Dear Student and Parents,

We feel it is important to state clearly and succinctly what is expected of students who come to Brockwood, in terms of day to day living and behaviour.

In the community it is necessary to have some agreements and understandings so that energy is not wasted discussing basic behavioural questions. We do not wish anyone to conform to or accept these agreements without question, we do encourage questioning and clarification as to why they exist, but abusing them as a way to challenge them or because a student did not know they existed is not acceptable. Therefore, this document has been produced so that we all can know beforehand which agreements are in place and decide whether or not we want to live with them and, more importantly, live with the responsibility, respect and affection for others implied in them.

These Agreements reflect:

1. The practical situation

• of being a boarding school of mixed gender where
  we live in close proximity to each other
  
• of being in the UK with its laws and regulations
  
• of the staff members having a responsibility for the safety and well being of the students to parents and Trustees;

2. The cultural situation

Although based in England, Brockwood is an international school supported by friends with diverse cultural backgrounds. The diversity is also reflected in the student body; each year students come from 20 to 25 countries. The cultural differences this variety entails needs to be acknowledged and respected;

3. The intentions of the School

The intentions do not translate into agreements, but the agreements should at least be consistent with and reflect the intentions of the School. This is a subtle area and will, in fact, be the basis of much of our discussion over the coming year. The agreements are reviewed by staff and students at the beginning and end of each year.

Some basic agreements that cover areas most likely to need clarifying:

• Students and staff agree to respect each other and to maintain communication and the ability to work together.
  
• Students must follow a well-balanced educational programme and activities considered reasonable by the School and themselves and use the time at Brockwood as fully and creatively as possible.
  
• The School Day starts at 7.45 am with Morning Meeting, which all staff and students are required to attend, unless otherwise agreed.
  
• The mornings are a time for study and a quiet
  studious atmosphere must be respected.
  
• The day ends at 9.30 pm and the school is quiet enough for sleeping and a student is in his/her room at 10.00 pm and not regularly out of his/her room after that time. Male and female students should leave each other's rooms by 9.30 pm and not visit each other's rooms before breakfast. The reason for this agreement is that, in the house and in the cloisters, the girls and the boys should have the possibility of getting ready for bed, using the bathroom and having their night-clothes on in an atmosphere of privacy.
  
• Rooms are to be clean and reasonably tidy. Students or staff members may occasionally visit a room with the consent of the student as part of seeing to the well-being of the whole place.
  
• Long hair is to be tied back at meal times, during washing up rota, in the kitchen, the laboratories and the woodwork shop.
  
• Hitchhiking is not allowed.
  
• The use of alcohol, tobacco and illegal drugs is not allowed.
  
• We agree not to harm each other or ourselves intentionally in any way.
  
• Students must not engage in sexual intercourse or inappropriate sexual activity while at Brockwood. We discourage exclusive relationships that cause a student to be unavailable socially to the rest of the community.
  
• We accept different dress styles but question styles that express an overly strong statement about image or attitude; sexually provocative clothing is considered inappropriate.
  
• Students and staff maintain a vegetarian diet.
  
• The Dining Hall is the main area for eating and students do not eat in their rooms unless they are ill. Unless ill, students are expected to be present every school day for both breakfast and lunch in the Dining Hall.
  
• Swearing in any language is not welcomed.

The purpose of preparing this paper is to help those coming to and living at Brockwood to understand what is expected of them. Please consider it carefully and clarify any doubts so that we can begin the year together.