Warwick Academy is the oldest school in Bermuda

Bermuda

Bermuda is a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. Located off the east coast of the United States, its nearest landmass is Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, about to the west-northwest. It is about south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and northeast of Miami, Florida...

 and one of the oldest in the Western Hemisphere

Western Hemisphere

The Western Hemisphere or western hemisphere is mainly used as a geographical term for the half of the Earth that lies west of the Prime Meridian and east of the Antimeridian , the other half being called the Eastern Hemisphere.In this sense, the western hemisphere consists of the western portions...

, established in 1662. It was named after the English colonial administrator Robert Rich, 2nd Earl of Warwick

Robert Rich, 2nd Earl of Warwick

Robert Rich, 2nd Earl of Warwick was an English colonial administrator, admiral, and puritan.Rich was the eldest son of Robert Rich, 1st Earl of Warwick and his wife Penelope Devereux, Lady Rich, and succeeded to his father's title in 1619...

, who gave the original land.

The school

Warwick Academy was formerly a government secondary school but since 1992 it has been an independent mixed-sex day school for students aged 5 to 19. According to the school's Student Handbook, it has a reputation for high academic standards and positive discipline. It is divided into a Primary school and a Secondary school. The school's motto is "Quo Non Ascendam". The current Principal is Margaret McCorkell.

Academics

In addition to the usual GCSE and IGCSE courses, based on the UK

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

 national curriculum, the school also offers the IB Diploma

IB Diploma Programme

The International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme is a two-year educational programme for students aged 16–19that provides an internationally accepted qualification for entry into higher education, and is recognised by universities worldwide. It was developed in the early to mid-1960s in Geneva by...

 in years 12 and 13.

Every student is required to take part in at least two extra-curricular activities. Community service

Community service

Community service is donated service or activity that is performed by someone or a group of people for the benefit of the public or its institutions....

 is compulsory in years 7 to 9.

Dress code

The school has a strict dress code. Boys up to year 9 must wear khaki short pants above the knee, with navy long socks, from 1 May to 30 November.

Discipline

There is a disciplinary system based on demerit points. Accumulated demerits must be worked off by attending Saturday detention or by doing work for the issuing teacher. The handbook states: "It is only through firm, fair, and consistent enforcement of our rules that we will create the proper atmosphere in the school." More serious punishments include in-school suspension, strapping (corporal punishment) and expulsion.

There is also a positive merit points system for outstanding work, top test results, etc. These are exchanged for rewards or prizes.