Tutor Time at OBHS

Tutor time is an important part of the school day. Not only does it give you the opportunity to touch base with your tutor, but we also give you important messages as year groups. Tutor time also allows students to partake in a personal development programme, where we cover a range of topics from the PSHE curriculum, relationships, sexual and mental health, citizenship and careers.

A big part of tutor time focuses on developing metacognitive strategies. This involves teaching students’ ways they can recall and revise learning from the school day outside the classroom.

We have 5 tutor slots per week, and these are broken down as follows:

Session 1: Assemblies

Assemblies are delivered either as year groups or as a key stage. This is where important themes and messages are relayed, along with information from guest speakers which may include employers and post 16 providers who can provide important careers information and pathways.

Session 2: Personal development

Students follow a structured curriculum, where important themes and topics are discussed in a safe and nurturing environment. Students are encouraged to ask questions about what they are learning without fear. Topics covered are mandatory. Personal development covers 4 main areas: Relationships, sexual and mental health, religious education, citizenship and careers. 

Session 3: Oracy/ mentoring

Students across the school are given a piece of literature to read. This will either be read aloud by the tutor or by students. This allows students to practice their literacy skills. Tutors will then lead a conversation about what has been read to gauge students’ comprehension of the text.

Session 4: Metacognition strategies

Metacognitive strategies are taught to both KS3 and KS4 students. Metacognition teaches students how to learn outside the classroom. Knowing how to recall and revise information studied has long term benefits for students when they partake their GCSE years. Enabling independent revision. 

Session 5: Recall and revision

This session allows students to put into practice what they have learnt from the metacognition strategies. For KS3 this will be answering core questions related to each of the subjects studied. For KS4 this will be about being able to independently revise for their mocks and ultimately their GCSE examinations.