SCHOOL SCHEDULING, COGNITIVE FATIGUE, AND PERCEIVED ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE AT A NAZARBAYEV INTELLECTUAL SCHOOL: A PILOT SURVEY

Abstract

School timetables may influence students' alertness and perceived performance through the interaction of sleep, circadian timing, subject difficulty, and accumulated cognitive fatigue. This pilot study examined how 20 students in Grades 10-12 at one Nazarbayev Intellectual School perceived the organization of their school day. An anonymous online questionnaire was used, and the available responses were summarized with frequencies, percentages, and thematic grouping of an open-ended item. Nine students (45%) reported sleeping 6-7 hours on school nights, while another nine (45%) identified the third and fourth lessons as their most productive period. Eight students (40%) agreed that mathematics becomes more difficult in the afternoon, and ten students (50%) reported having performed worse on a test scheduled later in the school day. Open responses suggested placing difficult subjects earlier, considering a slightly later start, and reducing unnecessary gaps in the timetable.