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7
ST EDWARD’S CHRONICLE
of community around School. After their
assigned activity, and usually ravenous,
the pupils return to their boarding houses
where they devour the banquet laid out
before them by their HM and make short
work of the many pizzas available.
As you reach the dizzy heights of the
Sixth Form, the rules and timings for the
Lower Sixth and Upper Sixth are slightly
more lenient and there is a greater sense of
freedom, but also inevitably you need to be
more self-sufficient. Saturday nights for the
Lower Sixth consist of the Junior Common
Room, where you gather as a year group
and the mood softens as you indulge in two
small bottles of beer each (very carefully
controlled!). Every week the Houses take it
in turns to choose the dress theme. It is an
amusing way to chill, chat and have a dance
with your friends. For those in the Upper
Sixth, the freedom is even greater; with
no call over until 11pm, most venture into
Oxford city centre with all its attractions.
At 11pm the flock are all safely back in
House to meet for cheese and biscuits with
their HM, and to chat and reflect on the
night’s excitements.
Come the Day of Rest, there isn’t
much! Lie-in luxury is limited to 8:30am.
We are woken by the sound of the Chapel
bells, rousing us to shower and shake-a-
leg. Somewhat zombie-like, the Lower
School file into the Service, ready to listen
but also longing for brunch. Sixth Formers
can choose to go to Theme (a secular
alternative) later, so a slightly longer
lie-in is possible - the perks of seniority.
On Sundays after Chapel, some of us
filter off to parents and guardians for
family fun, whilst others take part in the
busy weekend programme or venture into
Summertown or Oxford for a breath of
fresh air.
Emily was previously at Queen Anne’s School.
Nick Coram-Wright