The Shape of the Day
Most children arrive at school for 8.45 a.m., although it is possible to eat breakfast with the boarders at 8.15 a.m. Registration occurs with the form teacher at 8.50 a.m. and the first lesson starts at nine. There are four thirty-five minute lessons until break at 11.20 a.m. when the senior year is able to go to the village shop. At 11.40 a.m. two more lessons start. Lunch is taken at 12.55 p.m.
Lunch occurs in the dining room and is cooked in house. There are five choices on any one day – a hot main course, a hot vegetarian course, a salad, a baked potato or a sandwich. There is also as much fruit as a child can eat. The catering staff will make sure that everyone gets a varied and sensible diet since the school is small enough that they know everyone’s name and what they ate yesterday. The food itself is very “Jamie Oliver” with no added salt and lots of fresh vegetables!
There is about forty minutes after lunch in which to run around, or perhaps to go off to a band rehearsal or Design Technology club. Lessons begin again at 2.00 p.m. and there are three more classes until the end of the school day when students have their homework dairies signed by their form tutors at 3.55 p.m. Students then either go home by car or one of the school minibuses (at present there are Sudbury and Cambridge runs), or they stay for clubs which start at 4.15 p.m. and last for an hour. At the time of writing students can choose from the following clubs: Drama, Rounders, Music, Cycling Proficiency, Patchwork, Golf, Cricket, Gardening, Ballet and Tennis.
Supper is at 5.30 p.m. for which anyone can stay, and supervised homework for boarders starts at 6.30 p.m. and last for ninety minutes. Day pupils may stay for this and go home afterwards or, as many choose to do, stay the night in the boarding house. We are completely flexible about who stays for boarding so long as there is space. Early booking is sometimes necessary in the summer when the long evenings can be spent cycling around the grounds, playing tennis or fishing (supervised of course). Bed is between 9.30 p.m. and 10.30 p.m. dependant upon age.
