Year Group Structure
Organisation Of Space
Length Of The School Day
Breakfast Clubs
Lunchtime
Year Group Structure - High school organisation for year 7
The way in which schools organise their classes varies enormously across the city and a number of models are shown here. The key issue relating to the transition of Year 6 pupils is that for many of them coming to a school where they will meet a lot of different teachers can be confusing. In primary school they may have had close contact with only two members of staff – their teachers who acted as both pastoral and academic guide, and a learning mentor. When they come to high school, it is important that pupils understand the system and know who they should turn to.
Model 1
Schools have a permanent head of Year 7 or member of staff who is permanently responsible for transition. The strengths with this system are that the head of year is familiar with issues surrounding transition and is a constant point of contact for primary schools.
Model 2
Schools have a rolling head of year programme so that head of year stays with a year group throughout its time at the school. This has some benefits in that children experience the consistency of having the same head of year throughout their school career.
Model 3
Schools have a head of year that rolls within a key stage. This system had advantages because it tends to work where teachers specialise with key stages so teachers are subject and age group specialists.
Model 4
Schools have specialist Year 7 teachers. This system works well when Year 7 works more as a middle school year, where children spend more time with their tutor and less time moving around the school. Many children responded positively when this system was suggested and said that they thought it would have made transition easier for them.
Model 5
One school has introduced a different form of organisation. The pupils are divided into three houses and children are put into the same houses as their brothers, sisters and other family members. There are three heads of house. From 8.30 to 8.55 children meet in tutor groups which are based on key stages and houses, so they are not in form group only with other Year 7s. The children are banded and so go to classes based on ability but this system is flexible and children can be moved as appropriate
Organisation of Space - Is there a place for year 7s?
Again this is very varied across the city. Systems include:
- having Year 7 classrooms in a separate part of the school
- separate upper and lower school sites
- separate toilet facilities for upper and lower school
- having a separate social area for Year 7s. Pupils don’t have to stay in this area but they know that it is available to them if they need it. This social area may be a room or an area in the playground
- having a house system where the head of house looks after children of all ages.
Length of the School Day - Days seem longer
Across Leeds, schools have arranged their hours and break times to suit their individual circumstances. Some start as early as 8.25am; the latest finish time is 3.15pm.
It is worth remembering that for primary school children, these hours may seem rather long compared to the school day they are used to. Some children live a long distance from the school and spend a lot longer traveling than they did previously. It may take them some time to adjust to the length of the day in their new school.
If staff and facilities are available, breakfast clubs can provide a useful meeting place for new pupils. One school offers food as well as space for children to play games or do their homework. This can also be a useful opportunity for teachers to meet parents who would not be able to come to school during working hours.
See also After School Clubs
Some children find lunchtime intimidating in their new school. The size of the site, the number of children going in to lunch at the same time and mastering a new canteen system can all be daunting, particularly for children who come from small primary schools which have a formal dining system.
A second area of concern is how to spend the rest of their lunchtime after they have eaten. Some children are intimidated both by the large area they are free to roam and by the presence of older pupils.
Possible solutions:
- let Year 7 pupils out earlier than the rest of the school for the first few weeks of term so they can use the canteen first
- staggered eating times for each key stage
- a rotating lunchtime card system. Each year group has a different coloured card and they go in at 10 minute intervals. One week, Year 10 comes in first, the next week Year 11 comes in first, etc
- a rota system where each year takes turns to come in first to the dining room
- asking older pupils to take new Year 7 children into lunch and show them the ropes for the first few days.
Whatever the system your school uses, it is essential that:
- new pupils are informed how the system works before they start school. Consider including this information in welcome booklets and letters to parents
- facilities are clearly signposted. This includes areas where children with packed lunches can eat, areas where they can play after they have eaten, etc.
- school access rules are clearly stated. Children should know where they can and cannot go during lunchtime, where they can stay if the weather is bad, what the rules are about leaving the premises, etc.
- dietary preferences and customs are considered and information passed to parents and children about special catering arrangements for children who need them.
Here are extracts from two school booklets that explain their catering arrangements.
Model 1
The canteen supervisor starts to serve breakfasts in the dining hall from 8am until 8.45am. You may buy things like bacon and sausage sandwiches, toast or hot drinks and sit in the dining hall to eat them. At morning break the dinner ladies again sell breakfast choices as well as pop and crisps, and there are machines for cold drinks and chocolate.
At lunchtime you have the choice of going home for dinner, eating a school meal or bringing a packed lunch. Schools meals include ‘meal of the day with pudding’, salads, fast food (like chips, pizza, pasties and drummers) as well as sandwiches, soup and jacket potatoes.
The 6th form and Year 11 have the privilege of entering the dining room first, then other years take turns on a weekly rota to come in to the cafeteria. If you stay at school to eat, you may not leave the school premises unless your parents or guardian writes to us to give their permission for you to go out.
During afternoon break, tuck shop facilities are again available.
Pupils are expected to take responsibility for clearing their own tables and putting all litter in bins.
Model 2
In September you will be the first year group into lunch. For the first few weeks we allow you to go for lunch at period 6. This is our way of helping you get used to the system and it means that the rest of the school don’t join you until after period 7. After a few weeks you will be used to the system and go for lunch at the proper time.
There is a wide range of food. We cater for lots of different diets and if you want, you can even bring your own packed lunch.
Food is also served at break time, so if you fancy a cone of chips or an apple because you are feeling peckish – you know where to come.
Lunchtime clubs
Most schools run a variety of lunchtime clubs offering everything from needlepoint to climbing. These are a valuable resource which helps new pupils to socialise with their peers and with older pupils.
