Essential tips on getting the most out of your school planner

Assemblies, lessons, coursework, homework and music practice are just a few things that can happen in a typical school day. With so many things to juggle, it is impossible to keep school life in order without a little help from your school planner. Planners are found in almost every school and are increasingly serving to be more than just a diary.

The student planner

By helping to keep tabs on the different deadlines, school planners help students in finding time for leisure and extra-curricular activities in the school week.

There are many individual elements that schools can incorporate into their planners for students. Bespoke planners can have personalised front covers, with images of the school or staff for instance. The school’s policy, coat of arms and motto are unique to each school, as are local addresses or helplines that can be added.

Although pupils and teachers are aware of school policy, it is always handy to have them written down to gain that mutual understanding between staff and pupils - for instance the bullying policy, rules for internet usage or school outings. They can also serve as a quick reference for useful contact details, such as telephone numbers, email addresses and the school’s web page.

Staff and parent interaction

One of the significant purposes of a planner is to serve as an easily accessible and portable homework diary. It is also a great way for teachers and students to interact. Teachers are able to leave comments and feedback to help improve students’ approach to homework and their skills in different subject areas.

It is also a great way for staff to interact with parents too. By leaving comments, tutors can highlight strengths and where there is room for improvement. Parents can also highlight any concerns or questions they have using the planner.

Positive comments and constructive criticism help to encourage pupils. Teachers often have to mark piles of homework and assignments, but diaries mean they can take a minute or two to write a few encouraging lines, which certainly go a long way and will ensure that pupils really take them in. They can go back a few pages and reflect on what has been noted, which can help motivate students.

Schools also have their own commendation or rewards schemes, which can be monitored in the school planner so students have a good idea of how they are doing in class and can work towards goals which they can also share with parents.

The teacher’s planner

It is not only the students that have a busy schedule. The working week of a teacher can also become hectic if some basic planning and organisation has been overlooked, which is why schools can also order bespoke planners for their teaching staff.

By having their own organiser that is designed and tailored to meet their teaching needs, staff can ensure that they are on top of everything and in control. Pages can include lesson plans and diary pages for marking, as well as notes for activities out of school hours such as parents evenings or school outings. There are companies out there who offer bespoke planner services - something worth bringing up at the next staff meeting.