Changes to the Academy Day from September 2020

I hope that you and your family are well during these difficult times. Before the pandemic we had planned to announce a small change to the Academy day, but in the first few weeks of the crisis I did not want this important message to get lost in the initial rush as we all learnt to change our lives in the early stages of the lockdown.

Currently the Academy day starts at 9.00am and ends at 3.05pm for Years 7-10. Year 11 and Sixth Form have a longer day on Wednesday finishing at 4.00pm. We intend to bring Year 11 and Sixth Form into line with the other Year groups, but extend the day for all students by 10 minutes.

The new Academy hours will be 9.00 am to 3.15pm for all students, every day.

We will still expect students to arrive by 8.55am, so they are at Tutor Time by 9.00am. For Years 7-10 this is an additional 50 minutes per week and we intend to use the extra time to support our pastoral provision by extending Tutor Time. This will give more time for the changes to the statutory provision of Personal, Health and Social Education (PSHE), and Careers education.

We will of course continue after-hours additional study support and interventions for those students that need it, and we will review after-hours enrichment as we get more guidance from the government as the national response to the pandemic changes. More importantly, we want to be able to spend more time addressing every child’s educational and emotional well-being. Time with Tutor Groups at the end of the day will provide an ideal opportunity to reflect on the day, resolve any concerns or issues that have occurred, and leave every child feeling supported by their Personal Tutor. As we emerge from the current crisis, I believe it is all the more important to make more time to support your child’s well-being.

Please do not hesitate to contact the Academy should you wish to discuss the matter.

Mr M Arnull 

Head of School