Woodnotts

Woodnotts is a British magical boarding school that teaches magical arts. It is located in England inside Woodnotts Castle that lies in the surrounding village of Woodbourough. The castle is hidden in the hills near a lake. The motto of the school is Discendi simul assequendum aeternum which is Latin for Learning together achieving forever.

There are approximately 1 to 2 thousand students attending Woodnotts at any one time. When students first arrive at the school in their first year they are shown to one of four clans: Oak, Birch, Willow and Hazel based on the qualities and aspirations of the student. Students are rewarded with points for good behaviour, unterball match victories and correct answers to questions. Points can also be taken away for wrongdoings. At the end of each year, the Clan with the most points will win the Woodland Cup.

Established in c. 11th / 12th century, Woodnotts is considered one of the finest magical institutions in the magical world though there are other schools similar. Children with magical abilities may be enrolled at birth and acceptance is confirmed by Pyxie post at the age of thirteen.

Location
Woodnotts School is located in Woodnotts Castle, a fairly large castle somewhere in England. The Castle has extensive grounds with a huge variety of sloping lawns, flowerbeds and vegetable patches, a lake (named The Great Lake), a huge dense forest (named The Forest of Origin), several greenhouses and other outbuildings and a full size Unterball pitch. There is also a Pyxelary, which houses all the pyxies owned by the school and those owned by students.

The three towers are the Pyxelary tower, the Willow tower and the Runes and Readings tower. There are over 100 staircases in this massive castle, which is set amongst the towering hills of Rendlingham. The castle is known for its many achievements and victories throughout the years, such as winning the Prettiest Flower Garden award.

Early History
Hogwarts was founded around 1100 A.D by four magical folk: Oliver Oak, Hilda Hazel, Bruno Birch and Wendy Willow. They each represented an aspect of wizarding that they wanted to bring out in new students. In the Entrance Hall of Woodnotts School you can see their statues standing big and proud to remind all students of the aspects and qualities they should respect.

The School Year
Term begins on September 7th. Students usually reach Woodnotts by the train known as 'The Woodnotts Express' which leaves from the Underground platform at Liverpool Street Station at 2:00pm sharp. Non - magical people only see a sign saying out of order where the entrance is.

The Woodnotts Express brings the students to Woodbourough station, where the first years traditionally get escorted across the grounds with Proffessor Wakeley. When they reach the school they go to a special underground room and wait for the arrival of the Headmaster: Proffessor Plaite.

Older students (in years 2 upwards) travel along the stone path that leads straight to the door of Woodnotts. The Welcoming Feast takes place in the Main Hall. To start off with the students (apart from the First years) wait for the Headmaster to enter with the First years. Once the Headmaster has collected the first years from the underground room he takes them to the Main hall. The first years are then sorted into their clans according to their personality which is read by Proffessor Oliveira. Once the sorting is finished the Headmaster says the start of term notices. The banquet starts after this with large quantities of food and drink. The feast is closed with a few more words from the Headmaster.

After dinner, the students are led to their Clan homeroom by their clan's teacher. This is a special time for new students to get comfortable with their surroundings because the next day classes begin. The class schedules/timetables are given out during breakfast by the clan teacher. After two weeks of classes Unterball team trials and riding lessons for first years take place.

Woodnotts school year is structured in a similar way to other non-magical schools and colleges in the UK, with a three term punctuated by holidays at Christmas and Easter and bounded by the long summer holiday of nine weeks. Students have the option of staying at the school for the Christmas and Easter holidays. Those who choose to stay at the castle do not have lessons and attend a feast on Christmas Day. Students also do not have classes the week of Easter but this is much less enjoyable due to the large amount of work that the teachers assign students at this time in preparation for final exams.

Other than the breaks and weekends, students do not recieve holidays. However students third year and above may visit Woodbourough, the local village, occasionally. There are normally four feasts per year: the start-of-term feast at the beginning of the school year, end-of-term feast at the end of the school year, and feasts at Halloween and Christmas.

Clans
Woodnotts students are put into four clans: Oak,Willow, Hazel and Birch

Oak clan is well known for bravery, daring, nerve and chivalry. The clan colours are red and gold and the clan is symbolized by a lion. The entrance to the homeroom is on the fifth floor hidden by a curtains of purple cloth. In order to get into the common room students from Oak clan must say the correct password. Their clan teacher is Proffessor McCreedy. Some students are Robyn Underwood, Genivieve Arnott, Philipp Rygrass, Jessica Arnott, Jemima Arnott, Lilly Underwood, Billy Newrick, Hannah Truscott, Oliver Pick, James Stickley and loads more who are not named here.

Willow clan values wit, creativity, and wisdom. The house is symbolized by an eagle and the house colours are blue and bronze. The Clan homeroom is located in a high tower, and the interior is decorated with blue and bronze. To enter, rather than give a password, one must answer a riddle from an eagle door knocker, such as "Where do vanished objects go?" or "Which came first, the Phoenix or the flame?" Their clan teacher is Proffessor Bopsmaf. Some students are Connie Lamb, Jack Tyndale-Harvey, Summer Howlett, Ally Ferguson, Vannessa Atlick, Rosco Fortune, Jeffrey Arnott, Michael Greenwich, Eliza Redgrave, Ronan Wensleydale and loads more who are not named here.

Hazel clan is well known for loyalty, fair play, honesty, and tolerance. The house is symbolized by a badger, and the house colours are yellow and black. It's homeroom is near the kitchens. To get into the homeroom, rather than giving a password you must tap a fake barrel in the rhythm "Proffessor Fertal." Their clan teacher is Proffessor Fertal. Some students are Victoria Fox, Penelope Middleton, Rosa Tuscadero, George Arnott, Georgiana Arnott, Graham Arnott, Thalia Sivaraj, Sam Cottee, Emily Boore, Millie Baldwin and loads more who are not name here.

Birch clan values ambition, cleverness, cunning and resourcefulness. The clan is symbolized by a serpent, and the clan colours are green and silver. Its homeroom is located in the dungeons, underneath the Great Lake, and hidden behind a stone wall. Their clan teacher is Proffessor Tunstall. Some students are Elliot Bridge, Olivia Lewis, Jake Neeves, Euan McKenzie, Finn Danon, Heather Brown, Wolfie Green, Alfie Chester, Michaela Norwich, Mitch Arnolds and loads more who are not named here.

Subjects and teachers
In Woodnotts there are a huge group of wise and talented teachers. Each one specialises in a specific subject. Other staff positions include that of school nurse, caretaker, librarian and groundskeeper. There are a variety of classes taught at Woodnotts. At the end of the fifth year students can drop all subjects except ones that they wish to choose for the future.

All students who attend Woodnotts must do fourteen classes: Alchemy, Business studies, Care for mythical creatures, Defending yourself, Futology, Herbology, Knowledge (General), Library Study, Metamorphism, Non - Wizard studies, Runes and readings, Spell, Theory of Magic and Unterball lessons.

Alchemy
Alchemy is described as the art of creating mixtures with magical effects. It requires the correct mixing and stirring of ingredients at the right times and temperatures.

Business Studies
Business studies is the class that helps students learn more about finance and helps them learn how to run their own business and keep control of their money.

Care for Mythical creatures
Care for Mythical creatures is the class which instructs students on how to care for magical beasts. Classes are held outside the castle.

Defending yourself
Defending yourself is the class that teaches students defensive techniques to defend against the Dark Arts, and to be protected from Dark creatures.

Futology
Futology is a semi class. This means there are two types you can do. The first is to do with helping students have a nice future and know how to keep a sustainable family etc. The second is a mix with divination. The second type of futology is the art of predicting the future. Various methods are described, including tea leaves, fire omens, crystal balls, palmistry, cartomancy (including the reading of conventional playing cards and the tarot), astrology, and dream interpretations.

Herbology
Herbology is the study of magical plants and how to take care of, utilise and combat them.

Knowledge (General)
Knowledge (General) is the class where students ask any questions they have about anything. It helps expand the students knowledge. It also is the study of magical history.

Library Study
Library study is when the students in the class go to the library for the lesson and can read or they can do homework etc.

Metamorphism
Metamorphism is the art of changing the form or appearance of an object, and hence this is what this class teaches. Metamorphism is a theory-based subject, including topics such as "Switching Spells" (altering only a part of some object, such as giving a human rabbit's ears) Vanishing Spells (causing an object to completely disappear); and Conjuring Spells (creating objects out of thin air). It is possible to change inanimate objects into animate ones and vice versa.

Non-Wizard studies
Non-wizard studies is a class that teaches magical folk about non magical folk so that they can blend in with them if they have to. As non magical folk are not to know about magical folk everyone must blend in to be hidden.

Runes and readings
Runes and readings is a generally theoretical subject that studies the ancient runic scripts.

Spells
Spells is the class where students get taught new spells or practise ones they already know.

Theory of Magic
This class is to do with how spells are made and why. It also teaches students what spells are used for and the purposes of different spells.

Unterball
Unterball is the sport played by magical folk. In Woodnotts there are team trials and lessons for first years only on how to ride the dragons and about the rules of the game.

Daily Routine
The day begins at 7:30am with breakfast in the Main hall. During breakfast the student's pet pyxies arrive with mail for them. If there is no mail for them then their pyxie will not come. A bell ring signals the start of the first class at 9am. The bell rings again in one hour to signal the start of the next class.

There are four class periods before lunch, scheduled according to each clan. After lunch there is another break and then two more classes.

Supper is served in the Main hall towards evening, after which students are expected to be in their homerooms for studying and socialising.

The students must be in their common room by a certain time each evening. The times are different for different years.

Recruitment
Each year the Deputy Head of Woodnotts, Proffessor Oliveira sends letters to eligible magical children who will be thirteen by October 31st. These letters invite the children to be students at Woodnotts. If for any reason a letter does not reach its intended recipient, pyxies will continue delivering letters until the person receives one. The letter contains a list of needed supplies which includes uniform clothing, spell books, and cauldrons. Letters are also sent to existing students to inform them of the new supplies needed. Students usually obtain school supplies at Anchor Lane in London.

Letters to magical folk whose parents are not magical who may not be aware of their powers and are unfamiliar with the concealed wizarding world, are delivered in person by a member of Hogwarts staff, who then explain to the parents/guardians about magical society, and reassure them regarding this news. They also assist the family in regards to buying supplies and gaining access to Diagon Alley.

Students are allowed to bring a pyxie.

Uniform
The students at Woodnotts School are required to wear a uniform. Students must wear their uniform during all lessons and while eating meals or studying in the Main hall. Students are allowed to wear their own clothes after lessons in their homeroom and during the holidays. The uniform consists of students own clothing with a black cloak over the top and a jumper with their clan emblem on it.