Timetable and Courses
The timetable is organised on a nine day cycle of five periods per day. This enables the school to meet its obligations to provide instruction in all essential learning areas of the junior curriculum as fully as possible. The timetable also has to make it possible for students to study at different levels in the senior school and to accommodate the needs of particular courses such as the STAR programme.
Line Structure for 9 Day Timetable
| Period |
Day 1 |
Day 2 |
Day 3 |
Day 4 |
Day 5 |
Day 6 |
Day 7 |
Day 8 |
Day 9 |
| 1 |
3 |
4 |
6 |
4 |
2 |
5 |
1 |
1 |
3 |
| 2 |
5 |
3 |
1 |
5 |
3 |
6 |
4 |
2 |
4 |
| 3 |
1 |
2 |
5 |
6 |
5 |
2 |
6 |
5 |
6 |
| 4 |
4 |
5 |
2 |
3 |
6 |
1 |
5 |
6 |
2 |
| 5 |
6 |
1 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
4 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
Year 9 and 10 Courses
For year 9 students, the curriculum is compulsory, although there is an element of choice for languages.
All students study English, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, Technology, Physical Education, Art, Music and Drama.
All Year 10 students study English, Mathematics, Physical Education/Health, Science and Social Studies.
Two lines of the timetable are allocated to optional subjects choosen by the student. These can include Languages, Technology(Fabrics, Metal, Wood), Graphics, Food and Nutrition, Drama, Music, Art, Business or Music.
Year 11 - 13 Courses
Senior students (years 11,12 and 13) are asked to make a preliminary selection of subjects in the November before the final examinations. Then at registration the following January, year 12 and 13 students' course selections are checked against examination results to ensure subject pre-requisites have been met. If the subject chosen is 'new' or the pre-requisite has not been met, the student is asked to negotiate entry with the head of department.
Once school begins, students whose courses are incomplete work with their house tutor to finalise their programme. At this point, class size becomes a significant factor in the decision. Thus, the senior timetable is driven by student subject choice, rather than students making choices from a fixed list.
Classes are placed in the six timetable lines according to the demand and the availability of teachers and specialist rooms. Because some classes occur just the once and some are restricted in size, it is not always possible to meet the subject requests of every student. As the timetable evolves, changes are made to subject placement to accommodate as many students as possible (target is 90%), but eventually students have to fit the pattern once it has been finalised.
The last step is to balance class numbers so that the most even spread possible is attained. Students are moved from class to class in order to achieve this. The whole process eventually takes the first two weeks of the first term, but it can take longer for some individual students. The aim is to have all students enrolled in a course that has coherence and that can give the students reasonable options for their next level of study.
Daily Timetable
8.45 - 9.45 Management Meeting
8.45 - 9.45 Period One
9.50 - 10.50 Period Two
10.50 - 11.10 Interval
11.15 - 12.10 Period Three
12.15 - 1.10 Period Four
1.15 - 1.30 Form Time
1.30 - 2.30 Lunch Time
2.30 - 3.25 Period Five
- A five-minute 'transit time' is allowed between Period 1 and Period 2, Period 3 and Period 4, and between Period 4 and Form Time.
- A bell will be sounded at the beginning and end of each period and five minutes before the beginning of the first, third and fifth periods.
- On Fridays in Terms 1, 2 and 3 staff have professional development from 8.00am - 9.00 am. The daily times remain the same except that 15 minutes are lost from period one.
