School Day

From 08:40, all the children (Reception – Year 6) come into school and go directly to their classrooms to meet their teachers. Lessons begin promptly after the 08:50 morning registration.

The children are taught in seven single age classes. All children work and study in well-equipped, modern classrooms (eight including our Nursery class).  Nursery children attend for 15 hours each week, either over 2.5 days or on a daily part-time basis

St Mary’s Catholic Voluntary Academy meets the Department for Education requirement of a 32.5 hour school week. Teaching time in a normal full school week ranges, depending on the age of pupils, from 23–24 hrs for infants and 25–26.5 hrs for juniors. There is additional time allocated for registration, assemblies, hymn practice and play.

All the children have a 15 minute break during the morning and this is staggered to allow full use of the playground area.  Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1 children enjoy the benefits of fruit, courtesy of the National Fruit Scheme, which is also an important time for developing social skills and further developing positive relationships.

Reception and Key Stage One children have an hour for lunch, and Key Stage Two children have 45 minutes. During this time the pupils are cared for by our competent and caring Midday Staff Team. There are opportunities for both structured and free-play activities on fine days and a range of indoor games and activities for  very wet lunchtimes.

Children have a flexible afternoon break.  The school day ends at 15:20. Children being met by their parents/carers are collected from the top playground.