Principal: Mr Vince Green
Bristnall Hall Lane – Oldbury – West Midlands – B68 9PA
http://www.bristnallhallacademy.attrust.org.uk
tel: +44 121 552 5425
fax: +44 121 511 1325
May 2015
Consultation on the new academy day 2015/2016
The consultation period for the proposed changes to the academy day has finished and the
responses have now been scrutinised in full.
In total there were 33 written responses from parents, carers, staff, the local community,
trade unions and feeder primaries. Thank you to all who took the time to aid our
consideration of these proposals.
The positive aspects of the proposed change were highlighted in the responses including;
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Slightly shorter lesson times
Longer days to stop the need for students to remain after school
Improved safety for all students staying on site at lunchtime
Increased curriculum time and number of lessons for core subjects without drastically
reducing curriculum time for PE and PSHE (maintaining a ‘broad and balanced
curriculum’)
Opportunities for clubs after school on the earlier finish days to provide additional
support to students who require extra help
Early finish on Friday for different stakeholders that could impact positively on
attendance rates
Opportunities to develop staff at appropriate times of the day
Greater flexibility
Form tutors being able to take a more active role in managing their form groups at the
end of the academy day
A more positive start to the day with students going straight into learning
More teaching time
More opportunity to spend extra time with students after school, including giving 1 to 1
support when required
Opportunities for more students to complete homework in the academy on early finish
days using our facilities and internet connection, with staff around to support.
Give students an ‘excellent spring board’ into further education or the work place
More time for interventions and extracurricular activities
Better Key Stage 3 curriculum for core subjects and Humanities
Departmental meetings timetabled into the academy fortnight to allow for more time
after school to be dedicated to students for extracurricular and curricular intervention
activities.
Several concerns or questions were raised regarding the proposed changes. These have
been addressed below;
1. Support staff who currently take their own children to school and pick up either
side of their current contracted hours would require childcare at both ends of the
day
To accommodate this, and enhance the proposal, the registration time was moved from
the middle to the end of the day. This means that staff in this predicament would now
only have an issue in the morning. Clearly our proposal is about ensuring the very best
for Bristnall Hall Academy students but the needs of our staff and in many cases future
students have been taken into account here. Support staff that need to will be able to
leave at 3:10pm, some staff raised this as a concern after this change but continuing
with the current curriculum model would not meet the needs of Bristnall Hall Academy
students.
2. Students going straight into Lesson 1 and;
a) not being registered
The academy SIMS management system means that registration will be no different
in their taught lesson than if they were to attend a registration session. Absent
students will be picked up on in an identical way.
b) not concentrating
Experiences and research indicate that students concentrate at least as well as they
would do were they to have an initial registration session.
c) arriving late as a result, disrupting the learning of others and losing learning
time.
Again, experience and research suggest that punctuality at the start of the day will
be significantly improved and given that Bristnall Hall Academy does not currently
have a major punctuality problem, we believe that lateness will almost be eradicated
d) daily notices at the end of the day/nothing remembered
Key messages will be given at the start of the day in lessons (where important).
e) letters or money not being given in until end of the day will result in some
being lost
Where necessary, these can be collected at the start of the day but we will look at
developing improved levels of organisational skills with our students.
Tutors will be able to now resolve issues from the day prior to students going home to allow
for a ‘fresh start’ the following day. One suggestion was to have tutor time at the start and
end of the day. Tutors and Heads of Year will still be available directly before the academy
day starts should there be any issues that need addressing, so this was felt not to be a
productive use of time.
The timing of registration will be reviewed during the first year of implementation, and
beyond.
3. Suggestion to move registration to the middle of the day
This we feel would impact negatively on support staff arrangements, the opportunities
for external delivers of assemblies for students and the smooth running of the academy
day.
4. Does the academy intend to make arrangements for after school clubs to allow
children to stay on the premises if their parents work?
Whether parents work or not, after school clubs and adult supervision will be available
on both early finish days to ensure that students can remain at the academy until at
least 3:10pm (the current finish time) and at least 3:30pm on Wednesday as was
requested by one respondent, for no charge.
5. Reduce lunch to 30 minutes to allow the academy day to continue to start at
8:55am
Given that all students will now remain on site (there were no issues raised with this at
all) at lunchtime; it will not be feasible for all students to be comfortably catered for in
that time, and should there be any issues in terms of catering that could impact
negatively on the following lesson.
6. Can breakfast club start earlier given that the academy day will start earlier.
Times will be decided on as preparations are made for 2015/2016, and breakfast club
will start earlier.
7. When students leave the academy after the end of the day can there be a staff
presence at the gates?
For 2015/2016 staff will be at the gate as they are this year at the normal academy finish
time. Students are always welcome to request to use academy phones to contact
parents and carers to arrange collection if required at any time at or after the end of the
academy day.
8. Concerns about students being on or around Primary school sites on the early
finish days, awaiting younger siblings
All students will be instructed that this is not to happen; clubs will be available at
Bristnall Hall Academy to accommodate students. The Senior Leadership Team will
liaise with our feeder primaries to ensure that no students are on or around their sites
until their own school day has concluded
9. Sixth Forms could potentially have 10 minute lunch breaks when attending our
partner school for afternoon sessions.
Clearly this would be unacceptable and adequate breaks will be provided for our sixth
formers in planning for 2015/2016.
10. Sixth Formers will be remaining at school for potentially 1 ½ hours longer than
students in other years on Friday afternoons where they travel to George Salter
Academy.
As Sixth Formers it is felt that this is not unreasonable.
11. Will there continue to be external organisations coming in on Wednesday
afternoons to speak with or work with Sixth Formers?
Yes, we are looking to enhance this and increase the amount of external organisations
visiting other years at the end of the day during assemblies and tutor time.
12. What will happen to Start Right Club at the beginning of the day?
This will continue to take place to allow students to be supported and to help with their
organisation prior to the day starting.
13. Will clubs provided by the LSU continue and what will the hours be?
Yes, they will continue. Hours will be shared shortly with all relevant students, staff,
parents and carers.
14. When will my child meet with support staff?
Clubs will continue to take place as they currently do, and support staff will be in place
for lesson 1 as they currently are.
15. Will students be given the time and support required during a period of change.
Yes they will.
16. Some students may collect younger siblings from feeder primaries
This was raised by one parent who it does not directly affect. A broad and balanced
curriculum is essential for our students and this does not justify maintaining current
arrangements.
17. Will staff still provide after school activities?
Staff willingness and desire to provide more for our students after school has been one
of the driving forces behind the proposed changes
18. Different finish times being confusing for parents, carers and students.
Many schools in Sandwell and beyond already have models where days finish at
different times and experiences and research suggest that stakeholders soon adapt to
these. As already mentioned, clubs are available as required during early finish days.
Many schools have more extreme models where students finish on a Friday at around
1pm. Our governors rightly felt that this was not in the best interests of our community,
students, parents or carers.
19. Could we make the day 8:30am – 4:00pm (or at least longer every day).
It was not felt that this was necessary or feasible for staff or students at this time. The
proposed changes allow for a broad and balanced curriculum whilst ensuring that staff
can still conduct extracurricular activities and maintain some work – life balance.
20. Could start time be later, not earlier?
This would cause greater inconvenience to parents, carers and staff.
21. Students will have four lessons in a row with only a 15 minutes break. Is this
conducive to good learning?
Students will have a brief amount of time between all lessons as we will limit ‘double’
lessons and we encourage students to take on water during lessons and in between
them to support learning and visit the bathroom as required.
22. Can the academy consider a program to develop improved, effective teaching?
This is being planned for 2015/2016 and is a key feature of these changes.
23. Staff have 3/25 non-contact lessons a week currently, will this be increased?
Yes, planned to 3.5/28 A proportional increase.
24. The curriculum increase is 40 minutes a week, an increase in directed time for
staff. Have management considered this and done a full analysis of the effects of
the proposed changes on individual staff with regard to increased teaching
load/planning?
Directed time still falls well inside 1265 hours. Management has done a full analysis on
every individual member of staff.
25. What ‘duties’ will be expected of staff on Wednesday afternoons?
Planning is on-going, but CPD is expected as these times in line with the current ‘10
hour model’ freeing up remaining afternoons where staff are keen to work with students.
26. Can weekly CPD take place?
Structured CPD will not be weekly, but development of staff will be on-going. It will be
clearly signposted where CPD and intervention time takes place to secure the best
outcomes of our young people.
27. Detention commitments for staff will finish late, can the time be reduced?
It is proposed to reduce main detention times but maintain those taken by the Principal
and Senior Staff.
28. MFL will lose curriculum time due to shorter lessons.
MFL have a greater share of curriculum time than at many other secondary schools and
we remain committed to this subject through Key Stage 3 and 4. By maintaining the
number of lessons and support given to extracurricular activities in this area we do not
foresee any negative impact.
29. Parents, carers and students want to see Pastoral staff in the morning. Will this
be possible?
Staff will be available at the start of the day to deal with issues as they currently are.By
having tutor time at the end of the day, it is expected that many of these issues will be
dealt with on the previous day.
30. Could our new times be shared with feeder primaries?
They have through the consultation process and will be now.
31. Can practical PE be double sessions to allow for greater variety?
The Curriculum Assistant Principal will liaise with the Area Leader to see what is
possible.
32. Students will not take period 5 seriously on Friday as there is just one session.
This is refuted. Experience and research suggests that given our excellent learning
climate, these sessions will continue to be productive.
33. A query was raised regarding administrative staff work times.
These times will be reviewed in line with the new timings.
Given the responses and the detail I have given above, the academy has decided to
proceed with implementing the proposed changes for 2015/2016, outlined below;
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A start time of 0845 instead of 0855 Monday to Friday
Tutor time moving from the start until the end of the day to allow students to go straight
into learning at 0845, and to allow tutors to address any issues from the day prior to
students going home ensuring better communication and a positive start for all
55 minute lessons instead of the current 60 minute lessons
A finish time of 1530 on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday and a finish time of 1435 on
Wednesday and Friday
Yours faithfully
V. Green
Principal