They did not always give more than 4 strokes and often less but the canes they used to hurt a great deal more and the marks lasted a lot longer.The most I ever got was 8 strokes for a really bad bout of smoking and smuggling cider into the dorm and getting drunk with my best friend.
You were allowed up to 9 order marks in any one term. The order marks were collated daily by the head girl who would give them to the Deputy Head. If you reached the maximum your name was read out the next morning in assembly and the Head would announce that such and such girl was to see her housemistress after assembly. You would go straight to her study and one of the house prefects would be there.