The La Fontaine school day starts at 8:30am and all children enter via the main playground.
We operate a ‘soft start’ meaning that children are able to come to school between 8:30am and 8:40am; when they arrive at school, children make their way to their classroom where they meet their teachers. Children do not line up at the beginning of the day. Members of the SLT and LSAs will be present on the playground and at points around the school building to ensure that children are entering the building safely and are getting to class efficiently.
When children arrive in class, there is an early morning learning activity, such as a question quadrant or a similar independent retrieval practice activity, on the screen ready for them to work on. The task available for the children is based on previously taught material and is chosen to support the spaced learning principle, giving the children an opportunity to transfer knowledge from their working memory to their long-term memory. Children complete this task independently, so the teacher may use this time for individual conversations with children to welcome them into school and help settle any that may need a little extra attention in the morning, as well as taking attendance and lunch registers.
The playground gates will be closed at 8:40am and any children coming school after this time must enter via the main office and will be marked as late. The first lessons begin at 8:45am, daily.
Assemblies will be daily for key stages one and two and they will take place in the Great Hall at the times given below:
| Day | Theme | Timing & Year Group |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | PSHE or RE – led by PSHE lead | 10:15 (Y1, 2 & 3) 10:35 (Y4, 5 & 6) |
| Tuesday | Vaules assembly – led by Phase Leaders | 10:15 (Y1, 2 & 3) 10:35 (Y4, 5 & 6) |
| Wednesday | Class Assemblies | 10:15 (Y1, 2 & 3) 10:35 (Y4, 5 & 6) |
| Thursday | Music / singing – led by Arts curriculum lead | 10:15 (Y1, 2 & 3) 10:35 (Y4, 5 & 6) |
| Friday | Celebrating children who have demonstrated our school values throughout the week – led by SLT | 10:15 (Y1, 2 & 3) 10:35 (Y4, 5 & 6) |
Reception will join the KS1 assemblies during the summer term, at the teachers’/phase leader’s discretion. Prior to this, Reception teachers will hold in-class assemblies.
Reception playtime takes place in the Reception playground at the times indicated on their timetable (times may change through the year, as the children develop and transition toward KS1). It is expected that they will join the KS1 playtime in the summer term, at the teachers’/Phase Leader’s discretion.
| Time | Year Group |
|---|---|
| 9:55am – 10:10am | Years 1, 2 & 3 playtime on the main playground |
| 10:15am – 10:30am | Years 4, 5 & 6 playtime on the main playground |
A first aider will be timetabled to be on the playground for each playtime.
If it is wet play, children will stay in classes with an LSA or member of staff on duty.
11:30 – 11:45 Dining skills in the Great Hall (supported by Reception teachers and LSAs)
Teachers and LSAs will accompany the children to the dining hall at 11:30 to support the serving of lunch and to actively teach dining skills, e.g. use of cutlery. At 12:00 (or earlier if the children are finished eating their lunch), the Reception children will be escorted, by assigned members of staff, to the Reception playground for the remainder of their lunchtime. It is expected that they will join KS1 on the playground in the summer term, at the teachers’/Phase Leader’s discretion.
A first aider is timetabled to be on duty for each lunchtime.
End of the day
The La Fontaine school day ends at 3:00pm for all children.
All children are collected from the main playground with classes lined up around the edge of the playground for dismissal; children will be dismissed once the teacher has seen the approved person who is collecting.
Staff will wait with the children in their line for 10 minutes after the end of the day. At 3:10pm, children will be taken to the main office and registered as a late collection – the administration team will contact a parent/carer to find out when their child will be collected.
Children in afterschool clubs will wait with LSAs on the slopes until their club leader is ready to collect them at 3:10pm.
Clubs will operate 3:15pm – 4:30pm; club leaders will dismiss the children from the playground.
Children going to wrap around care (Junior Adventures Club) will go straight to the main hall.