Traditionally the secondary school day has been divided into between five and seven lessons of between 40 and 50 minutes, with a ‘double period’ for some subjects, such as science.

Schools are experimenting with variable blocks of time, as time is now seen as a flexible resource that can be packaged in many different ways; a practice already common in primary schools.

In radical versions, the conventional timetable of lessons is abandoned for one or more days (or for the occasional week) and students and teachers spend a whole day (or week) working together on one subject or topic.

Institutional reconfigurations

• From single to multiple institutions
• Merging of phases
• Flexible and permeable age cohorts
• School day, term and year
• Flexible time schedules
• Design of buildings and learning spaces
• Competence-based, trans-disciplinary curriculum
• Academic and pastoral division
• Smaller units within schools
• School and workplace

Role reconfigurations

Leadership reconfigurations