Period (school)

For other uses, see Recess (disambiguation).

A school period is a block of time allocated for lessons, classes or other activities in schools. They typically last between 40 and 60 minutes, with around 3-8 periods per school day. However, especially in higher education, there can be many more. Educators determine the number and length of these periods, and may even regulate how each period will be used. One common example of this practice is to designate at least one compulsory period a day for physical education.

Free period

One special example of a high school period is the free period. During a free period, a student can either:

• Walk around the campus freely until the next period. Some high schools permit students to leave the campus and go home, visit nearby shops or go to a nearby area outside the school grounds.
• Stay in a designated study room or classroom and either talk or work on homework
• Use it as an opportunity to meet up with teachers and ask about missed work or another question.
• Study for any upcoming tests/exams.
• In some schools, Lunch is also consumed during a student's free period.

Some schools have an extended lunch period and that could be used as a free period as well. Lunch periods in high school could be up to 60 minutes long.

A free period in a college is a time period that a student is not enrolled in a class. During the free period, students are literally free and could do whatever they want that complies to the campus rules and the law. Students in free periods in college are expected to study and complete assignments, but some make it a time for socialization, eating, sleeping, running errands, and many other activities. Office hours are open for students to get help with their classes, along with other services of the college.