Dear Parents and Carers,
Subject: Changes to the academy Timetable and Internal Arrangements
Following a review of our timetable and internal safeguarding precautions, and consultation with staff, we are writing to inform you of forthcoming changes to the daily timetable and certain internal logistical arrangements at the academy, which will come into effect from Tuesday 6th January. Students were informed in year groups assemblies today.
These changes have been carefully planned following a detailed review of our current practices. The review highlighted opportunities to improve parity of learning time across year groups and to further strengthen our safeguarding and supervision arrangements throughout the academy day.
One of our key priorities is to ensure that all students receive equitable access to high-quality learning time. Minor variations in lesson start and finish times, transitions between sessions, and shared space usage can, over time, result in unintended differences in curriculum hours.
The revised timetable has been designed to ensure all students receive a more consistent allocation of teaching and learning time, plus, reduce disruption during transitions between lessons and activities.
Safeguarding remains at the heart of all decision-making at Sir Geoffrey Leigh Academy. Adjustments to the timing of the day and internal movement patterns will ensure that all lessons are 1 hour and 5 minutes or length. Students are now allocated a specific break and lunchtime regardless of their daily lesson structure. Year 7, 9 and 11 are allocated to break 1 and lunch 1, with Year 8, 10 and Post 16 allocated to break 2 and lunch 2. This will reduce congestion in corridors and shared spaces, and allow faster transitions around the academy. These measures are intended to further enhance pupil safety, wellbeing, and calm routines across the academy.
We recognise that changes to routines can require adjustment, and we have taken care to ensure that the impact on students and families is minimal. Where applicable, we have aligned changes to cause minimal impact to the start and end of the academy day, where this remains the same with the exception of Wednesday which ends ten minutes later for students at 14:10pm.
Staff will support students closely during the transition period, and we are confident that the revised arrangements will quickly become familiar and positive for all. I attach the adjusted timetable for reference.
Thank you for your ongoing partnership as we continue to refine our systems in the best interests of our students.
Yours faithfully
Mr Stephenson | Deputy Principal
