly involved in as well as lectures, performances of music and drama and trips that all members of the school (day and boarding) are invited to. Please encourage your child to make the most of the wonderful range of opportunities available. Activity costs and consent The majority of trips and events for boarders are included in your fees. However, up to an additional £150 each year may be charged to help subsidise the cost of some of the more expensive trips, such as meals out or visits to theme parks, paintballing etc. We will not seek additional permission for these charges, so please advise if you do not wish your child to take part in these activities. At the beginning of each academic year, parents will need to complete an electronic consent form which allows their child to take part in the varied activities programme. Boarding news Parents can keep track of all the fun activities their children are doing by visiting the boarding news page on the school website. 26
Lights out Morning 8.30am Wake up 8.45am - 9.30am Breakfast, followed by registration 10.00am - 11.30am Saturday morning programme Afternoon 12:30pm - 1pm Lunch, followed by registration 1.15pm - 6.15pm Sports fixtures or free time Evening 6.15pm - 7.00pm Dinner, followed by registration 7.00pm - 11.00pm Free time / Trip / Social / Activity Morning Sleep-in with continental breakfast in house for those who want it (you may need to get up for a trip) 10.30am - 12.30pm Brunch Evening 6.15pm - 7.00pm Dinner, followed by registration 7.00pm - 10.30pm Free time Sunday Saturday Lights out 3rd Year: 9.45pm 4th Year: 10.00pm 5th Year: 10.15pm Lower Sixth: 10.45pm Afternoon 12.30pm - 1pm Free time, followed by registration 1pm - 6.15pm Free time / Trip / Activity In room Upper Sixth: 11.00pm 3rd Year: 10.00pm 4th Year: 10.15pm 5th Year: 10.30pm Sixth Form: In rooms by 11pm 27 Weekend routine
abingdon.org.uk Last updated: December 2023
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