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Below you will find certain common words that are used within King Edward’s Witley. Some of these words you will find in the UK educational system, while some are unique to us.

Word Meaning
1st Form The equivalent of Year 7 at secondary schools. Pupils are aged between 11 – 12.
2nd Form The equivalent of Year 8 at secondary school. Pupils are aged between 12 – 13.
3rd Form The equivalent of Year 9 at secondary school. Pupils are aged between 13 – 14.
4th Form The equivalent of Year 10 at secondary school. Pupils are aged between 14 – 15.
5th Form The equivalent of Year 11 at secondary school. Pupils are aged between 15 -16.
A-level Advanced Level qualification that is offered to our Sixth Form. A two year qualification that provides the pupils with UCAS points – required for applying to university. Learn more in our prospectus.
The Bertie Mawer Room Named after old House Master and Senior Master Albert “Bertie” Mawer. Mawer joined King Edward’s Witley as a teacher in 1949, and even after retirement remained close and connected with the school until his death in March 2020.
Boarding House At King Edward’s Witley we only refer to our ‘Houses’ so as not to make a distinction between day and boarding pupils. Every pupil is allocated a House, which is a place they will attend for Roll Call, spend time with their friends, and where they will sleep if they are boarders. Please visit our House pages to read more.
Bridewell Foundation Our parent foundation named after Bridewell Palace.  The palace was originally gifted from King Edward VI to train and educate destitute children. The purpose of the foundation is to raise money to enable our Founder’s vision to continue, by supporting ‘Foundationer’ pupils and improving the School constantly. Learn more here. 
Bridewell Room One of our school rooms. Named after our parent foundation.
Bunker Gallery One of our art galleries in South Side.
Bursar The bursar is the person in charge of the finances at a school.
Bursaries A bursary is a financial award given to those who would benefit from a boarding school environment but can not afford the tuition fee. King Edward’s does not use school fees paid by parents to fund means tested bursaries for our Foundation pupils. Awards to Foundationers  are 100% supported by funds administered by The Bridewell Foundation. The School will pay up to half of the tuition fees of a King Edward’s Bursary with charities paying up to half of the remaining fees. For more information please contact the Bursary Officer on bursaries@kesw.org.
Charter Hall One of our main school halls. This is where the majority of Drama performances take place.
Co-curricular Co-curricular refers to activities and learning experiences that take place alongside the academic curriculum. This can include after school clubs and specialist sporting activities. Learn more here. 
Co-educational Co-educational (also known as Co-ed) is mixed gender education. Both girls and boys attend the same lessons and are only separated in their Houses.
Culmer The sports pitch usually used for football at the side of Gurdon’s Lane near the entrance to the School.
DT Design Technology which is the study designing and creating. Pupils study many materials and create a wide variety of products. For more information see here.
EAL English as an Additional Language. More information is available here.
EPP Elite Performance Pathway. An additional sports programme used to enhance the skills of the most able sports pupils. For more information see here.
Exeat A weekend in which all pupils, including boarders, are required to go home to their families or guardians. There are typically two a term. Full term dates available here. 
Fees Officer The person responsible for sending fee invoices and collecting the school fees.
Forest School A co-curricular activity offered to our 1st and 2nd Form.  Involves going into our local woodland and learning skills such as building campfires and woodland crafts and structures.
Foundationers Our Foundation pupils, or ‘Foundationers’, are pupils who receive a bursary that enables them to attend the School.
GCSE/IGCSE General Certificate of Secondary Education. Pupils studying for their GCSE in the 4th and 5th Form taking the exams at the end of 5th Form. More information about the curriculum is available here. The IGCSE is the international of GCSE and is recognised globally.
Guardian King Edward’s Witley requires any overseas pupil to have a Guardian in the UK. A guardian should be a responsible adult (over 25) living in the UK who can be there in an emergency situation on behalf of parents. Those without family or friends in the UK should chose a Guardian Organisation who will provide the relative services. More information can be found here.
Half Term One or two weeks holiday during the ‘Term’. A chance for the pupils to go to their parents or their guardians. Full term dates are available here. 
Head’s Lawn The grass area outside the Head’s office. Home to the boy jumping over the world statue.
House Every pupil is allocated a House which is a place they will attend for Roll Call, spend time with their friends, and where they will sleep if they are boarders. Please visit our House pages to read more.
Housemaster The male member of staff in charge of a House. They will typically have an Assistant Housemaster or Housemistress to help.
Housemistress The female member of staff in charge of a House. They will typically have an Assistant Housemaster or Housemistress to help.
House parent A generic term for the member of staff in charge of a House.
HSMs (“Huzzums”) Collective term for Housemasters, Housemistresses and House parents.
IB International Baccalaureate. Offered to our Sixth Form pupils it is an 2 year internationally recognised qualification. Provides the pupils with UCAS points which are required for pupils applying to university. Learn more in our Sixth Form Prospectus. Below is a list of specific IB terminology
  • IB Core – the points awarded for completion of CAS (Creativity, Action and Service voluntary and co-curricular pursuits), EE (Extended Essay) and ToK (Theory of Knowledge)
  •  IA – Internal Assessment, IB coursework which is a formal requirement of the IB course in all six subjects. This may take the form of an IOC (Individual Oral Commentary) or written coursework
  • Language A – The first language a pupil takes, normally their native language. This is often English, but can be Native Speaker Self-taught (NSS).
  • Language B – A second language
  • Group 3 subjects: Individuals and Society or Humanities
  • Group 4 subjects: Sciences, including ESS (Environmental Systems and Society).
  • Group 6 subjects: the Arts or a selection of subjects from Groups 3 and 4.
ICT Information and communication technology. ICT focuses on computer skills. ICT is also known as Computer Science.
Juniors, Intermediate and Seniors Games Games lessons are split up into age groups. Juniors are 1st – 2nd form, Intermediate (or Inters) are 3rd – 4th Form and Senior are 5th and Sixth Form.
KESW King Edward’s School Witley.
Lower Gurdon’s Bottom playing field furthest from the main campus.
Lower School The youngest pupils in the School. Those in 1st and 2nd Form.
Lower Sixth Form The first year of Sixth Form. The equivalent of Year 12 in secondary school, pupils are aged 16 – 17. Sometimes abbreviated to L6th.
Matron A member of staff in charge of domestic arrangements in the House. Each House has their own Matron.
Mercury Half From 1942 – 1948 the Witley buildings were requisitioned and the School became Admiralty Signals Establishment Witley, also known as HMS Mercury. Here naval radar was developed, which helped to win the Battle of the Atlantic, and led to the sinking of the Scharnhorst and the Bismarck. The School maintained its existence with limited numbers in accommodation close by at Hambledon.  King George VI subsequently awarded the pupils an extra half day holiday known as the Mercury Half as a thank you. The Mercury Half normally forms part of the first Exeat at the end of September / early October.
North Side North Side of the Quad, housing Modern Languages, History, RE, Philosophy, ToK and the Staff Common Room.
Noshing Senior Houses take turns to be the last in the Dining Hall to clear away.
Out of Bounds Areas that pupils and teachers are not allowed to frequent. These areas can vary, so listen out for notices.
Pastoral Pastoral care involves looking after the emotional, mental and social well-being of the pupils at the School. For more information see here.
PE Physical Education, otherwise known as Sports. For more information see here.
Piccadilly Can be used interchangeably for the Piccadilly Café  in North Side and the area that Piccadilly Café is located.
Prep Homework, work to be completed outside the school day. Houses have prep time in which pupils are required to complete their work.
Pre-Sixth The Pre-Sixth is a one-year programme for pupils aged 15 – 16.  It helps International pupils complete a programme of (I)GCSEs and prepare them for the Sixth Form. There are three different pathways to choose from which are further explained here.
PSHE Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education. All 1st to 5th Form pupils follow a non-examined course in PSHE which complies with statutory guidance on the delivery of sex, health, financial and citizenship education.
QMH Queen Mary House. The House that is home to all 1st and 2nd Form pupils, both girls and boys. For more information click here. 
RS Religious Studies, also known as RE (Religious Education). For more information click here.
School run A term which usually applies to day pupils who are dropped off at the start of the school day and picked up by their parents after school.
Selborne Room One of our main presentation and meeting rooms located in the Quad.
Senior School The oldest pupils in the School, those in 5th and 6th Form.
Snicket The path that runs between the main school site and the Astro. Often used as the boundary line for ‘Out of Bounds’.
South Side Southside of the Quad, with Art and Classics classrooms.
Sports Complex Our main sports centre. Home to the fitness centre, swimming pool, indoor courts and changing rooms, next to the tennis and netball courts.
Studio Theatre Our brand new 60 seat theatre, fully equipped with light and sound equipment that older pupils can learn to use.
Term An academic Term is the times of the year when the School holds lessons. There are typically three during an academic year – Autumn, Spring and Summer Term. These dates are set by the School, and change every year. For full Term dates please see here.
The Accy The activity rooms shared by the Girls’ and Boys’ Senior Houses.
The Heart A small heart-shaped piece of grass that is surrounded by the Senior Houses.
The Lampost Stands in one corner of the Tarmac; pupils often use this as meeting point.
The MC The Medical Centre, sometimes referred to as ‘The San’. More information about our healthcare and Medical Centre available here.
The Quad A beautiful courtyard area, under the archway, past the Main Reception.
The Sundial In the near corner of the Heart.
The Tarmac Large tarmac area in the centre of the school site alongside the Exhibition Hall used for parking.
ToK Theory of Knowledge. One of the core subjects for the IB course at Sixth Form.
Tuck Box Snacks for each House every evening, they are collected on a rota basis from the Dining Hall after Tea.
Upper Gurdon’s Top playing field furthest from the main campus with a cricket pavilion.
Upper Sixth Form The second year of Sixth Form. The equivalent of Year 13 in secondary school, pupils are aged 17 – 18. Sometimes abbreviated to U6th.

 

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