The Boarding Week
Monday to Friday, boys get up at 7.30am, have breakfast at 8.00am and are then joined by the Day Boys for Assembly and supervised Prep. The five morning lessons are followed by some free time and a hot lunch, the whole school and staff eating together. There is then a ‘Rest’ time for reading and music practice.
Following two afternoon lessons, a daily Games session and a substantial period of free time, boys end the working day with a short class-time with their Tutors, who follow their year group up the school and represent another important channel of communication for boys and parents. In the Winter months the afternoon timetable is reversed and games coaching is immediately after rest.
Supper is followed by a programme of evening activities and five members of the teaching staff stay on until 7.15pm to organise these each evening. Bedtimes range from 8.00 to 9.15pm.
On Wednesday morning Assembly takes place in the school Chapel, with all boys contributing individually to a 20 minute service at least once each term. There are no lessons on Wednesday afternoons, when there are inter-school matches, Games and an hour-long Hobbies period.
The Boarding Weekend
Saturday morning school runs until 12.35 pm (except on one of the set Exeats of which there are two or three such weekends each term, and at Half Term). In the afternoon there are matches, games and free time, with all staff on duty to help entertain or organise activities inside or out.
On Sundays many parents join their sons in our ‘Chapel in the Woods’. This will be followed by a full programme of activities, entertainments and outings. Highlights of the day are a fantastic Sunday lunch, a visit to the tuck shop, and ‘cooking’ or ‘hutting’ – two well-established Woodcote traditions that take place in and around the beautiful grounds.
A typical Sunday outing might involve a supervised trip dry-slope skiing, rock climbing, mountain biking, canoeing, sailing, racing or visiting a wildlife park.
