Warwick Parents' Guide
The education of any child is a partnership between home and school. We very much hope to be able to develop that partnership to ensure your child gets the very best from their time at Warwick.
The Parents’ Guide is aimed to inform you further about the way in which Warwick School works. The information below, as well as the content contained in the wider Welcome pack, should be seen as a supplement to the Terms and Conditions of the Parent Contract, which parents sign when they accept an offer of a place.
This section will cover:
- The school day
- Absences
- Extra-curricular activities outside the classroom
- Other information about boarding, Friends of Warwick School (FOWS) and the Old Warwickian Association (OWA)
1. The School Day
Timings
| Week Day | |
|---|---|
| 8.25am | School Bus Arrival |
| 8.40am | Registration |
| 8.45am - 9.15am | Assembly/Form Period/Chapel Section or House Assembly |
| 9.15am - 10.05am | Lesson One |
| 10.10am - 11.00am | Lesson Two |
| 11.00am - 11.20am | Break |
| 11.20am - 12.10pm | Lesson Three |
| 12.15pm - 13.05pm | Lesson Four |
| 13.05pm - 13.55pm | Lunch and Clubs/Societies |
| 14.05pm - 14.10pm | Registration |
| 14.15pm - 15.05pm | Lesson Five |
| 15.10pm - 16.00pm | Lesson Six |
| 16.15pm |
After School Activities School Bus Departure (afternoon) |
| 17.45pm | Late Bus Departure |
| Saturday |
|---|
| Games Matches, Boarders’ Activities, Drama Clubs |
| Sunday | |
|---|---|
| 10.00am | Optional Chapel Service (dates and times published in calendar, parents and pupils welcome) |
Beginning and End of the School Day
Pupils normally arrive between 8.00 and 8.30am and supervised registration takes place in the form room at 8.40am. School buildings are not open to pupils until 8.00am however parents may drop their child off as early as 7.30am for Breakfast Club in the School Dining Room.
It is important for your child to arrive to school on time and be punctual to registration. If for any reason pupils arrive after 8.40am, due to traffic congestion or other issues, they should report to Reception and sign in.
At the end of the school day, unless your child is involved in an activity supervised by a member of staff or in homework club, they should be off site by 4.30pm. Staff are available during this time to monitor departures.
We are aware that very occasionally transport arrangements do not run to plan. In such circumstances your child will be told to come to Reception in order that they may contact you.
Breakfast Club
Breakfast Club is available to all pupils at 7.30am in the school Dining Room. A selection of cereals, toast, yoghurt, fruit and also a choice of hot dishes are available. A charge of £2.75 per day is added to your termly bill and there is no need to book, pupils simply sign in at the Dining Room.
Homework Club
The Homework Club allows your child to complete their prep in a structured environment. The club runs from 4.15pm until 6.00pm.
- You do not need to book Homework Club.
- Pupils should go straight to the library at the end of the school day and sign in.
- Between 4.15pm and 6.00pm your child will work in the library, supervised by a member of staff. Please collect your child from the library by 6.00pm.
- There is a charge for pupils in Years 7 - 9 of £5 per hour or part hour (added to termly bill). For pupils in external examination year groups (all pupils in Year 10 upwards) there is no charge.
Assemblies
Whole school assemblies usually occur on Wednesday mornings. Sectional, year group and House assemblies occur on other days of the week.
Chapel
Services in Chapel are an essential part of the life of the school. They have a broadly Anglican ethos and are inclusive. All pupils have one Chapel service per week.
There are also services to which the whole school community, family and friends are invited, including Sunday family services, on selected dates. Details are published in the school calendar.
The Chaplain plays an important role in the pastoral care structure within the school. If there is any issue in which you think it appropriate for the Chaplain to be involved please let us know.
Break and Lunch
The school has a tuck shop which is in the school dining hall during break. This is a cash only shop. All pupils take lunch in the School Dining Hall. Each year group will have a specific time to have lunch on each day; these timings are published and included in Homework Planners. Lunch menus are published in the weekly eNewsletter.
2. Absence
It is essential that we, as a school, know the whereabouts of all pupils during the school day as we are legally responsible for them during that time. Please follow the procedure, (outlined below), with regard to absence. The following applies to any need to be out of school (that is not a school excursion) between 8.40am and 4.00pm, including activities and games afternoons.
Unexpected Absence Notification
For Illness or unforeseen lateness: If your child is unable to attend school due to illness, or is coming into school but will be delayed, please notify the school using the Parent Portal’s ‘Unexpected Absence Notification’ form by 8.55am on the morning of the absence.
If they become ill at school, they should attend the Medical Centre where they will be seen by one of our Nurses. If they need to be sent home, the Nurse will contact you to collect your child.
The Medical centre operates to provide advice and treatment to pupils should they fall ill during the school day. While the team will receive and treat any medical circumstance, we would be grateful if parents could remind their children that visits to the medical centre of a non-urgent nature, especially when not feeling unwell, should ideally be made at break and lunch, not during lessons. We would also advise that medical conditions that develop outside of school hours should be treated by calling a GP/111/the emergency services, rather than delaying doing so in the expectation that the school medical team can deal with them when a pupil returns to school.
Future Absence Request
For example, medical appointments, university visits or other exceptional requests.Please use the ‘Future Absence Request’ form on the Parent Portal, at least 48 hours in advance.
Where possible medical appointments should be made outside of the school day; however, we recognise that this is not always possible, particularly in the case of emergencies. Permission for other absences is given only in exceptional circumstances. A full explanation of the circumstances for absence is therefore necessary and helpful. Permission for pupils to take holidays during term time will not normally be given. We publish term dates well in advance to ensure that you can plan accordingly. Similarly, we publish all significant dates for the forthcoming academic year in our Academic Information Booklet in September.
Leaving Site
When authorisation for any absence has been granted, pupils should sign out at reception before they leave school. They should sign back in to school if they return on the same day.
Pupils are not allowed to leave the site without authorisation from the Senior Deputy Head or the Head Master.
If your child does not have permission to leave school but does so anyway, this will be recorded as an ‘Unauthorised Absence’ and will be dealt with accordingly.
Absence to Attend Music Lessons
When a pupil has a music lesson during the school day, they should email their subject teacher at least 24 hours in advance asking permission to be absent. Pupils are responsible for catching up with their work.
Catching up on Missed Work
If your child misses a lesson through absence, it is their responsibility to catch up on the work covered in that lesson. Please support your child to follow the correct procedures, detailed in the Academic Information booklet given at the start of term.
Weekend Absences
At Warwick School we strongly believe that co-curricular activity plays a central role in an excellent all-round education. Many of these activities take place at weekends.
Dates and details can be found on our calendar which is the most up to date source of information.
The school must be made aware as far in advance as possible of any weekends that your child is not available and at least two weeks in advance so that alternative provision can be made. Requests for absence should be directed to the appropriate Head of Section.
School activities must take priority over all other commitments and we expect pupils to be available when required. We do accept that occasionally there will be an event which will require a pupil to miss a co-curricular activity, but requests must be made at least two weeks in advance and preferably at the start of term. Requests for absence should be directed to the appropriate Head of Section.
Illness and Injury
Should a pupil fall ill or have an injury that prevents their participation in a co-curricular activity, they should communicate this to the teacher in charge of the activity, followed by a written communication from the pupil’s parent/guardian confirming the reason for their absence.
Should illness or injury occur after the end of the school day on a Friday or during the course of the weekend, please telephone the Director of Sport on 07502 367936.
Unauthorised Absence
In the event of an unauthorised absence from registration or lessons it is our policy to follow the procedures as detailed below:
- Search the school site.
- Contact the parents if the pupil is not found.
- If parents are contactable they should be given the option as to whether they would like us to contact the police.
- If parents cannot be contacted the Senior Deputy Head will ring the police.
3. Outside the Classroom
We have a very full programme of Co-curricular activities which take place before and after school, at lunchtime and at the weekend. These activities cover a wide range of interests: sporting, dramatic, artistic, service, musical, intellectual and outward bound in nature. Please encourage your child to take advantage of the opportunities that are offered to him and to become involved in at least one of these activities.
Clubs and Societies
Information about clubs and societies is available on the website. Pupils will be shown how to book clubs on-line when they join the school.
Friday Afternoon Activities
The purpose of Friday Afternoon Activities in Year 9 and above is to introduce, and allow pupils to pursue, activities that they would not normally be able to follow within curriculum time. There are two routes a pupil could follow: The Combined Cadet Force or Friday Afternoon Activities.
In Year 9, pupils will be placed into small groups and will follow a carousel of activities each lasting approximately half a term. There is an emphasis on outdoor and physical activity and includes camp craft and expedition training, fencing, judo and canoeing.
In Year 10 and above we join the pupils from King's High School and provide a programme of activities.
CCF (Combined Cadet Force)
Warwick School CCF main activities form a part of the Friday Afternoon Activity Programme and is run jointly with pupils from King’s High School.
Year 9 pupils who choose to join the CCF in September will remain with the CCF for a minimum of at least one year, but it is hoped they will stay for a further four. The first year involves basic training, and they will also have a taster in the RAF section in Year 10. They can opt to join the RAF Section with appropriate activities, including the chance to fly and glide, or they can opt for the Army Section where they will cover both Infantry and Signals skills.
For pupils who continue CCF in Year 11, leadership training is introduced, so that cadets can take on a more responsible role in the Contingent including instruction of younger cadets.
In addition, there are a number of weekend and holiday activities which are part of the CCF programme. Whilst not compulsory, it is expected that every cadet will attend some or all of these.
Duke of Edinburgh’s Award
The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award is open to all pupils in Year 9 and above. It is anticipated that all pupils involved in the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme will start with the Bronze Award, and those who continue will undertake the Silver Award in Years 10 and 11 before going on to the Gold Award in the Sixth Form, completing it by the end of their Upper Sixth year. At Gold level, there is the opportunity to complete the expedition overseas.
Pupils wishing to receive the Bronze Award must take up a skill, a sport/activity, offer some form of community service and then prepare for and complete an expedition. Planning for the expedition involves all aspects of organisation (camp craft, route planning, map reading etc.) before actually undertaking and completing a practice and then a qualifying expedition.
There is a cost to enrol in the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme. This cost includes a record book, as well as the Award Certificates and badges if they are gained. There is also a charge for each expedition, which range from two days at Bronze to four days at Gold level.
Expeditions
Expeditions are an essential part of school life which greatly enhance the educational experience of pupils at all levels.
A letter will be sent to parents providing full details of the visit; in the case of boarders this will be given through the Head of Boarding. Trips that take place outside normal school hours, do not form part of the normal school week (eg sports fixtures), or cost more than £20 require the completion of a parental consent form for each pupil taking part.
Physical Education and Games
We aim to provide a range of sporting experiences that will allow every pupil to develop their talents to the full, generating confidence and enjoyment of physical activities. Pupils in Years 7 to 9 receive PE lessons and all year groups take part in the games programme. Games activities on offer each term are listed below.
| Michaelmas/Lent term | Summer term | |
|---|---|---|
| Year 7 | Rugby | Hockey | Cricket | Athletics | Tennis |
| Year 8 | Rugby | Hockey | Cricket | Athletics | Tennis |
| Year 9 and 10 | Rugby | Hockey | Cricket | Athletics | Tennis |
| Year 11 |
Rugby | Hockey | Cross Country Clay pigeon shooting | Ultimate Frisbee Football |
Cricket | Athletics | Tennis | Sailing | Clay pigeon shooting | Ultimate Frisbee | Softball |
| Sixth Form |
Rugby | Hockey | Cross Country Clay pigeon shooting | Ultimate Frisbee Football | Basketball | Gym | Rowing Sailing | Table Tennis | Squash | Water polo Canoeing | Badminton |
Cricket | Athletics | Tennis | Sailing | Clay pigeon shooting | Ultimate Frisbee | Softball | Canoeing | Rowing | Basketball Squash | Volleyball |
There are a wide variety of other sports including swimming, water polo, sailing, climbing and fencing available through the school’s extensive Clubs and Societies programme.
Cancelled Fixtures
The Director of Sport will determine whether fixtures may continue if there are adverse weather conditions. Information on cancellations will be available on the school sports website.
Off Games
All pupils are expected to attend games, if they are not able to take part in games for any reason, parents should provide a note to their child which should be given to the member of staff supervising ‘Off Games’. If a pupil is going to be unfit for games for a period of time, parents are asked to contact the school.
Music
At Warwick School we put music at the heart of each pupil's social, intellectual and spiritual development, providing a warm, welcoming environment in which pupils can build their musical skills and grow into confident, cultured young people.
We are proud to be a centre of excellence, offering a wide variety of outstanding orchestras, bands and choirs to suit all ages, styles and abilities. Pupils are encouraged to fulfil their academic and musical potential; a gift they can enjoy for the rest of their lives.
Individual Music Lessons
There are over 60 specialist instrumental teachers in the Music School who give over 750 lessons each week. We are very proud of our talented and inspirational team who are passionate about their area of expertise and dedicated to helping each student achieve their maximum potential. Every year, hundreds of students take graded music examinations with The Associated Board, Trinity and RockSchool.
We offer lessons on the following instruments:
Flute | Oboe | Clarinet | Bassoon Saxophone
Violin | Viola | Cello | Double Bass | Percussion
Organ | Voice | Theory | Aural | Drums
Trumpet | French Horn | Trombone | Euphonium/Baritone Tuba
Bass Guitar | Classical Guitar | Electric Guitar | Piano | Jazz Piano
Year 7 Music Scheme
The Year 7 Music Scheme is unique to Warwick School and aims to inspire all pupils to gain a life-long appreciation of music through the discipline of learning a musical instrument. In addition to their class music lesson, all Year 7 pupils have the opportunity to learn a new instrument. Tuition takes place each week in small groups during their timetabled music lesson and there is no additional charge.
3. Other information
Boarding
Warwick School has two Boarding Houses offering excellent quality accommodation and social facilities for 60 resident pupils from Year 9 upwards.
Flexi-Boarding (Weekly Boarding)
Flexi Boarding is available for pupils at Warwick from Year 9 upwards, subject to availability.
Parents may find flexi/weekly boarding convenient when their child has an activity that finishes late or starts very early or when they are away from home for an evening, a few days or longer.
Our boarding staff provide excellent pastoral care, supervised prep sessions and support throughout the evening. Boarders enjoy access to school facilities including the Sports Centre and instrumental practice rooms at all times. Pupils will be provided with a single or twin study bedroom in the Senior Boarding House and served a cooked supper and breakfast.
Please contact the Head of Boarding, Mr D Bull, for further details.
Parents' Association of Warwick School (PAWS)
Now that Covid and its restrictions are easing, Warwick School and Warwick Junior School are keen to re-establish closer links with parents. With this in mind, both schools have launched their Parents Association of Warwick School (PAWS) - one for the Junior School and one for Senior School.
Both organisations will work closely together but will essentially be separate entities, run by volunteers from the parent community. They will run and host events, both social and fundraising, for all parents and boys to enjoy and be part of. All parents are members and we very much welcome volunteers and helpers as well as those wishing to be part of the committee, so please do get in touch if you would like to be involved or would like more information!
PAWS Junior:
Co Chair
Linsey McGarvey: I have one son, Sweeney, who joined Prep in Reception and is about to finish Year 3. We live in Warwick and I have been part of the WPSA committee as a parent helper, class rep and am currently the communications officer.
Co Chair
Zoe Monahan: I have a son, Henry, in Year 4 and a daughter, Georgia in Year 6 at Warwick Prep, moving to Kings High in September. We joined Warwick Foundation in 2020 and I am looking forward to working with the PAWS team to create a parents association that both Parents and Children will be able to feel supported, involved and have a share in what is going to be a fantastic Parents Association for years to come!PAWS Senior:
Co Chair:
Kate Gould: I have a son, Tom in Year 9 at Warwick and a daughter, Lucy in Year 12 at King’s. Both have been at the Foundation since Year 7 following a move from London to Warwick in 2016. I am a parent ambassador at King’s and am looking forward to working alongside the other co-chairs in helping develop PAWS to provide opportunities for all parents to get involved in the life of both the junior and senior schools.
Co Chair:
Sonia Hockaday: I have a son, George in Year 9 at Warwick and a daughter, Annie in Year 12 at King’s. Both joined the Foundation in Year 7 after attending Primary Schools in the local area. I am a Governor at a school outside the Foundation. As co-chairs we will work together along with a committee of parents to develop PAWS to help all parents become a more integral part of the school community which will benefit parents and pupils alike.
New parent committee members and volunteers are always encouraged to share ideas and assist with events. We are grateful for as much time as people are able to give. Please email WarwickSchoolPAWS@gmail.com if you would like to get involved.
Old Warwickian Association (OWA)
As pupils leave Warwick School at the end of Year 11 or the Upper Sixth they automatically become members of the Old Warwickian Association (OWA). Today there are over 6,000 members of the OWA across the globe, spanning many decades, lifestyles and professions.
Old Warwickians keep in touch with the school and with each other through the work of the school’s Development and Alumni Relations team and through regular Old Warwickian newsletters, the school’s Portcullis magazine, social media, a specific website for OWs www.oldwarwickians.org, an online OW networking platform www.warwickschoolconnect.org and a full calendar of events and reunions.