Our Timetable

Our timetable is carefully designed to provide opportunities for breadth of learning as well as the time to build deep skills and knowledge. We continually reflect on our timetable design and make changes to improve when necessary. 

We believe in a ‘gimmick free’ approach to timetabling. Our subjects are taught through a blend of cross curricular links as well as discrete learning. We do not force subjects in to topics – they only link if they benefit the learning to do so. This is also true of our English and Maths Curriculum, which often stand apart from other subjects and concepts due to the high level of skills and knowledge required.

As a Church of England School, R.E. is one of our most important subjects, along with reading, writing and maths. We therefore teach this across the school on a Friday morning. On this morning, we also teach our RHE curriculum, giving this important subject key time within the week.

On the other mornings, we focus on our English and Maths skills, including reading, phonics, spellings, handwriting and times tables. Our day now starts at 8.30 for many pupils, giving plenty of learning time in the morning. Reading is a core part of the day and occurs through Guided Reading and English lessons.

Our afternoons are as creative and practical as possible, teaching curriculum subjects such as Science and the foundation subjects. On a Friday afternoon, pupils have the opportunity to engage in a variety of enrichment activities such as Worship Council, Green Gang and Reading Buddies. Running these activities on a Friday afternoon, enables uninterrupted time in the other afternoons for curriculum subjects. Teacher’s all have their PPA during this afternoon too, meaning all curriculum subjects are taught by the class teacher.

Every class has one ‘active’ day each week, where they come to school in their active/PE uniform. On this day, as well as having their PE lesson, pupils have the opportunity to learn in an active way in other lessons too, such as active maths.

Music is taught by a specialist music teacher and every cohort has a lesson each week. Class Teachers attend these lessons as CPD. French is also taught across the school by a TA who is a native French speaker.

Once a week every class holds a class circle time, following the ‘quality circle time’ Jenny Mosely model. This provides pupils with the time to talk and be listened to within a safe forum.

Every day, every pupil engages in Collective Worship, a daily writing activity, reading, handwriting practice, the Daily Mile, a class reflection and the zones of regulation. We also make time for frequent learning breaks between lessons so pupils can have drink and stretch their legs. These are only for a few minutes. Some pupils also engage daily in Sensory Circuits before commencing with lesson time.

For some pupils, they receive targeted support or specific interventions. These take place throughout the day but are thoughtfully planned to ensure pupils’ do not continually miss the same subject or activity. Many of these are time specific and run for six weeks at a time. Pre-teaching activities also take place every day for some pupils.