Parents are frequently amazed
when they hear what was
covered in a single day.
The School Day
What happens day by day in the classroom is our central concern. The structure and rhythm of the school day is important if pupils are to sustain their engagement with and enjoyment in learning.
In the early years, lessons are short (as little as 15 minutes) and varied. This helps keep concentration and interest levels high. As a result, children cover a wide range of subjects and parents are frequently amazed when they hear how much has been covered in a day.
Their enjoyment of school is helped by a 1pm finish on three days a week in Lower Prep (Reception) and 1 day a week in Upper Prep (Year 1). Childcare is however provided on a Monday, Wednesday and Friday afternoon from 1pm-3.30pm to help with the logistics of these early finish times.
As pupils mature through the Junior School, it is appropriate for lessons to become longer. Timetables remain carefully balanced to provide a varied programme, alternating core subject work with a varied sports programme, nature walks, music, art, handicraft, library time, and more.
In the Senior School our days are divided into eight 45 minute periods with a mid-morning and lunch break.
Wednesday or Friday afternoons for pupils from Upper Prep to Year 8 are special at Heritage. This is an open slot in the weekly timetable for our Enrichment Programme in which pupils enjoy a huge range of outings or special interest afternoons (see ‘Enrichment’ for more information).
The general pattern of the school day is as follows:
| MORNING | ||
| 8.25am | Doors are opened, pupils arrive | |
| 8.40am | Infants line up in the playground and go into their classrooms Junior lessons begin Senior registration begins |
|
| 8.50am | Assembly: Mon and Wed for Infants and Juniors; Thurs for Seniors Senior period 1 begins |
|
| MORNING BREAK | ||
| 10.10–10.35am | Infants (LP-Y2) morning break | |
| 10.35–11.00am | Juniors (Y3-Y6) morning break | |
| 11.05–11.30pm | Seniors (Y7-Y11) morning break | |
| LUNCH BREAK | ||
| 12.10–1.00pm | Infants (LP-Y2) lunch plus break | |
| 12.35–1.20pm | Juniors (Y3-Y6) lunch plus break | |
| 1.00–1.45pm | Seniors (Y7-Y11) lunch plus break | |
| END OF SCHOOL DAY | ||
| 1:00pm | LP end of day on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays UP end of day on Wednesdays |
Optional child care is provided for LP from 1.00-3.30pm on Monday and Friday afternoons and for both LP and UP on Wednesday afternoons (again from 1.00-3.30pm) |
| 3.30pm | LP end of day on Tuesdays and Thursdays UP end of day every day except on Wednesdays |
|
| 3.30pm | Y2-Y6 end of day | |
| 4.00pm | Y7-Y11 end of day | |
| 3.30-5.00pm | After-school clubs and activities |