~laff and pupils b
providing sofl floor c \'crinll' and oth r noise rcducinl! fe3turc~ wherever pos~ible.
TIMETABLlNO, CIRCULATION A
'PERVI ION
126
Some of our evidence suggests that the organisation of the school day can increase or reduce the chances of pupils misbehaving, particularly in the secondary sector. Certain aspects of primary school timecabling and organisation, such as the wirhdrawal of small groups of pupils receiving specialist supporr from rheir classes for part of the day, can cause difficulties if they are badly arranged. But rhe greater size and complexiry of secondary schools increases rhe risk of disruption as a resulr of organisarional defects. Mosr of the commenrs in this secrion are rherefore about secondary schools.
127
We identified five issues relared to rhe pattern of the school day which can affecr a school's armosphere and rhe behaviour of irs pupils. They arc: rhe use of assemblies and rurorial rime; rhe strucrure of the rimerable; circulation between lessons; the general supervision of pupils ourside lessons; and lunchtime supervision.
128
We have commenred on rhe use of assemblies by headreachers. We consider them to be an imporranr feature of school life. An assembly which consisrs of nothing bur a roken prayer and a srring of notices is more thar just a wasted opportunity. It gives a negative message to pupils about the nacure of the school communiry. So does wasted turotia I rime.
129
We believe rhar rhe rimemble is an impormnr management tOol which may be undervalued by some schools. Timerabling is a complex process. Strucruring rhe school day and matching reachers ro classes is complicared enough in a primary school. The number of variables involved in constructing a secondary school timetable is very great, and rhe task is highly complex. We recognise rhar rhere is no standard formula for success. Each school has a different mixrure of people and buildings, so timet8bles have to be individually railored. Each school has irs own prioriries. Our evidence suggests, however, rhat some arrangements are more likely to produce behaviour problems than orhers. These include: 129.1
excessive movement between classrooms. Movement from classroom to classroom can be stressful for both pupils and reachers. The more rhere is, rhe grearer rhe chance of misbehaviour in corridors. In primary schools pupils are taught by one teacher in one room for mosr of rhe week. This rends to produce a more srable armosphere. We know thar secondary
119