Time-Out Cards
At Oasis Academy Brislington, we are committed to inclusive teaching. We understand that some students may need time outside of the classroom during a lesson for a variety of reasons. We therefore offer Time-Out cards to support these students. Students who have been given a Time-Out card are permitted to leave the lesson for up to five minutes. The student must go to their agreed designated spot for their Time-Out which could be the Haven, or with another designated member of staff.
Students who remain outside must remain in sight of the door for safeguarding reasons. Teachers will use a visual timer (students may be given one also). Students who misuse the Time out card will be required to have a review meeting with their parents and persistent misuse could result in the Time-Out card being removed.
We also know that we need to balance the benefit of Time-Out to refocus with the lost learning time- a student who takes a 5-minute Time-Out every lesson for 6 lessons per day, will be out of the classroom for 2.5 hours per week, which then equates to 9% of their learning time across the academic year. Therefore, teachers will use a range of strategies to ensure classroom environments are calm and inclusive. Teachers will offer students a ‘Rest and Return’ break inside the room as a way of trying to minimise lost learning time and to reduce the reliability on the card over time.
Rest and Return Breaks:
Teachers will offer students a movement break inside of the classroom (e.g. giving out resources) or a rest break where they can switch their focus to a calming activity inside the classroom. Teachers will have a variety of activities that can be offered to students from their SEND toolbox e.g. optical illusion focus images, dot-to-dot, mini whiteboard work, colouring. These 5-minute Rest and Return breaks will allow students to stimulate their sensory systems of muscles, space or touch, while remaining inside the classroom and enable them to regain focus back onto the learning in the lesson.
Where a Rest and Return break is not appropriate or hasn’t worked to support the student then the teacher will allow a student to take their Time-Out outside of the classroom.
Examples of reasons why a student may be granted a Time-Out card (not an exhaustive list):
• Sensory break
• Movement break
• Relieve stress or anxiety
• Regulate themselves when feeling angry or overwhelmed
• Rest break
In completing this form as a parent, you accept that the student will follow the responsibilities that come with the card:
-Use the Time-Out card for the agreed number of lessons decided on collaboratively at the initial meeting
- Carry their Time-Out card to give to the teacher at the start of each lesson
- Not walk away from the vicinity of their designated spot
- Return to lesson at the correct time
- Endeavor to reduce the need for the card over time
- Accept that misuse will trigger a review meeting where repeated misuse may remove it
To apply for a Time Out Card please clik the link for your child's year group as below:
Once submitted, you will receive contact from a member of your child’s Pastoral team or SEND team (dependent on the reason for the request). Please allow 5 working days for the academy to respond to your request but we will endeavour to respond as soon as possible.