Life at LWC | General Information including Co-curricular & Saturdays

General Information including Co-curricular & Saturdays LIFE AT LWC

Welcome from the Headmaster

This handbook has been collated by the Admissions Department, who have a great deal of experience of helping families new to the school find their feet; I hope that reading through this will excite you for the journey ahead.

LWC is a friendly, supportive and ambitious community. You can feel confident that we will keep you abreast of all you need or want to know over the coming months and years. There is some risk of parents feeling overwhelmed at the start of a child’s career in a new school, however please don’t be. We are here and would be delighted to answer any questions that you may have at any time.

Having now been in post for seven years, I remain thrilled to be a part of this wonderful and inspirational school, where Pupil Voice and Character Education are at the very heart of what we do.

I still remember the first morning I met with our College prefects, who sat with nervous anticipation awaiting pearls of wisdom from their Headmaster. To their great disappointment, I asked only one question as to what made their school unique. Within minutes, these charming, articulate and highly passionate individuals had set out their vision and tone for the years ahead. It is a vision that is now clearly articulated, planned for and is transforming the campus, but

placing the growth of people and culture at the heart of things; we are hugely excited by this.

As we look onwards, the legacy of their aspirations and actions are in place, with pupil-led films, exciting building designs, Project 2030, our outdoor learning spaces, appraisals of teachers and campus master-planning to name but a few. As importantly, they have embedded a culture of openness, shared values and an ethos of ‘can do, will do’ which is truly inspiring - a culture which has led to national awards and professional body recognition.

With that in mind, our staff and pupils are looking forward to welcoming you into our community as you and your children begin your adventure.

I hope you have a very long and happy association with this remarkable school.

Adam Williams Headmaster

Finding your way around our 1200 acre campus can be daunting in the first few weeks, everyone gets lost at least once! The best place to start if you do need help is your child’s House – Matrons and pupils are always happy to point you in the right direction.

General Information

Term dates for the Academic Year September 2023/2024

The first day of term is Thursday 7th September. However, for new pupils we hold an induction afternoon on Wednesday 6th September. We break up for Christmas on Friday 15th December, at midday.

A full list of term dates can be found here.

Communication with Parents

All letters, notices and information of a non-sensitive nature are sent to parents via email as we find this the most efficient, cost effective and environmentally friendly way of promulgating information. We send an electronic weekly bulletin and Houseparents send a weekly newsletter over the weekend, additionally information is posted on the VLE (Virtual Learning Environment).

All general communications are sent directly to your email address(es). Consequently, it is vital that you inform us of any changes to these.

Pupils’ academic and AtoL (Attitude to Learning) reports are accessed via the College’s VLE and invoices are sent via email.

Contacting Houseparents

Houseparents are usually the first port of call for any questions regarding your child. You can contact them by email or telephone. Addresses and numbers are on the website. Unless it is an emergency, the hours to call Houseparents are after 7.30am and before 10pm. Matrons are also a good port of call and are in the boarding houses from 8am to 9pm every weekday, and from 8am to 6pm on Saturdays.

You will appreciate that Houseparents teach and take part in co-curricular activities so may not always be at the end of the ‘phone, but if you leave a message they will contact you as quickly as they can.

Transport - Bus Services/Lift Share Scheme/International Travel Bus Services

We currently offer a morning-only bus service from: Alresford, Alton, Ascot, Bagshot, Basingstoke, Camberley, Church Crookham, Church Oakley, Churt, Elvetham Heath, Farnham, Fleet, Four Marks, Hartley Wintney, Hindhead, Hook, Lychpit, North Waltham, Oakley, Old Basing, Ropley, Upper Hale, Winchester, Windlesham, Woking and Yateley.

An evening return bus runs to Alresford and Winchester, four days a week.

Further details, including timings and costs, can be found here. The cost of using this service will be added to your child’s termly invoice.

Driven by potential demand for our services, we conduct an annual review of bus routes and announce any changes each summer. Timings are also subject to occasional changes, so please check the College website for up-to-date information. To book a bus place, please visit: http://lordwandsworth.vectare.co.uk

We also offer a weekend bus service toand-from Hook Station. Places on this bus should be booked in advance via School Office.

Lift Share Scheme

The College operates a parent lift share scheme. This allows parents to log their details for inclusion on the Lift Share

Register, which is then circulated to everyone on the scheme enabling parents to contact others coming from the same area. Further details are available from the School Office.

International Travel

We are happy to arrange travel to and from airports for students who live overseas. Please contact Matrons for information about this.

Daily Routines

Arrival and Registration

1st and 2nd Form

Day pupils may be dropped off at Junior House or at the main College car park. The latest drop off at Junior is 8.15am, although pupils are welcome from 7.15am and may have breakfast with boarders, which is at 7.30am in Junior House. Pupils being dropped at the main school, either in the main car park or the drop off point at the top of the main drive should arrive at 8.30am.

Saturday morning registration is at 9am at Junior House with activities starting at 9.30am.

3rd to Sixth Form

Morning registration for boarders and day pupils takes place in each House between 7.30 and 8.20am. All pupils in 3rd Form and above need to be in their respective boarding house no later than 8.15am. At registration, pupils should be ready for the day ahead and correctly dressed in College

uniform. Pupils arriving late for school should report to their House Matron.

Day pupils may have breakfast in school (at no extra charge), which is served from 7.30am in Julyans.

All pupils who are attending Saturday morning activities must register in House by 9.15am prior to their activity.

Prep

Prep (homework) happens every weekday evening; prep is set by subject teachers on a rota so that no pupil should be completing more than three preps for different subjects in any one prep session. Prep is supervised in the boarding houses by the Duty Tutor and House Prefects. Day pupils are welcome to stay and do their prep at school but if they choose to go home, should complete prep at home.

Bedtimes

During the working week bedtime and “lights out” are as follows:

1st Form 9.00 pm 9.15 pm

2nd Form 9.00 pm 9.15 pm

3rd Form 9.30 pm 9.45 pm

4th Form 9.45 pm 10.00 pm

5th Form 10.00 pm 10.15 pm

Sixth Form from 10.30pm

Departure

During the week, day pupils can be picked up at 4pm or after their co-curricular activities, whichever is later. Please be aware that pick up times may vary each day depending on the sport/activity your child is involved in. Parents and guardians can use SOCS to find out their child’s activity programme and whether they have been selected for fixtures; if in doubt, please liaise with Matrons.

• Pupils involved in school matches are free to leave either once an away match has finished, or once the pupils have returned to school. Parents may take their child home from away fixtures provided that they have informed the team coach that they are doing so and have called the boarding house to inform Matron.

• Pupils not participating in a match on Saturday are free to go home after their Saturday morning activity or sports training has finished (whichever comes later).

• Day pupils may stay for tea and supervised prep (at no extra charge).

• Parents of pupils in Junior House are requested to collect children from inside the House as the children are not allowed to wait by the road.

Signing Out When Going Home

Day pupils must sign out with Matron or the House duty staff when going home. Boarders returning home at the end of the week must sign out in the same way.

Boarders Going Home During the Week

Boarders may go home during the week for family events or special occasions by arrangement with their Houseparent.

Weekend Arrangements and Return Times for Boarders

Weekly boarders, and full boarders who are out of school during the weekend, should return between 6.00-9.00pm on Sunday or by 8.00am on Monday. If you wish your child to return at a different time from the standard, please let your Houseparent know.

Absence

Pupil Absence

When a day pupil will be absent during normal school hours or when for health reasons they should be excused from physical activity, please email their Matron and tutor to that effect. Verbal messages by pupils cannot be accepted. A further email should be sent when they are fit again. If a day pupil is sick and unable to attend school, parents should ring the House by 8am or email Houseparents cc’ing Matrons. Apart from special occasions (eg a family wedding), pupils are expected to be in school throughout the term. The holidays are not short and to avoid embarrassment parents are asked not to request extra time away. If really necessary, requests for time away from school should be made to the Headmaster with a minimum of two weeks’ notice. The same applies if a pupil is not able to attend a sports fixture.

Parent Absence

If for any reason you have to be away during the term (parents of both day and boarding pupils), we do need to know what arrangements you have made for your child so that in any emergency we know the adult to contact. Please let us have, in writing, the relevant name, address and telephone number.

Occasional Boarding

Occasional boarding is for pupils who want to stay overnight on an ad hoc basis. This facility is available to all day pupils if space allows in individual boarding houses. Beds need to be booked in advance with the Houseparent. There is no guarantee that a bed space will be available. Occasional boarders must fit in with the routine of the boarders and not be disruptive. In case of family emergencies, or when parents are away, we can usually help with a bed for the night. The cost per night is currently £81.

Changing Status (between Day and Full, Weekly or Flexi boarding)

Any change of status requires a full term’s notice to the Headmaster or the Admissions Office. To request a change of boarding status please click here.

Holidays, Half Terms and Exeats

Pupils should be collected from their House at the end of term, half term and on exeat weekends. Timings vary but are communicated via email prior to each.

If a pupil is not going home directly, or is not going home at all over a holiday period, the Houseparent must have written consent from the pupil’s parent/guardian, giving detail of the arrangements. Additionally, there needs to be consent from the host (who needs to be an adult).

The parents or gurdians of full boarders must complete a Travel Document for Houseparents.

Barriers

We have security barriers at each of our campus entrances. The main entrance barrier is set to rise on approach throughout the day but is switched to PIN operation overnight (23.30 – 05.30).

The West Gate & Hyde Road barriers have two modes of operation – open on approach and PIN access only. For security reasons, PIN numbers are not issued to parents. Outside of the barrier open hours below, we require all access to the College to be through the main gate.

The West Gate & Hyde Road barriers are set to open on approach at the following times:

Monday, Tuesday, Thursday & Friday 6.30am – 9.30am & 3.00pm – 9.30pm

Wednesday 6.30am – 9.30am & 11.30am – 9.30pm

Saturday

6.30am – 9.30am & 11.00am – 6.00pm

Sunday

4.15pm – 9.00pm

At all other times these barriers can be opened by PIN operation only. You can exit the College through any barrier at any time.

Matrons

Our Matrons play an extremely important role in the the school.

Every House has a Matron on duty from 8.00am-9.00pm each weekday and 8.00am6.00pm on Saturdays.

The Matrons’ role is to support the Houseparents in the care of the pupils. They are responsible for the health and wellbeing of the pupils and the smooth running of the domestic side of their House. It is vital that Matrons are told of any medicines brought into the College by pupils, whether prescribed or ‘over the counter’. Self-bought treatments can cause adverse or dangerous reactions if taken with other medicines, and it is essential that Matrons and medical staff are aware of such treatments.

Pocket Money and House Bank

All money should be deposited with the Houseparent in charge of the House bank together with any other valuables, important documents, passports, etc. The College will take no responsibility if these are not handed in. Details of the House bank will be provided by your child’s Houseparent.

Food

We have our own ‘in-house’ catering team who are responsible for all meals and catering services. Almost all diets can be catered for. If your child has a particular dietary need, please contact the Catering Manager prior to your child joining us, to discuss your child’s specific requirements, to ensure that these needs can be met (headleyi@lordwandsworth. org).

Tuck

Boarders may keep small amounts of nonperishable food in a lockable container in their dorm/room and small amounts of perishable goods in the House fridge. We do not encourage pupils to bring much in the way of extra food as pupils are required to attend all meals and snacks/fruit are available in the boarding houses in the evening. All Houses run small tuck shops selling sweets and snacks.

Laundry

Matrons look after all the laundry in the Houses which is done on a daily basis.

Full boarders may put all their clothes in for washing.

Weekly boarders may put all school uniform, underwear and games kit in for washing. Flexi boarders may put all school uniform, underwear and games kit in for washing on the nights when they are resident at College. Casual clothes should be washed at home at the weekend.

Day pupils are not entitled to have their laundry done by the Matrons and it should therefore be taken home.

Any items for dry cleaning should be handed to Matron who will arrange for them to be cleaned. A charge will be placed on your school account for this service.

Lost Property

We cannot stress enough the importance of making sure your child’s clothing and personal property is clearly named – even casual clothes and footwear. All lost property goes to our lost property store and named items are returned to Houses on a regular basis.

We advise that as soon as you become aware of a missing possession you ask your child to report it to Matron and their Houseparent. We also advise you contact your child’s Houseparent and Matron to let them know; the sooner we know about a missing item, the greater chance we have of finding it.

Items can be claimed from the IT Office at weekday break or lunch times. Six school weeks after the hand-in date, any unclaimed items will be disposed of in an appropriate manner.

Mobile Devices (phones, e-readers, etc)

We have different rules regarding the use of mobiles devices for each of the year groups. These rules can be found in our Use of ICT, mobile phones and other electronic equipment policy, which is available on the VLE. Please ensure you and your child read the policy so that you are all aware of these regulations prior to joining us. It is the responsibility of your child to take care of their device when in school. The College provides a lockable space for each pupil, but parents/guardians will need to provide a padlock.

Health Centre Information

Contact No: 01256 860248. Email: healthcentre@lordwandsworth.org

The aim of the Health Centre is to enhance and maintain the health and wellbeing of pupils through an holistic approach. First Aid care is provided for the whole school community.

Health Centre Team:

• Lindsey Scott: Senior Nurse BA (Hons) RN

• Camilla Read: BSc (Hons) RN

• Harriet Cooper: BN (Hons) RNchild

• Ely Sloane: Msc Advance Nursing Practice, PgDip Surgical care practice, Specialist Community Public Health Nurse

• Emma Handley: BN (Hons)

• Kelly Hilder: Medical Admin Assistant

We are supported by our Senior Medical Officer, a GP from Odiham Health Centre, who run clinics twice a week after lessons have finished on a Monday and Thursday afternoon (a female and male GP attend).

For more information on our Medical Services please click here.

The Friends of Lord Wandsworth College (FLWC)

Welcome to FLWC! We are a friendly network of LWC parents across all year groups that meet regularly to arrange various fun, social activities that the whole school can enjoy, whilst raising money for pupil events and school equipment at the same time – a win, win! Our main focus is to ensure that every parent that would like to meet other parents and like-minded people has an opportunity to do just that.

We arrange a variety of regular events across the school year such as comedy nights, wine tasting, dog walks, a quiz and school fireworks. We’d like to arrange even more events going forward, giving everyone a chance to broaden their school network whilst having fun.

To hear more on what we’re about, our fundraising focuses, and what’s coming up, head to ‘Friends of LWC’ on Facebook and request to join, or email communications@ lordwandsworth.org

The Sternians’ Association

The Sternians’ Association is the alumni association for former pupils. It is named after the College founder, Sydney Stern, Baron Wandsworth.

It is a lively and rapidly developing organisation, with its own website full of information, news and photographs, which can be used to keep in touch with fellow pupils all over the world, and with the College.

For more information: www.sternians.org.uk

Email: sternians@lordwandsworth.org

We also have a networking platform, LWC Connect https://lwcconnect.org which allows Sternians and current parents to offer advice and support on life after LWC.

Please contact Clare Faherty (fahertyc@lordwandsworth.org)

Pastoral

The House System

Pupils entering the school at 11+ or 12+ join Junior House. At 13+ Junior House pupils transfer to a senior House into which new pupils are also allocated. Houses contain a mixture of boarding and day pupils. Pupils are allocated to senior Houses by the Pastoral and Admissions Team. The intention is that all Houses have a balance of boarders and day pupils and a mixture of children with differing interests and skills. Junior House is a co-educational House for both day and boarding 1st and 2nd Form pupils. Within Junior there is a ‘House’ system. The four Houses are called: Hesters, Sheephouse, Handcroft and Hyde. There are seven Senior Houses Girls Houses: Gosden, Park and Haygate Boys Houses: Hazelveare, School, Summerfield and Sutton, with a thriving inter-house programme.

House Councils

House Councils meet at least once per half term and are made up of a broad, representative spectrum of pupils. The function of the House Councils is to give pupils the opportunity to raise issues and offer suggestions, and to discuss and present current pupil opinion on matters of College and House policy. The chairperson of the House Council, who is usually the Head of House, has the opportunity to raise issues from House Council meetings with senior management at their weekly meeting.

Peer Mentoring

We sometimes find that pupils are more comfortable talking to a peer rather than a member of staff in the first instance, as

a result we have in place a Peer Mentoring Programme. Around 40 volunteer members of the College are peer mentors who have received formal training in basic listening and counselling skills. They offer a listening ear to allow pupils to get things off their chest if they need to. There are posters in Houses and around the College letting pupils know whom the peer mentors are and how to make contact with them. The Peer Mentors are trained to know to escalate issues to members of staff when they believe they are of significance.

Prefects

The Prefect body at LWC is made up of the Heads of Houses and the College Prefects. Pupils may apply to be considered for leadership roles in the Spring term of their Lower Sixth year and there is a rigorous interview process for all positions. The Heads of Houses represent their House and their meetings reflect the House based nature of their positions. The College Prefects are involved in whole school initiatives and therefore the make-up of this body varies. Typically, prefects are assigned to, and represent, each year group in the school. The Heads of College are appointed from within the College Prefect body and these appointments are made by the Headmaster. There is also the chance for Sixth Form pupils to become Departmental Prefects.

Heads of College and Prefects

Our Heads of College for the academic year 2023/2024 are Will Terry (Summerfield) and Amelia Rawles (Haygate). Our Deputy Heads are Amelia Smythe (Park) and Alex Williams (Hazelveare). A full list of our Heads of House and Prefects can be found here.

House Tutors

Each Boarding House has a team of residential and visiting tutors. These tutors are integral to the House community and assist the Houseparents in running the House in the evenings and at other times when necessary. They take an active interest in all the pupils in their House, getting to know them and helping them. They also offer additional adult contact for the pupils and can be used as a sounding board for their opinions or act as confidants, mentors and mediators. The tutors also act as the academic tutors for a group of pupils in their House. The tutor team meets formally with the Houseparent each week to discuss individual pupil concerns and general House issues. We see this sharing of information as vital in the care of the pupils and enables an informed and consistent approach to any issues.

Tutors

Every pupil will be assigned a tutor. Tutor groups range in number from about 10 to no more than 16 pupils.. Your child’s tutor plays an integral role in your child’s development so please get to know them! tutor-tutee relationship is most effective when parents/ guardians are fully involved; it is therefore important to keep in regular contact with your child’s tutee.

More information on the role of the Tutor can be found here.

Heads of Year

We also have members of staff who act as Heads of Year. Their role is to lead on the academic tracking and monitoring of pupils in that year to make sure all our pupils are fulfilling their potential. They also help their year group to cohere and develop the kind of supportive culture that will enable all to thrive. They organise socials, plan year group assemblies and give the tutors the support they need to carry out their role more easily. We believe that the combination of tutors, Houseparents and Heads of year gives us a sufficiently tight structure to ensure no one is left behind.

Spiritual Life

The College has a lay Chaplain who leads regular whole school and House services. Confirmation classes are offered for those who wish to be confirmed.

While the College is founded on Christian principles, pupils from all faiths are welcomed as indeed are pupils without a faith. If any pupil wishes to attend a particular place of worship, we will endeavour to make arrangements for them to do so. If any pupil requires special arrangements in order to carry out their acts of worship e.g., suitable areas to set out prayer mats, we will ensure that their needs are met sensitively.

Spiritual diversity is embraced within the College and the whole community benefits from exposure to this diversity through assemblies, the teaching of Religious Studies and the SMSC programme. As well as spiritual care, the Chaplain has a responsibility for the pastoral welfare of the whole community.

Safeguarding and Child Protection

The foundation of any good education is that each and every child in a school is safe and cared for. It is for this reason that safeguarding and child protection are prioritised at LWC.

The College’s Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy can be found on the website..

The Headmaster has overall responsibility for safeguarding. The Governors have oversight too, with Mrs Lucinda Fleming taking the lead on their behalf, supported by Mrs Caroline Cazenove. But in the event of a ‘disclosure’ about a pupil - which can come from a whole range of sources, including the individual, a member of staff, a parent or guardian, a peer, or someone from outside the College - any adult member of the community is trained to deal with concerns about potential harm.

The Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) is the Deputy Head of Pastoral, Mrs Ali Cocksworth, whose status and authority are clear as she has oversight of Safeguarding, Child Protection and Pastoral Care Safeguarding for the pupils in the School. The DSL is ably supported by a team of Deputy Designated Safeguarding Leads (DDSLs).

The principal role of the DSL and DDSLs are that they are able to identify abuse of a child, be that physical, emotional, sexual or neglect. They have both the training and experience to know what to do in any such eventuality. This involves making judgements about with whom they should communicate any knowledge they acquire. All staff are trained internally too. All staff know that they should not offer or keep confidences if a child’s welfare or safety is or may be at stake, but should instead refer their concerns to the Safeguarding Team,

the Headmaster and/or directly to Child Services.

In every House there are posters explaining to children whom they might like to speak to if they are worried. Photographs and email addresses of the DSL, DDSLs, our Health Centre team and House staff are shown on these.

We are confident that our pupils both are safe and feel safe while in our care. Do please contact us if you wish to seek any further advice or reassurance on any related issues at any time.

Those available to support your child: All our education at LWC centres around pastoral care; we believe that if a pupil is happy this is when they best express themselves in all areas of school, for example in the classroom; in the music practice room; on the sports field, in the Boarding House. For this reason, there are a plethora of people on hand to support them through the challenges of adolescence. All LWC staff are here to help; however, specific help can be sought from Houseparents, Assistant Houseparents, Matrons, the Health Centre, the Chaplain, the Youth Workers, College Counsellors, and any member of the Safeguarding and Pastoral Team. A professional counselling service is available to augment and enhance the pastoral care provided by the College. Pupils can contact any of the counsellors at the Health Centre or by email. The first six sessions of counselling are free and after that sessions are charged to the end of term bill. Counselling is confidential unless one of the College Counsellors is concerned for a pupil’s welfare.

Boarding – LWC’s Aim and Objectives

We aim to provide a boarding environment where every pupil feels safe, able to be themselves, and able to fully develop their character, as well as socially, morally, academically and culturally.

More information on our Boarding Objectives can be found here.

Academic Information

Attitudes, Approaches, Routines and Habits (A 2RH)

The LWC curriculum focuses on helping our pupils develop the attitudes, approaches, skills and habits (A2RH) fundamental to performance excellence. This helps us shape curious, creative, and resilient individuals. For further information on A2RH please click here.

Curriculum Support and EAL

The Curriculum Support Department manages both Learning Support and English as an Additional Language (EAL). Through additional support, not accessible in the classroom, we aim to equip students with the skills needed to study confidently and independently in our school environment. To meet the learning needs of students who require specialist support, LWC endeavours to offer both small group and one-to-one additional teaching.

Please click here for more information.

Aiming High and Scholarships

Scholarships are available to pupils entering the College at 11+, 13+ and 16+.

Pupils already attending the College may apply for a Scholarship as they enter 3rd Form and Sixth Form.

Our Aiming High programme encourages the very best from our pupils whether they are academic scholars, aspiring Astronomists or those just looking to delve further into their subjects.

Please click here to see our Scholarship Guide.

Futures Provision

At the heart of the Futures provision is the ethos of creating confident young people who have been given the skills and agility to make informed decisions for themselves about their future. By empowering our pupils in this way, we ensure they are equipped to be flexible, resilient, and can cope with the ever-changing landscape of skills and employment.

For further details on our Futures provision please click here.

Annual Programme of Progress Reports and Parents’ Meetings

We regularly report on individual pupils’ progress and an annual schedule of parents’ meetings.

Tutor Meeting Parents’ Meetings

1st Form September (with 2nd Form) November May October, November, December, January, March, May Early June

2nd Form September (with 1st Form) December & June (post exams) March October, November, December, January, March, May Early June

3rd Form Early October AcademicOctober GCSE Options –January January October, November, December, March, May June

4th Form September Academic –November Post Exams –March June

5th Form September November (post exams) February

October, December, January, March February

October, January, May Mock Results & Initial GCSE Predictions –November/December

Mock GCSEs –November GCSEs –May & June

Lower Sixth September October & June (post exams) January October, November, January, March, May June

Upper Sixth September March (post exams) December November, January, March, Mock A Levels – February A Levels - June

All subject teachers set prep tasks regularly according to a published timetable. All pupils are given a pupil planner to help their organisation and to meet deadlines. The use of these planners is monitored by tutors.

If pupils are unable to complete a task by a particular deadline it is their responsibility to see the subject teacher and explain why this is the case.

Purpose of prep & study time

P Preparation (reading ahead)

R Revision (looking again at work previously covered, tackling areas of weakness)

E Extension

P Practice (answering questions, practising skills learnt)

Over each term pupils should expect to be set all of these types of task for each subject. Pupils are encouraged to use their study time and other available time to complete tasks set by their teachers to the best of their ability and to read around their subjects.

Prep timings and deadlines

In general, the amount of prep given should not exceed 5 hours per week for 1st and 2nd Form, and 8 hours for 3rd Form. In 4th and 5th form, the amount can exceed the 9 hour prep time limit.

In the Sixth Form, a pupil on three subjects should be spending 4-5 hours per subject per week on prep. Pupils should also consider spending some time each week going beyond their studies, through wider reading or web-based investigation.

Timings per subject:

Co-Curricular Information & Saturdays

We recognise the vital role the cocurriculum plays in the personal development of our pupils and strive to ensure it is as broad, rich and balanced as is practicable. Most of all, we want the cocurriculum to be fun for pupils. Within the co-curriculum, we want our pupils to explore and develop in three areas:

• Active – sport and fitness activities. The main sports for each term are:

• Winter - rugby for boys and hockey for girls

• Spring - hockey for boys and netball for girls

• Summer - cricket, athletics or tennis for boys and girls

• Creative – Art, Performing Arts: Music, Drama and Dance.

• Service – CCF, DoE, Outreach in the local area as well as in the Boarding House, the Co-curricular and Saturday morning programmes, and within departments.

The Co-curricular Timetable

• The co-curriculum runs from 4.10 –4.55pm and 5.00 – 5.50pm on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. Some activities may take place from 4.00 – 6.00. Wednesday afternoon is a priority slot for all active sessions. On Saturday afternoon we aim to put on the majority of our sports fixtures against other schools although there will also be some matches on Wednesday and, in exception, some other days.

• A number of activities will continue

to run over tea and into the evening: street and modern dance, ballet, horseriding, canoeing, open art school, drama rehearsals, enrichment talks and LAMDA.

For 1st and 2nd Form the emphasis is on trying new things and having a go at something new.

Juniors can participate in an activity every afternoon, with main games on Wednesdays and Fridays and a range of active and creative activities available on the remaining days, including pre-season sport, play rehearsals and music ensembles.

Teamwork, enthusiastic participation, and working well with others is the emphasis for 3rd Form. They have main games on Tuesdays and Wednesdays and can opt into other active and creative activities on Mondays and Thursdays. 3rd Form will also have the opportunity to take part in CCF on Fridays. It is expected that they will participate in a total of four activities each week (Mon-Fri).

4th Form co-curricular concentrates on creative thinking – with an emphasis on continuing to explore their creative side.

4th Formers have main games on Tuesdays and Wednesdays and are encouraged to continue with CCF or take up DofE Bronze award on Friday afternoons. They are also encouraged to get involved in additional active and creative activities or sport on Mondays and/or Thursdays.

For 5th Form, it’s developing a passion and personal growth – with an emphasis on finding and nurturing new interests.

5th Formers have main games on Wednesdays and Thursdays and can still continue with CCF on a Friday if they

wish, or do additional active and creative activities on Mondays and/or Thursdays. It is expected that they will participate in a minimum of three activities each week (Mon – Fri).

Sixth Form co-curricular concentrates on leadership with an emphasis on leading and inspiring others.

Sixth Formers have main games on Wednesdays and Thursdays and are encouraged to get involved in running a club or activity for younger pupils to develop their leadership skills. In the Lower Sixth pupils are encouraged to sign up for the ‘endeavour’ programme which might include endurance training for half-marathon, triathlon or the DevizesWestminster canoeing race, Outreach or getting involved in coaching main sports for younger pupils or pupils at the local primary school by taking the LWC preliminary coaching award.

CCF is still available on Fridays, where Sixth Formers learn to lead a section and instruct younger cadets. Gold DofE runs on a Saturday morning. There is a certain degree of flexibility for Sixth Formers who are able to put together a personal schedule which suits them, as long as main games commitments are met.

It is College policy that pupils are required to attend all games and activities sessions on their individual programme. In some cases these are optional, but for the major games each term and on certain days, for age groups below the Sixth Form, games and activities are compulsory. If a pupil is selected to play the major game of the term, they must fulfil their commitment. There is no ‘opt out’ system. If a pupil is not required for the ‘major’ game of the term, he or she will have a choice of ‘minor’ games activities to choose from such as canoeing, golf, horse-riding, basketball, football, zumba, yoga, road cycling, squash, swimming and CV Room.

Extra Coaching Opportunities

We also offer pupils the opportunity to have professional coaching in some sports, both in and outside school, which will be subject to an additional cost. These include:

• Horse riding, tennis and golf (offered off site)

Saturday Morning Programme

Our Saturday morning programme is designed to help produce more inquisitive learners – and not just in the classroom. The Saturday programme gives pupils the freedom to:

• Try things that they would not normally have the opportunity to experience

• Challenge themselves and develop character

• Stretch their intellectual passions

• Find the additional support they need to consolidate their learning

• Explore their inner creativity

• Explore the outdoors and develop new passions

• Become active change makers

Saturday mornings are all about expanding horizons from the normal curriculum. It is a non-uniform day to ensure it feels different from the normal working week. Full boarders are expected to participate but the programme is optional for all other pupils; however, most pupils do participate – and Friday night is our busiest boarding night!

Music, Drama and Dance

The Nadine Upall Theatre, in the centre of our campus, is home to our thriving Music and Drama Department where our creative teams work closely together to deliver an extensive programme of opportunities and events.

For more information on the co-currcular offering of these departments, please click here.

Duke of Edinburgh Award

The Duke of Edinburgh is a life-changing experience. A fun time with friends. It is an opportunity to discover new interests and talents and a tool to develop essential skills for life and work. The award is a recognised mark of achievement; respected by employers.

CCF

The CCF offers young people a range of challenging, exciting and adventurous activities.

We follow the Army and RAF Cadet training syllabus to train the cadets in basic military and aviation skills and through attendance at camps, field days and external courses we aim to develop personal responsibility, leadership skills and self discipline.

More details of the CCF programme, Duke of Edinburgh and Outreach, click here.

International Pupils

Lord Wandsworth College has a strong sense of community throughout the school. This is enriched by a number of international pupils who join each year. Not only do we encourage our international pupils to become fully involved in ‘community life’. However, it is also important to respect their independence. For many of our pupils it is their first time to the UK and we believe that support for the individual both academically and socially is vital for them to flourish. This support is offered through our strong house-based system. Effective communication between House staff, parents and guardians helps to make sure any questions are quickly answered.

The Head of Curriculum Support oversees initiatives to continually improve their experience. In the past our international pupils have led cultural evenings in Boarding Houses, taken assemblies to year groups as well as given presentations to departments.

The Head of Curriculum Support undertakes all the teaching of extra English lessons which are included in the pupil’s timetable. They also take a strong interest in the welfare of each of the pupils they teach and ensure that they are receiving the correct amount of help with their English.

National days and festivals are celebrated in Houses and the catering department holds specialist days. If any pupil wishes to attend a particular place of worship we are happy to make arrangements for them to do so.

We work closely with all our international pupils to ensure thatbthey enjoy their time with us.

Travel Documents/Visas for International Pupils

We request that parents ensure that all travel documents are valid and up to date. Passports, travel tickets, visa information, biometric (BRP) cards and foreign currency must be handed in to the pupil’s Houseparent for safekeeping. The College cannot accept responsibility for any documents which are lost by a pupil. Copies of passports, visa documents and BRP cards must also be handed in to the school office as these must be stored centrally under guidelines from the UK Border Agency (UKVI).