Angus schools will no longer be allowed to close early on the last day before the Christmas and summer holidays.
It has been normal practice for pupils to be sent home at noon but they will now have to stay in class for an extra three hours.
The change has upset many teachersas they will not be able to enjoy theirtraditional end-of-term lunches.
A teachers’ source said: “You canimagine the teachers are not best pleased about that as they traditionally go out together those days and that’s now the end of their Christmas lunches.
“A lot of teachers have families, so can only afford to spend a couple of hours out in the afternoons before having to go home to look after children.”
The new policy was disclosed in a letter to head teachers from Pauline Stephen, head of schools and learning at Angus Council.
She wrote: “With regard to school term times, I am writing to confirm that our schools will no longer close at lunchtimeon the day before Christmas and summer holidays.
“That is, children and staff are expected in for the full day on Tuesday December 23 2014 and Thursday June 25 2015 with an early closing time of 3pm.
“I realise this may not be welcome news but having fully considered operational and governance issues these half-day closures create, I cannot support their continuance.
“Please ensure parents, pupils and staff are informed appropriately.”
Asked for an explanation of why thelater closing had been ordered, a council spokeswoman said: “We took the decision to make this change as it better suited the needs of children and families.”
It is understood there has been a rumour going around schools that the policy change had been forced on the council by theScottish Government. It is claimed a couple had complained because they had not known their young son’s school was closing early and they were out when he returned home.
However, the council spokeswoman said: “We don’t have a reference to anycomplaint by the Scottish Government and we are not aware of any approach by them to change our policy.”
Putting back school closing times may avoid working parents having to makespecial childcare arrangements but it does mean extra work for teachers and other school staff at the end of term.
David Drysdale, secretary of the Angus local association of the EIS teaching union, noted that teachers were bound by national conditions to work for 195 days during term time.
While he did not wish to commentspecifically on the council’s policy change, he said: “There have been a number ofstudies done nationally and internationally that show the stress teachers are under.
“Teaching is consistently found to be one of the most stressful professions.”
He pointed out that teachers had also gone through a lengthy period ofnationally-imposed wage freezes that had seen their pay cut substantially in real terms, at a time when they were also having to bring in major changes to the curriculum and the exam system.
Early closing of schools at the Christmas and summer holidays is normal practice in many local authorities.
Dundee schools have also traditionally shut at noon.
However, a city council spokeswoman said: “I can confirm we have no plans to change.”
Shelagh McLean, Fife Council directorate resources manager, said: “In Fife schools close at lunchtime on the last day of the Christmas and summer terms.
“Our parents are kept fully informed of the closure times by the schools and our bus timetables are adjusted to reflect the closure times on those two days.
“This allows parents to make appropriate arrangements.”
A spokesman for Perth and Kinross Council said: “Schools in Perth and Kinross had a half day at the end of term as usual, and we do not have any plans to change that.”