Fostering Enjoyment and Engagement at Sidmouth College: Enhancing Student Break and Lunchtime Experiences
Creating an Enjoyable School Experience: A Headteacher’s Commitment
One of my primary goals as headteacher at Sidmouth College is to ensure that students genuinely enjoy coming to school each day. From my first days here, I recognized that to create a vibrant school culture, I needed to understand the students’ perspectives. Listening to their experiences and learning how we could make meaningful improvements became my guiding principle.
To that end, I engaged with around 175 students directly and surveyed all 836 students, aiming to uncover their insights on how we could enhance their school experience. One message stood out clearly: our students wanted to make the most of their break and lunchtimes, expressing the need for more time, more space, and more opportunities. This feedback illuminated a straightforward path forward—one I was eager to act upon.
More Time
Our first step focused on providing students with more time during lunch. By redesigning our canteen queuing system, we managed to streamline the entire lunch process, enabling students to move through the line approximately ten minutes faster.
The changes included reorganizing the queuing space, introducing a one-way system, and installing queue barriers. With consistent staff on duty to oversee the process, we ensured it ran smoothly. As a result, students now have additional time to eat, relax, or engage in various activities, significantly enhancing their lunch experience.
More Space
Next, we addressed the demand for more space. We opened the school hall during breaks and lunchtimes, creating a refuge for students seeking cover from inclement weather or simply wanting a quieter area to read or complete schoolwork. This idea proved to be not only innovative but also straightforward to implement. Our existing lunchtime staff effectively manage the space, allowing for a flexible environment that caters to diverse student needs.
More Options
To further enrich breaktimes, we expanded athletic opportunities by creating structured sports activities. We increased the number of inter-house competitions, including football, basketball, and badminton, while providing areas for casual play where students can kick a ball or shoot hoops with friends.
Funded by a school fundraiser, we acquired various sports equipment such as footballs, basketballs, and netballs. Duty staff now manage a simple loan system, allowing students to easily access equipment in key areas without needing to bring their own gear. This grassroots initiative has provided students with the incentive to engage actively during breaks.
Small Steps, Big Differences
Even within the first month, the changes have yielded striking results. Participation in break and lunchtime sports surged from about 20 students to over 150. The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive; students are embracing the additional options, space, and time to be active.
Moreover, behavioral improvements during breaks and lunchtimes have translated to a smoother overall school day, aided by quicker lunch queues.
Looking Ahead
Our goal is to build on this momentum, cultivating positive routines and healthy habits that extend beyond the school day. We are committed to further strengthening our culture of kindness and respect. Continual listening to our students will ensure we create an environment where they feel valued and supported.
Encouragingly, our most recent survey reveals an eight percent increase in the number of students reporting happiness at school. We have surpassed the national benchmark, with 88 percent of our students describing themselves as somewhat to very happy and 55 percent declaring themselves quite or very happy, compared to the national average of 46 percent.
Conclusion
Providing students with more choice, space, and equipment has proven to be a simple yet powerful method for enhancing engagement. Schools looking to boost participation in breaktime activities should heed this advice: listen to your students, eliminate barriers, and offer flexible, enjoyable avenues for movement and interaction. The early indications suggest that when schools prioritize student voice and well-being, it truly pays off.
Alex Evans is the headteacher of Sidmouth College, part of the Ted Wragg Trust.