Good manners are not empty or outdated civilities but small, habitual and recognised ways of showing others the consideration one wishes for someone, a way of expressing interest in people and making communication more pleasant.

The following offers some guidance as to what is expected of a Buckswood student.

1. Stand up when a member of staff or a visitor comes into your study area. If you are working in the library and a visitor comes in, it would be more appropriate to carry on working, only stand up if he/she should approach you personally to speak with you.

2. Polite hallway etiquette- Open doors for others. Having gone through a door, look behind you to ensure you do not let it swing back into the face of someone following. Stand aside to let people pass on stairways and in corridors. Do not push. If you must walk between people engaged in conversation, ensure you apologise.

3. At concerts, stage productions and other events, courtesy to performers and consideration for other member of the audience demands that you do not enter/ leave whilst a piece of music is being played.

4. At school matches leave seats on benches for visitors and offer them a seat.

5. When you meet people, greet them with a smile (as you yourself like to be greeted). Ask visitors if they are being looked after; offer to escort them to the reception.

6. When saying goodbye to visitors, e.g. at the end of a tour of the School, show them to their car and open the car door.

7. Avoid talking to adults with your hands in your pockets.

8. Take the trouble to master the conventions and nuances of the accepted forms of address in letters and replies to invitations.

9. Stand back in the corridors to allow staff or matron through, always acknowledge with a “Good Morning/Good Afternoon”.

10. Say ‘thank you’ and ‘please’