Proposed Change to the School Day

The school would like to consult with you on a proposal to change the timing of the school day at Farringdon Community Sports College in September 2007. The proposal we would like you to comment upon has been produced by the Senior Management Team of the school after considering a wide range of models currently in operation throughout the country.

We believe the proposed model will result in a more effective working day for both students and staff and better enable us to meet the needs of our students. Essentially we want to shorten the formal school day and the lunch hour to allow students greater access to curriculum enrichment and sports activities while also creating time for staff to engage in professional development to enhance teaching and learning. We believe we can do this without reducing the teaching time which we give to students. The majority of the teaching time within our new model takes place earlier in the day at a time when we believe the students are most receptive to learning. We have retained a formal ‘Form Period’ to allow assemblies and information sharing with students each day. The lunch hour has been shortened to reduce the time when students can feel unsettled. I would be grateful if you could consider the proposals on the attached sheet and give your responses on the enclosed questionnaire.

In addition to welcoming your views on the proposed changes to school day we would also like to take this opportunity to ask for your responses on how we should proceed at lunchtime. Currently all students have an option to leave the school site and for parents to take responsibility for their children at lunchtime. This arrangement is popular with students but parents often express concern that their child may not have a healthy meal and some local residents find the arrangement problematic. I would be grateful therefore, if you could indicate on the consultation form your views on whether students should continue to be allowed to leave the school site or remain with the school during lunchtime.

Rational for Change (not prioritised).

To ‘weight’ more teaching time to the morning session when students are more receptive.
To provide dedicated time to staff for developing teaching and learning strategies.
To provide opportunity for students ‘enrichment’ time (academic/sport) and staff meetings at a reasonable time in the day.
To remove some of the historical anomalies built into the present system: currently school day is 6.40 mins x 5 – 33 hours 20 minutes but teaching time only 25 hours per week.
To reduce potential problems at lunchtime by reducing the lunch break.

Proposed Model (A)

Period / Day	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thurs	Fri
Staff Briefing			8.15
Form Period	8.30	8.30	8.30	8.30	8.30
1	8.45	8.45	8.45	8.45	8.45
2	9.45	9.45	9.45	9.45	9.45
Break	10.45	10.45	10.45	10.45	10.45
3	11.00	11.00	11.00	11.00	11.00
Lunch	12.00	12.00	12.00	12.00	12.00
4	12.40	12.40	12.40	12.40	12.40
5	13.40	13.40	13.40	13.40	13.40
End	14.40	14.40	14.30 (CPD)	14.40	14.40

CDP (Staff): Every Wednesday 14.45 – 16.00
Enrichment (students) : Optional 14.45 – 16.00 (Not Wednesday)

Benefits

School day finishes earlier for students and staff (School day 6hrs 10mins x 4 + 6hrs x 1 = 30hrs 40 mins per week ; teaching time = 24 hrs 50 mins per week. The additional time released is then available for staff development and student enrichment.
Keep registration period 1 per day.
Dedicated staff development time each Wednesday (pm).
Student Enrichment takes place earlier when students are more receptive.
No ‘changeover’ time lost in afternoon.

	Word file	PDF file
Change of school day (parents copy)	word	pdf
Change of school day (student copy)	word	pdf
Consultation Survey (parents copy)	word	pdf
Consultation Survey (students copy)	word	pdf

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