The coven is the 'family group' of the Witches. It will normally be made up of a number of male and female Witches under the direction of the High Priestess and/or High Priest, although the High Priestess should have precedence.
The Coven will meet at the eight Sabbats and the 12 or 13 Full Moons. Some groups will also meet at the New Moon and this would make 33 meetings a year. Most meetings are conducted in the evenings and on the day of the actual event, and although some groups will move their meetings to take place only at weekends, this is quite rare. Members are expected to attend every meeting unless they have a very good reason not to, and they are expected to arrive punctually and be fully prepared.
Outside meetings, members are expected to study their Craft and any specialisations in it. They may also be assigned work by their High Priestess. In addition they will be expected to inform their High Priestess about any Magick they intend to carry out and to keep record of the results of such workings. Many Covens require the keeping of a personal record rituals and Magick by each member. This is called a Book of Shadows.
Belonging to a Coven is quite a lot of hard work. For a Coven to operate well, all its members must be committed and self-disciplined. The High Priestess and High Priest provide the training, assistance, care and control that the members need in order to grow within the Craft. Nearly all Covens will require potential members to undertake a period of pre entry training and assessment.