School Day consultation
Proposal to change school timings to meet new DFE requirements for the school week.
Dear Parents/Carers
I hope this letter finds you well. Alongside schools nationwide, we have received guidance and direction from the Department for Education (DfE) asking that we review the total number of hours spent by our students on school premises across the week.
The expectation outlined in the documentation issued by the DfE to all schools makes explicit the understanding that schools must extend their school day so that the calculated number of hours spent by students on site amounts to a minimum of 32.5 hours per week. The intention in directing schools to do so is to support schools in ensuring that the amount of time spent fully engaged in activities relating to Teaching and Learning are maximised. This change must be in place in all schools as of this September (2024).
As a school, it is important that your views and thoughts are gathered and feature as part of any reorganisation that must take effect. In addition to seeking your thoughts as Parents/Carers, we have sought the same of school staff and other key stakeholders within our community.
In order to meet the Department for Education’s guidance with regard to the school day, we are proposing the following:
• Students will arrive at school for 8.25am each morning. This is not a change from our current arrangements.
• Registration will be a shorter 15-minute session that will ensure students are safely in the building, have all their required uniform and equipment for learning, and are aware of any urgent updates that may affect them while at school.
• Lessons will begin at 8.40am and will continue to be 55 minutes long, as they are currently.
• Break will take place from 10.30am – 10.50am. We have chosen to preserve the longer than required morning break to ensure students have a chance to get some food from the canteen should they have missed our breakfast club and of course, socialise with friends.
• Lunch will start at 11.45am for students and will now be split into 2X 30 minute lunch sittings - one 30 minute sitting will be for lunch, this is normal in smaller secondary schools. This will support an effective lunch service as the school continues to grow in size and more students need to access our facilities. When not on their lunch sittings, students will be timetabled into a range of different activities that will support their emotional and physical wellbeing, as well as supporting their academic progress. For example, KS3 will continue to be offered “Active Lunch” clubs while KS4 will have access to these and will attend timetabled GCSE support sessions.
• At 12.45pm, students will now have an afternoon tutorial with their form tutor. This will be an opportunity to develop their literacy and numeracy skills, to engage fully with a broad and balanced PSHE curriculum, and to take part in any interventions required to support their journey through school.
• Afternoon lessons will begin at 1.05pm and will finish at 2.55pm.
This is five minutes later than the school’s current finish time of 2.50pm and essential to meet the new guidelines issued by the DfE to all schools.
We are confident that these changes to the school day will support all students to continue to engage in the varied and challenging curriculum we offer.
As the end time of the school day will be five minutes later than it is currently, the school must offer a formal six-week consultation to gather views from all stakeholders in order to make an informed final decision which will apply to all pupils. If you would like to express your views on these proposed changes, please email the address below with the appropriate email subject stating any reasons and firm rationale for objection. Should you support / agree with the essential changes proposed (in order to meet DfE guidance) then you need not reply.
School email: norham.highschool@ntlp.org.uk
Email subject: School Day Consultation Feedback
The deadline for feedback will be 3pm on Monday 15th July 2024.
Thank you for your ongoing support of everything that we do as a school.
Yours faithfully,
Mr T Conway
Headteacher