The 8-day Scheduling Cycle

• The 8-Day scheduling Cycle runs for 8 school days, excluding weekends.
• After the 8th day, Day 1 starts again for the next 8-day cycle. Students should bring the correct textbooks according to their cycle schedule.
• There are 22 cycles throughout the school year.
• The swimming cycle schedule is provided in the Homework Diary/ Student Planner and specified by dates.

The 8-Day scheduling Cycle is a program designed to maximize learning and teaching practices in the classroom. It is used internationally in rigorous schools and has been proven to improve academic performance in students. It was recommended by our educational consultants. The allocation of class hours takes into consideration student movement, rotation, and preparation for the next class. This extends instruction time and promotes increased student interaction, making lessons more meaningful.

Effective teaching and learning: Thoughtfully planned lessons facilitate a more student-centered approach to learning. During a single lesson, students can learn new concepts, apply them, and reinforce their understanding. For instance, at the beginning of a lesson, it typically takes around five minutes for a student to settle down and organize their materials. On average, in a writing, science, or math lesson, it takes approximately 15 minutes to teach the concepts. Afterward, students have ample time to engage with and apply what they have learned. Additionally, transitioning from one class to another does not interfere with instructional time. 

Specialist periods: Due to the nature of specialist subjects, the main advantage is having more time available. For instance, in physical education, the time required for changing and preparation reduces the time available for teaching and learning.

Extended breaks: Students can fulfill their prayer obligations and also enjoy a relaxing lunch. Additionally, teachers can utilize the longer breaks to provide assistance to students who need extra support in understanding concepts.

No, the 8-day scheduling cycle ensures that the necessary contact hours are achieved safely.

At JKS, the cycle lasts for eight school days. Therefore, for the sake of scheduling, we no longer use the names Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. Instead, we refer to them as Day One, Day Two, up to Day Eight.

No, weekend dates are not included in the count. This implies that if, for instance, Day 5 lands on a Thursday, then Sunday will be recognized as Day 6.

In the Middle and Upper School, there are a total of five lessons per day with two breaks. Each lesson or subject is unique and not repeated.

In the Primary School, there are six lessons per day with two breaks.

In the Upper school, the first four lessons are 70 minutes long, and the fifth lesson is 60 minutes long.

In the Primary school, all lessons in Grades 1 and 2 last for 50 minutes, whereas the first three lessons for Grades 3 to 5 are 60 minutes long, and the remaining three lessons are each 50 minutes long.

No, it is not necessary to have block lessons or double lessons on one specific day because each lesson lasts either 70 minutes or 60 minutes. As a result, no student will exceed the maximum of 70 minutes in any single lesson or subject on any given day.

In terms of practicality, the implementation is quite challenging. The process of implementation involves careful planning and preparation of PE schedules and the Cycle Calendar. By adopting the eight-day cycle, it means that the workload for the school is doubled as it requires the creation of complex schedules. This also involves blocking off common areas or facilities and considering the fact that the start of each eight-day cycle varies from the previous one. For instance, in Cycle 1, the initial day will be Sunday, but in Cycle 2, the first day will be Wednesday… and so forth.