June 2025
Dear Families,
I hope this letter finds you well, and you enjoyed half term with your children. As discussed in our letter before half term we are refocussing some of our expectations around the start of the day. The vast majority of our students come fully equipped, on time, in perfect uniform and ready to learn, enjoy and succeed. A very small minority of our students require additional support and challenge to meet these expectations, and this refocus will help to provide them with the support and clarity they need to be successful. We are calling this refocus the Oakbank Strong Start.
The first area of our refocus is on our line-ups, which help us to move from social time to learning time in a kind and consistent way. I am writing to you today to share both our rationale, and the expectations for line-ups as I know you will be keen to support us with this key Oakbank routine.
We are very clear about the purpose of line-up at Beckfoot Oakbank and share this regularly with the students. We line up to:
- Help students regulate following social time, ensuring a settled start to learning.
- Ensure students are safe when moving through the building so two classes can pass each other comfortably in single file.
- Allow teachers the opportunity to check in with every single student in their class.
- Practice the social norm of queuing, so our students can easily participate in society.
Like actors or surgeons, we practice key routines with students to help support them in meeting our expectations. We communicate the expectations clearly, which are as follows;
- On the first whistle students move to their single file lines where members of staff will greet them.
- On the second whistle a member of the senior leadership team will begin a 3-2-1 countdown. On one, the students fall silent. We offer reminders and pauses to assist students with this expectation.
- The person leading the line-up will give key messages and updates before dismissing students, in their lines, to their learning spaces.
- Students remain in silence throughout this movement to foster a calm and focused start to learning.
- Students who meet our expectations are regularly recognised with a positive point on Class-Charts.
- If, unfortunately, a student fails to meet these expectations, they will be issued a 30-minute same day detention. We will take every step possible to support students in succeeding, however a calm start to the day is of paramount importance.
Thank you for your support. If you have any questions, please contact your child’s year team lead.
Yours faithfully,
Chris Ray
Headteacher
