Angus Council is planning to move to a four-and-a-half day week in all its secondary schools.
The change has been prompted by a desire to scrap ‘form time’ periods, which were only introduced four years ago, but have now been deemed “no longer fit for purpose”.
The new timetable, which would be introduced from August 2017, could mean school lessons end at 3.55pm from Monday to Thursday and then 12.35pm on Fridays.
The proposal would lead to increased transport costs as bus companies have to make double journeys to collect primary and secondary pupils at different times on Fridays.
This additional cost is estimated at £370,000 a year, though there might be some savings with a probably reduction in utility costs.
The current school week consists of 30 periods of 50 minutes with half an hour a day for form time.
Form time was meant to provide an opportunity for teachers to work with small groups of pupils to review their learning progress but the main view of pupils surveyed was that they didn’t find this useful.
Some schools have already substituted form time periods for increased teaching time.
The new school week would see the school day start at 8.50am with two 50 minute periods. There would then be a 10-minute check in at 10.30am, then a 15 minute break, followed by two further periods.
Lunch will either last for 50 minutes of an hour – further consultation is going to be conducted on this.
On Monday to Thursdays there would then be three further periods in the afternoon. On Fridays the school day would end after lunch.
The recommendations follow a consultation exercise in which more than 3,000 parents, pupils and school staff took part.
63% of pupils and 59% of staff through the structure of the school week should change, but only 50% of parents agreed.
A decision will be taken at the council’s children and learning committee tomorrow.
In a report brought forward by director of children and learning Margo Williamson, it states: “We believe that the underlying principles of this proposed change will lead to improved outcomes and broader experiences for learners.”
The report said the move would also encourage employers and voluntary organisations to provide opportunities for our young people on the shorter school day on Friday.
It added: “We accept that there is a financial cost to these proposals. However we believe that the rationale for change and the support for these proposals have to take precedence.”
However, a senior education source told The Courier that they were “staggered” by the huge extra cost of the planned switch.
“I simply cannot believe that the council is bringing this forward,” said the source.
“I am even more astounded that, in the current climate when cuts are being made in other areas, that senior officials are admitting there are going to be huge additional costs involved.
“It’s no more than a whim that this is being done, at a time when school budgets are under huge pressure.”
