The School Day
Learning and teaching will be arranged so that each day has three sessions of approximately two-hours' duration. These longer sessions will mean less disruption to the learning process; avoiding the breaks which occur when students are in the middle of a practical activity; reducing the number of occasions when students need to move between lessons; improving student behaviour by reducing the unsupervised time and having less 'settling down' time in the day.
Having longer lessons will help develop the students' ability to manage their own learning and to develop learning skills. In practice, experience shows that some subjects work best where there is flexibility.
Enrichment activities as described earlier will be offered at the beginning and the end of the Academy day; some will be planned to take place within the timetabled day, and some specially planned for 'off timetable' days or weeks.
The school day will also be organised using the principle of 'staggered breaks and lunch times', where students take breaks during their lesson time. This system has a number of advantages: student movement will be smoother with 'light' supervision being the norm, encouraging students to be more responsible; opportunities for 'corridor culture' to develop and for bullying to occur are reduced; the school day becomes a seamless experience with the emphasis firmly on learning. In addition, better use is made of expensive catering resources and there is no need for 'fast food', helping to promote a healthy eating culture.
Time will be allocated for tutorial support on a daily or weekly basis, and there is a statutory requirement for an act of daily collective worship. Parents may withdraw their children from all or part of the religious education and collective worship provided and alternative provision will be made for students who are withdrawn.
An Academy day may look like this:
| 7.30 am | Optional individual study & breakfast |
|---|---|
| 8.30 am - 10.30 am | Period 1 |
| 10.30 am - 11.05 am | Tutor time/break |
| 11.05 am - 1.35 pm | Period 2 and Staggered Lunch |
| 1.35 pm - 3.35 pm | Period 3 |
| 3.35 pm - 5.35 pm | Enrichment |
Students in all year groups are not allowed off the premises at break or lunch. We want the school to be a safe environment so once students arrive in the morning and lessons begin the site will be secured.