Benefits of longer lessons

Lessons are longer than they were at Saint Paul's School. Seventy or seventy-five minute lessons have many distinct benefits for students:

• They have greater time to consolidate what they have learnt;
• They can participate in a wider range of activities such as project work and practical activities;
• Their teachers can deploy a wider variety of teaching styles in a longer period, which can ensure that all students are taught more effectively;
• Better learning experiences lead to better performances and achievement.

There are organisational and behavioural benefits to the longer lessons:

• Less movement around the school ensures a calmer atmosphere;
• Less crowded corridors are tidier and cleaner;
• Longer lessons encourage teachers to extend and broaden their teaching approaches;
• Students need to bring fewer books to school and have less baggage to carry when there are fewer lessons;
• Poor student behaviour is minimised when the number of lesson changes is reduced.

School opens at 7am and from this point onwards until 8.15 am students have the opportunity to complete unfinished work; print off assignments they have completed at home or they can just sit down and catch up with the events of last evening with their friends.