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Breaktime and social life in schools

Project

The "Breaktime and Social life in Schools" (BaSiS) project, is an independent national survey of the nature, length and organisation of break and lunchtimes in primary and secondary schools in England. This project provides a follow up to our previous surveys of break times in schools undertaken in 1995 and 2006.

There are 3 parts to the research. First, a survey of all schools focusing on the nature, organisation and supervision of school break- and lunch-times and a second survey of school meal times which will provide information on the nature, supervision and organisation of school mealtimes. Second, there will be a survey of school pupils' social life and experiences in and outside of school. We hope that Year 5 and Year 8 and 10 pupils will complete these questionnaires. The third and final part of the research will be a set of case studies, focusing on different approaches to school break times, lunchtimes and social life in primary and secondary schools.

Can my school take part in the national survey of schools?
We are approaching a random sample of all schools to invite them to participate in the research. But we would like as many schools as possible within Britain to take part so if you are the head teacher or a senior member of staff in a school and wish to participate please do discuss this with your head teacher first and then contact us by clicking the "Participate" button and providing your name, your role in school, the name of your school and a contact email address. We will then contact you and provide you with further information about how to take part.

Participate

ABOUT

This national research is jointly directed by Dr. Ed Baines and Prof. Peter Blatchford based at the UCL Institute of Education in London. The project is funded by the Nuffield Foundation and follows on from two previous surveys undertaken first in 1995 and subsequently in 2006. Systematic information on break and lunch times is not collected by the Department for Education or any other organisation in England and the UK and thus there is little understanding about these important aspects of the school day.

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The project provides a much needed follow up of the previous national survey conducted 10 years ago which identified marked changes to breaktimes and the school day. Since then there have been further changes to schools and there has been much encouragement of schools to make further alterations to break and lunch times (e.g. meal time organisation, playgrounds, opportunities for physical exercise and sport, school clubs and enrichment opportunities).