Seatbay guide
Classroom seating chart: horseshoe
A horseshoe, or U-shape, puts desks down both sides of the room and across the back, with the open end towards the board. Every pupil can see the board, the teacher and each other, which suits discussion. Seatbay opens it for 24 pupils.
Open the horseshoe layoutOpens Seatbay with this layout ready to fill. If you have a plan started already, it opens that: pick the layout under Layouts.
When a horseshoe works well
The horseshoe is a favourite for discussion, languages and seminars. The teacher can walk into the middle and reach every desk quickly, and nobody sits behind anybody else.
It needs more floor than rows for the same number of pupils, so it suits smaller classes or larger rooms. For a big class, a second row across the back is a common answer.
Fill it in
Paste your class list, one name on each line, then drag each pupil to a desk (or tap a name, then a desk, on a phone or tablet). Add or remove desks to match your room.
Set keep apart or keep together for any two pupils, and mark a pupil who should sit near the front or near the door. A broken rule is marked on both desks with its reason. The plan prints on one sheet for the classroom wall or a cover teacher.
Questions
How many pupils fit in a horseshoe?
The layout opens for 24. You can change the number of seats down each side and across the back, and add another row of desks if your room has the space.
Where do my pupils’ names go?
Nowhere. There is no account, and the class stays in your browser on your own device. A class is never shared in a link: you print the plan, or save a backup file.